Yes there are! Most of the famous Chateaux are very proud to be hosting multiple species of micro bat. Some of them, like Chambord, host hundreds of bats as they hibernate in crevices all over the building. Others, like Azay le Rideau, have made special provision for their maternity colony that roosts in the roof over the summer. But you as a visitor will not see any of these bats, winter or summer. They are carefully protected from the disturbance visitors might cause.
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| A maternity roost of Lesser Horseshoe bats in a private chateau. |
Will you see a bat at all in the Loire Valley? Yes you might, if you are observant, and sitting on a terrace having an apéritif in the evening. There might well be bats flitting about above your head, hunting for mosquitoes and other flying insects. The local French residents are very pro-bat, as it is widely understood how important the bat population is for controlling mosquitoes. Bats are not feared here as carriers of rabies, as rabies has been eradicated in France (except for very rare instances in abnormal circumstances).
So when you visit a chateau with us, think kindly of the resident bats, wish them well and thank them for their service.