FRANCE 2022 Trip report Day 17 Part 1: Château de Chambord

 DAY 17, OCTOBER 2, 2022

STAY:

 Tours continued

SIGHTS: 

Château de Chambord, Château de Cheverny

Château de Chambord

As the largest of Loire Valley castles, this UNESCO World Heritage site deserves at least a few hours

visit. Its architecture infuses elements from both medieval France and the Italian Renaissance, with

vaulted ceilings, corbeled walkways, and, perhaps its most beguiling feature, the double-helix staircases

on which people can ascend simultaneously in sight of one another, but never meet. The castle’s grounds are nearly the size of old city Paris and enclosed by a 19-mile wall Chambord is the big daddy of them all, with around 7,300,551 visitors a year making it the biggest attraction in the region.

HUNTING LODGE [NEVER LIVED IN]

In the heart of the forest and reflected in the surrounding waters, Chambord was born of the dreams of

François 1 who returned from his warring campaigns with an abiding love of Italian architecture – and

Leonardo da Vinci.

Chambord is a wonder of symmetry with a perfect Renaissance façade framed with

fairytale towers. It’s not known if Leonardo had anything to do with the plans, but the double

spiral staircase is great, designed so one person can climb up while another descends without ever meeting. 

Construction started in 1519 and was completed some 20 years later. It was never lived in;François I stayed here during the hunting season (Chambord was, after all, merely a hunting lodge) as did various kings after him including the Sun King, Louis XIV.

24 rooms in the château. The highlights are:

   The double helix staircase

• The panoramic terraces

• The furnished historic apartments

• The coffered vaulted ceilings

• The chapel

• The coach room

• The 18th century kitchens

• The French formal gardens

A 17 and 7 minute CGI films, projected

TERRACE

PRODUCTS

Oak barrels, 100/yr old, 250 l for wine... tannin

honey

Each year, deer shed and drop their antlers, which are subsequently collected. The key rings, knife

holders and walking sticks are handmade by Chambord woodworkers.

Handmade by Chambord woodworkers, these wooden objects are produced from the wood of the trees

(birch, pine, oak...) in the forest of Chambord, the largest well-enclosed park in Europe.

We drove toward Chateau de Cheverney enjoying the farms around the area

we drove on to Chateau de Cheverney

Report continues in Part 2