Erected by Francis I at the height of his glory after the victory at Marignan, Chambord is one of the most unique creations that the Renaissance period has left us. The leg of the genius of the Italian Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci, floats here and there on the castle, and makes him the most probable inspiration for Francis I.
The Chateau de Chambord is open all year round except the 1st January and the 25th December.
Last access 30 minutes before the closing of the castle.
The castle closes at 4pm on 24 and 31 December.
The Castle Park is open every day of the year.
Full price: €14.50 (castle + gardens)
Reduced rate: 12 € (presentation of mandatory proof)
Free of charge:
Chambord's architecture is a clever blend of the French medieval era and the Italian Renaissance. Many very audacious innovations at the time were also concentrated in Chambord, such as the symmetry of the buildings, the treatment of openings and corridors and the location of the double-revolution staircase... If the castle is a masterful work that we owe to the initiative of François I, it was under the reign of Louis XIV that the building was completed. The Sun King then saw it as a symbol of royal power and resided there several times with his court. In its vast game forest, large hunting trips take place. It was also during his reign and in this place that Molière presented for the first time two successful plays, "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme" and "Monsieur de Pourceaugnac".
Unlike other castles such as Cheverny for example, Chambord Castle is only very poorly furnished. And for good reason, it was a temporary residence at a time when the king and his court were travelling around, changing residence with the seasons. And let us not forget that the Château de Chambord was originally designed as a hunting lodge to accommodate François I and his numerous courtyards and not as a real residence (the château nevertheless has no less than… 430 rooms!). What’s more, you can admire in its rooms "La chasse du roi François", a complex woven during the reign of Henri IV in the first quarter of the 17th century, even before the creation of the Manufacture des Gobelins. This work allows you to discover the hunting techniques of the time.
Chambord Park is the largest enclosed forest park in Europe, with a total area of 5,440 hectares surrounded by a 32-kilometre wall. Many plant and animal species develop freely: deer, wild boar, roe deer and even Corsican mouflons, not to mention a very rich population of birds with more than 150 species recorded. You can discover this natural reserve in the company of a forest guide, in an all-terrain vehicle. Ponds, meadows, moors... you will discover all the aspects of this immense estate and, by chance, you may come across a deer or stag. Moreover, during the good season, you can join a group for the observation of the deer bellow from a viewpoint.
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