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Buy your tickets and receive them by email at the end of your order!

Let us respect our environment. The printing of your tickets is not mandatory, you can present your tickets from your phone at the access control of the castle. To save time, you can pay your parking as soon as you arrive at the automatic terminals located on the car parks.

The services «Chateau entrance and gardens in French», «Histopad» and «puzzle books» offered for sale below are valid until 31 December 2023. Online payment is done exclusively by credit card (Visa, Eurocard, Mastercard, American express).

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Château entrance ticket and formal french gardens

Enter the world of genius and discover the famous double revolving staircase, more than 4500 works of art in the refurbished apartments. The admission ticket gives access to more than 60 open houses and temporary exhibitions (depending on the cultural programme). We recommend that you let yourself be guided according to your desires and the time you have, progressing from floor to floor. More information: link

Château visit with HistoPad

Time travel to the epoch of François I. With HistoPad Chambord, you will explore the reconstituted 16th-century castle and discover Chambord as it was in the times of François I.  HistoPad is offering you the experience of a spectacular immersive visit bringing back the epoch of François I. You will explore the 8 rooms of the castle that have been integrally reconstituted in 3D and virtual reality thanks to the expert work of Renaissance specialists. 

4x4 tour of the forest park

This guided tour in an all-terrain vehicle takes in the heart of Europe's largest enclosed nature reserve, in the part usually closed to the public. It provides valuable insights into the forest and the management of its wild flora and fauna. A stopover in a trophy room offers the privilege of discovering the evolution of the antlers of a single stag. A privileged moment in this unspoilt natural environment, where it's not unusual to come across a stag, a doe or a wild boar.

Horse and bird of prey show

Chambord Passport

Come and enjoy a full day in Chambord and take full advantage of the many activities the estate has to offer.

From March 30 to September 29, 2024 and from October 19 to November 3, 2024

HORSE AND BIRD OF PREY SHOW

SUPPORT CHAMBORD

ONLINE SHOP

Buy your tickets and receive them on your email address at the end of your order! Let's respect our environment. Printing your tickets is not mandatory, you can present your tickets from your smartphone at the castle access control. To save time, you can pay for your parking as soon as you arrive at the automatic terminals located in the car parks.

Due to the vigipirate plan, we thank our visitors in advance for their understanding of the slowdown induced by the security controls at the entrances.

Cancellation and refund

A ticket cannot be refunded, returned or exchanged, except in the event of cancellation of the corresponding service by the Chambord National Estate. A ticket may also not be resold at a price higher than its face value.

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A Peek Inside Château de Chambord, Loire Valley

Article written by Elisa - Travel Writer & Local in France This article may contain compensated links. Please read disclaimer for more info.

Visit Château de Chambord

Château de Chambord is arguably one of the most famous Loire Valley Castles and one of the most beautiful castles in France to explore. It is located in the Loire Valley – near the city of Blois – in the French region of Centre-Val-de-Loire . Château de Chambord is relatively easy to visit on a day trip from Paris , or you can combine the visit to this château with other interesting sites nearby on a road trip.

How to get to Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley, where to park, how much it costs to enter, and all other useful information can be found in this article.

Best Ways to Visit Château de Chambord from Paris

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley, is of the best castles near Paris , located 175 km south of the French capital. There are three ways to get to Château de Chambord on a day trip from Paris, make it on your own by car, guided tour, or train + bus.

By Train + Bus

Château de Chambord is one of the most beautiful day trips from Paris by train . Trains to Blois leave from Gare d’Austerlitz 3-4 times a day. Count it on taking 1hr 30 min from Paris to Blois by regional train (TER).

In Blois train station, there’s a bus to Chambord (#118 or #02) that goes to Chambord 2 times a day (35 min). From Chambord, it’s a beautiful 13 min walk to the château.

You can buy your tickets for the bus on board, but be sure to buy your train tickets online in advance.

Click here to buy your train tickets to Blois

By Guided Tour

This is by far the best option to visit Château de Chambord on a day trip from Paris if you don’t have a car. Sit on the van and enjoy the landscape without having to worry about directions, transfers, or train connections.

There are many Loire Valley tours of all sizes, and they all include Château de Chambord plus one or two more châteaux. Some tours only offer transportation and entrance tickets to the castles whilst other tours also come with lunch and wine tastings.

One really good Loire Valley day tour – consistently rated 5/5 – is this  small-group tour by minibus and with English speaking guide  that covers  Château de Chenonceau ,  Château d’Amboise , and  Château de Chambord  with a  wine tasting  in Amboise. You cannot do better than this on your own by public transportation.

Click here to book this Loire Valley small-group tour

The drive from south of Paris to Château de Chambord takes 1hr 50min via the A10 highway. The worst part of the drive is to leave Paris: once you have left the boulevard Périphérique, half of the job is done!

On-site, there are two car parks with different prices depending on the proximity to the castle. Car park P0 is located 600m from the castle, and it costs 6€/day. Car park P2 is located a little bit further, and it costs 4€/day.

Explore Château de Chambord (and Other Sites) on a Loire Valley Trip

The  Loire Valley  in  Central France  is a fantastic area to explore by car. Visit Château de Chambord and other beautiful sites nearby while enjoying good food, wine, and a slower pace of life.

This 5-day Loire Valley Road Trip is one of the most beautiful road trips in France . Drive from Paris to Orléans and then follow this beautiful road trip itinerary to get the most out of the Loire Valley.

Click here to rent your car in France

La Loire à Vélo  is one of the most famous bike routes in France. This unique 800km cycle route along the Loire River explores the Loire Valley Castles – Château de Chambord included – historic towns and villages.

Well connected by trains that accept bicycles, it is possible to join and leave the cycle route at any point.

Château de Châmbord Tickets and Opening Hours

To avoid overcrowding, the château has reduced the number of daily visitors. Today, it is strongly recommended to buy tickets online and in advance.

The full rate to visit the park is 14.5€, while visitors under 18€ old and EU residents aged 18-25 can visit the castle for free.

Click here to buy your tickets to Château de Chambord

The Château de Chambord is open every day from 9.00 am to 5 pm (low season) or 6 pm (high season). The visit to the Château de Chambord inside lasts around one hour. The château is closed on 1st January, 30 November, and 25th December.

Château de Chambord History

The Château de Chambord is one of the most impressive castles in France. King François I commissioned this Renaissance-style château to be used as a hunting lodge, a place far from the court’s hustle and bustle to relax, hunt, and have fun with his friends.

The construction started in 1519, and it involved the best French and Italian architects and masons of their time. For the King, this château was a demonstration of his political and cultural power in Europe. Everything in this château has to be bigger and more impressive than the rest of the châteaux.

King François I visited the château only a few times, between 1539 and 1545. During his last stay in 1545, the keep enclosure and royal wing were completed.

François I died in 1547. His successors continued the construction works, and they visited the château occasionally.

In 1930 the French State purchased the monument. Between 1939 and 1945, the château hosted thousands of artworks from the Louvre and other French museums to protect them from the Nazis.

In 1981, Château de Chambord was listed as UNESCO World Heritage. It is also listed as a Historical Monument in France and National Hunting and Wildlife Reserve.

Inside Château de Chambord

The Château de Chambord is an awe-inspiring Renaissance construction. The castle is square in shape, flanked by 4 circular towers. The castle’s beating heart is a central square keep also flanked by 4 circular towers.

Château de Chambord has a ground floor and a first floor. The second floor consists of different terraces with panoramic views.

The most interesting rooms and halls to visit are located in the keep. We recommend starting your visit with the 20-minute audiovisual located on the ground floor, in the first room on your left.

Here’s a peek at our favorite places inside Château de Chambord.

Château de Chambord Interior

Unlike the Palace of Versailles , where all the rooms and halls are magnificent, Château de Chambord’s interior did not impress us. The château has different furnished 17th-century and 18th-century apartments that recall various sojourns of the latest tenants in Chambord.

On the first floor, there are the royal lodgings used by King François I during his last stay in Chambord. There’s also the reconstruction of a small theatre where Molière performed two of his most famous comedies for King Louis XIV and his court.

In the keep, on the first floor, the four rooms surrounding the central staircase are covered by vaulted ceilings decorated with crowned salamanders and the letter ‘F.’ These two symbols were used to glorify Chambord’s first owner, King François I.

Château de Chambord’s Double-Spiral Staircase

The amazing central double-spiral staircase is the main feature inside Château de Chambord. It is said that Leonardo da Vinci was involved in the construction of Château de Chambord, and most probably, he is the author of this staircase.

Chambord’s staircase is located in the center of the keep, and it consists of two twinned flights of stairs twisting and turning, one above the other and around a hollowed central core. This staircase’s particularity is that when two persons use the two different sets of staircases simultaneously, they can see each other but never meet.

Leonardo da Vinci moved from Milan to Amboise in 1516 to work at the orders of King François I until he died in 1519. Today, it is possible to visit Clos de Lucé in Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last years of his life.

The Terraces

The terraces on the second floor are one of the best parts of the visit to Chambord. They offer awesome panoramic views of the formal gardens and the forest in the background and also the opportunity to better appreciate many details of the turrets, staircases, and chimneys.

Amongst this forest of Gothic-flamboyant-Renaissance creatures outstands the lantern tower, topped with a fleur-de-Lys royal crown.

Château de Chambord Gardens

The Château de Chambord gardens that we can see today are a reconstruction of the gardens designed by King Louis XVI and his successors.

There’s an English-style garden on the west of the château, free to visit, while the French-style garden is located in the north and east of the château, and it is only accessible to the château visitors.

To build the French-style gardens, the Cosson River was channeled, and the different trees and parterres lay on an elevated terrace.

Stroll through the alleyways and admire the different flowerbeds and manicured lawns. The view of the château from the garden is also beautiful.

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• Loire Valley Castles

Chambord: tips for visiting the castle from Paris

• Posted by Louis and Emilie
• September 24, 2023

Chambord is one of France’s most beautiful Loire Valley castles to visit! Here are our tips for visiting the Chambord from Paris: what to see, where to eat, how long it takes to visit the Chambord, and where to stay. In this blog post, we will answer all these questions:

• Guided tours from Paris ✨
• Chambord: tickets, timetables, parking 🎟
• What fun things to do there? 🤩
• How long does it take to visit? 🕘
• Where to stay near Chambord? 🛌
• Nice places where to eat 🍽
• Visiting the Loire Valley Castles 🏰

1. Guided tour for visiting Chambord from Paris

One of the easiest ways to visit Chambord from Paris is to book a guided tour. Find just right below some examples of those tours and what they include.

• Visiting the emblematic Loire Valley Castles (Chambord+Chenonceau) + the city of Blois : a 12-hour guided tour on English from Paris, including the transport
• Visiting 2 beautiful Loire Valley Castles (Chambord+Chenonceau+Amboise) : also a 12-hour tour from Paris, but without visiting Blois

2. Chambord: prices, tickets, timetables, parking

Car parking. There are 3 car parks: P0, P1, and P2. Car parking for the day costs 6 euros, but only 4 euros at P2. You can pay for parking at the automatic machines to save time at the exit. The P2 is further away (+150m) but is less busy.

Schedule. You can visit the Château de Chambord every day of the year (from 9 a.m.) except on January 1, November 30, and December 25.

Park . The park of the Chambord Castle is freely accessible. When we talk about visiting the Chambord, we are talking more about the interior of the castle and its gardens.

Chambord castle + gardens. The entrance fee to the Château de Chambord is 14.5 euros. Save time (especially in summer) with skip-the-line tickets. Pick up your entry tickets at the counters directly with a printed coupon, or show them on your phone. The interior of the Chambord Castle is less charming than, for example, Chenonceau. On the other hand, the Château de Chambord impresses with its size, and the views from the high floors of the castle are impressive!

Reduced price and free. The reduced rate for Chambord is 12 euros. For those under 25 years old on presentation of proof. Learn more here .

All information for visiting the Chambord is also on the official website of the Chambord Castle .

3. Fun things to do in Chambord

In addition to simply visiting the Chambord Castle inside, you can also take advantage of it for more with other activities.

• Discovering Chambord by bike
• Electric car tour
• Picnic: picnics on the lawn in front of the Chambord Castle are allowed!
• In addition, the Chambord offers a day pass that includes these activities: bicycle, boat, and electric car.

4. How long does it take to visit Chambord Castle?

The visit to the  Château de Chambord  will take you at least 3 hours . The estate is large, and the castle is too.

Moreover, the closest car park to the Château de Chambord is 600m from the castle. In short, you will walk a lot! 🙂

How long to visit Chambord Castle? With the walking time and the visits, it will take at least 3 hours. Plan more if you want to have lunch or add activities.

5. Where to stay when visiting Chambord?

Blois is a great city to stay to visit Chambord Castle. Indeed, Blois is located 25 minutes by car from the castle. It is a pleasant little town that immerses us in a medieval atmosphere. An ideal place to stay near the Château de Chambord and dine.

In Blois , close and therefore convenient for visiting the Château de Chambord:

• The Forge of the Roy . Great location. Rooms with a “royal” decor, like in a castle. Correct rates: less than 100 euros for a double room with breakfast.
• The “Ibis” classical hotel chain in Blois. One is in the center and rather well located, Ibis Blois Center Château , and the second, Ibis budget , is further away.

In the surroundings / bed and breakfast:

• Les Salamandres , bed and breakfast near the Château de Chambord , 10 minutes by car (bicycles available free of charge).
• The Sheepfold in Suèvres

6. Where to eat when visiting Chambord Castle?

During the Château de Chambord visit, you can plan a picnic on the castle’s lawn. In the evening you can go to Blois. These are the best options.

On the territory of Chambord Castle, there are several restaurants. There is also a café at the foot of the castle, Autour du Puits , open from April to October.

7. Visiting the Loire Valley Castles in 2 or 3 days

We wrote a dedicated blog post that presents an itinerary you can do to visit the Loire Valley Castles, including the visit of Chambord:

• Visit the Loire Valley Castles in 2 or 3 days

We wish you a pleasant visit to Chambord Castle and other Loire Valley castles!

Louis and Emilie

We once heard visitors in Paris saying that the French are not the most welcoming people. It made us sad. That's why we started this blog! So you can get the best information for your travel to France! Of course, we love Paris. We have lived in multiple areas, from Canal St Martin to right next to the Eiffel Tower. We also explore regions of France whenever we can. Our favorites for a weekend away from Paris are Etretat and Mont Saint Michel. The beautiful French Riviera is a marvelous place to explore for a week.

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Day trip on your own to Loire castles with transportation from Paris

Take a day Trip to the Loire Valley Chateaux from Paris. Visit at your own pace the majestic Chateaux de Chenonceau, Cheverny and Chambord. Discover the Renaissance art and the lovely Loire region.

All day trip audioguided tour of Loire castles with transportation from Paris

Enjoy a real unforgettable day in the Loire Valley with an accompanist to go on a tour in total peace. You will immerse yourself into an enchanting universe that offers the majestic Loire Valley Castles. Enjoy a nice audio guided tour of the chateau de Chambord, the chateau de Chenonceau and the chateau de Cheverny.

All day trip guided tour of the Loire Valley Castles with transportation from Paris

During this excursion, you will visit majestic castles of the Loire Valley, masterpieces of the Renaissance, theaters of great scenes of French history. You will discover the charming castle of Chenonceau on the Cher river: a remarkable building by its architecture and its history and surrounded by beautiful gardens. You will also discover the castle of Cheverny, a seigniorial property belonging to the same family for over six centuries. Then the castle of Chambord, a grandiose creation of King François I with its famous double revolution staircase.

2 Day Guided Trip to Mont Saint-Michel, Loire Valley Chateaux from Paris, with transport

Two days for a guided tour of the Mont Saint-Michel and its abbey, including a sight-seeing tour of the Châteaux of the Loire Valley: Langeais and Chenonceau. Accommodation included, transport by bus from Paris.

Chambord Castle: a lovely palace

Located in the Loir-et-Cher department, 14 kilometres from Blois and 164 kilometres from Paris , the Chambord Castle is the most enormous of the Loire Valley Castles as well as being one of the most prestigious and most visited. It is particularly famous for its double helix staircase, which has been attributed to Leonardo da Vinci , two people can climb it together without passing one another.   The Chambord Castle is an architectural masterpiece of the Renaissance . 

Built in the sixteenth century under the supervision of King François I , nicknamed as the Prince Architect, the Chambord Castle sits majestically in the middle of Europe ’s largest enclosed woodland park (which covers around 5,440 hectares enclosed by a 32-kilometre long wall).  Today it is home to red deer and wild boar and is a national hunting and wild game reserve. This magnificent creation with its unique lines impresses all with the enormity of its architectural scale and by the sheer extravagance of the works carried out:  156 metres of façade, 426 rooms, 77 staircases, 282 fireplaces and 800 sculpted capitals.  This was one of the largest construction projects of the Renaissance. 

Today, you can visit not only the royal apartments of François I and Louis XIV and the amazing roofscape which bristles with turrets, chimneys and dormer windows, you can also admire the magnificent views from its terraces.  There is something exciting going on here all year round: exhibitions, nocturnal spectacles, horse shows and many other entertainments. Set off on your very own discovery of the Loire Valley Castles tour in a minibus with Paris City Vision  and enjoy priority access on your visit to Chambord.

Near Chambord Castle:

You have to visit Chambord Castle if you come near Blois. But several places are amazing too :

• Cheverny Castle
• Chenonceau Castle
• Villandry Castle

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La tour-lanterne du château de Chambord

The château of chambord chambord, france.

La tour-lanterne, tour la plus haute du château, est construite au centre des terrasses, à l'emplacement même où s'élevait l'escalier à doubles-révolutions dans les étages inférieurs. Elle abrite un ultime escalier (plutôt étroit !) qui conduit à la "lanterne" d'où la vue sur le paysage alentour est imprenable ! Haute de 32 mètres, la tour est coiffée par une immense fleur de lys de pierre : elle porte ainsi au sommet du château la marque des rois de France .

• Title: La tour-lanterne du château de Chambord
• Date Created: 2015
• Rights: © Domaine National de Chambord. Photo, SPS-ACESM, Pierrette Crosnier

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8 Beautiful Castles in France That You Can Visit

W ith its many gorgeous castles, France can often feel like a fairy tale. On a simple day trip from Paris or a full castle-hopping itinerary across the countryside, visitors can explore everything from medieval strongholds that have stood the test of time to the elegant Renaissance châteaux dotted across the Loire Valley . Adventures await at these architectural marvels, which are open to the public and offer guided tours, special events, and historical treasures, plus less-expected experiences like winetastings and contemporary art exhibitions. The following eight standouts are especially worth a visit, inviting travelers inside their walls to experience centuries of history, art, and architecture.

1. Château de Chambord

Commissioned by King Francis I, Château de Chambord turned 500 years old in 2019. Its most famous interior feature is a double-helix spiral staircase that twists up three floors, but the grand castle also boasts 426 rooms (guests can peek into 60 of them), 83 staircases, and 282 fireplaces. When visiting, don't forget to look up: Francis used the salamander as his emblem and had it included more than 300 times on the ceilings and walls. Afterward, head outside to explore the formal gardens and surrounding lands, which, at 13,400 acres, make up the largest enclosed park in Europe. The green space is home to stags, wild boar, mouflon (introduced wild sheep), and, yes, the occasional salamander.

2. Château de Fontainebleau

With more than 1,500 rooms and 130 acres of parkland and gardens, Château de Fontainebleau is one of the largest castles in France and the only royal residence to have been continuously occupied for seven centuries; its 36 monarch residents spanned from Louis VII in the 12th century to Emperor Napoleon III in the late 1800s. Today, it's a UNESCO site and national museum, worth an easy day trip from Paris. Take a tour to see the study where Napoleon I once worked and the sublime Francis I Gallery, a showpiece of Renaissance art and architecture that predates the Apollo Gallery in the Louvre and the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. You can also check out the notable Imperial Theater, three chapels, and many opulent accoutrements. Outside the castle doors, explore miles of trails in the surrounding Forest of Fountainebleau.

3. Château de Chenonceau

The Loire Valley is nirvana for castle lovers, thanks to dozens of châteaux lining the river. It's hard to call one more attractive than the next, but Château de Chenonceau is worthy of all of the praise it gets. The castle owes its existence to prominent women who cared for and restored it, including King Henry II's wife-Catherine de' Medici-and his mistress, Diane de Poitiers. Plot twists aside, a visit here takes visitors through the castle's 11th-century beginnings as a fortress and mill to its transformation into one of the Loire's most picturesque châteaux.

A highlight is the two-story Grand Galerie, which spans the River Cher and houses Flemish tapestries, paintings by Rubens and Tintoretto, and 15th- and 16th-century furnishings. There's also a lunch restaurant and crêperie in the former royal stables and winetastings under 16th-century vaulted ceilings in the old cellar.

4. Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg

While this 12th-century castle enjoys a strategic position 2,500 feet above the Alsace Plain, it was ultimately looted, burned, and left empty for about 250 years. It wasn't until the early 20th century that the château was restored at the order of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Less than an hour from Strasbourg, the mountaintop Château de Haut-Koenigsbourg is easy to spot from the road, especially given its pink sandstone facade. It's also ideally located along the Alsace Wine Route . The panoramic view is worth a visit alone-on clear days, you can see everything from castles on nearby peaks to the Alps and the Black Forest in Germany.

If the castle looks familiar, you may recognize it from various pop culture moments: It was prominently featured in Jean Renoir's 1937 anti-war masterpiece La Grande Illusion , influenced the design of the Citadel of Minas Tirith in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and inspired Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki during the creation of his Howl's Moving Castle .

5. Château de Biron

Among the more than 1,000 châteaux in the Dordogne region of southwestern France, the imposing, 12th-century Château de Biron is one of the biggest. Not far from the appealing bastide town of Monpazier, the castle dominates the tiny village of Biron with its 12th-century keep, chapel, Renaissance apartments, and impressive vaulted kitchens. The Gontaut-Biron family owned the château for 24 generations before selling it to the state in 1978. Today, visitors can stop in to see rotating contemporary art exhibitions, concerts, and theatrical productions, plus sweeping views over the Périgord countryside.

6. Château de Couches

A short drive from Beaune, this symbol of the Middle Ages towers over the Burgundy countryside and vineyards, reminding visitors with its crenellated towers, 12th-century keep, and 13th-century walls that it was once among the most important defensive castles in the region. Visitors to the Château de Couches , also known as the castle of Marguerite of Burgundy, can tour the dungeon and Gothic chapel, sign up for winetastings, or attend concerts, workshops, and a popular medieval festival, held annually in July. For families with children, there are costumed guides who lead shortened tours.

7. Château d'Angers

Most châteaux in the Loire Valley are built with tuffeau , a local limestone that lends the buildings an elegant cream or golden-hued appearance. Bucking that trend is this hulking fortress , with 17 semicircular towers and thick walls mostly composed of gray Anjou schist, a coarse, sturdy rock that seems to say, "Keep out." Built in the 13th century, the castle sits atop a promontory overlooking the Maine River that has been inhabited since the Neolithic period and was later used as a strategic settlement site by the Romans.

The building now houses the Apocalypse Tapestry. It was commissioned in the 1370s by Louis I, the Duke of Anjou, and depicts the end of the world as described in the Book of Revelations. When the work was completed, it was nearly 460 feet long; even though about a quarter is now missing, it's still the largest known medieval tapestry in the world.

8. Cité de Carcassonne

A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997, the Cité de Carcassonne is located in the Occitanie region near France's southern border with Spain and Andorra. It represents the best-preserved medieval walled city on the continent. Gauls, Romans, and Visigoths lived on and fought from this hilltop overlooking the River Aude, although much of the architecture we see today emerged in the Middle Ages, when this was the wild frontier between the kingdoms of France and Aragon.

Within these walls, you'll find such treasures as the Gothic cathedral and the Château Comtal , or Count's Castle, complete with ramparts and crenellations used as firing posts. But you'll also find hotels, bars, galleries, museums, and restaurants serving the local specialty, cassoulet. This is much more of a living, breathing fortified town, like Québec City, than some museum piece. The reason the city is in such pristine condition is thanks to 19th-century French Gothic revival architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who was responsible for restoring such medieval treasures as Notre-Dame de Paris and Mont Saint-Michel.

This article was originally published in April 2019 and was updated in January 2024.

Architecture

Home » The château » History » Architecture

Notwithstanding the extraordinary renown of the château of Chambord and the interest it has aroused among historians over the centuries, the identity of its architect has remained an enigma. The mystery is compounded by the nearly total absence of archival information pertaining to the royal construction site, of which the records were dispersed or destroyed at the end of the 18 th century.  No plan, no text contemporary to its erection provides a precise indication of the name of whoever originally imagined and sketched out the defining features of one the most remarkable Renaissance edifices.

The influence of Leonardo da Vinci

Even though the exact identity of its architect remains unknown, the château of Chambord is undeniably an exceptional achievement, influenced by the work of Leonardo da Vinci.

Following the Battle of Marignan, François I discovered the marvels of Italian architecture and, more specifically, the work of Leonardo da Vinci. When he returned to France (in 1516), he invited the polymath genius to sojourn in the French court as “premier painter, architect and engineer of the king”.

Leonardo’s influence in drawing up the Chambord construction project is displayed when comparing the architectural orientations adopted in Chambord with the sketches in his notebooks. The center-plan design of the keep, the double helix staircase, the double pit evacuation system with its air duct and the sealing system on the terraces are telltale indications that reveal the role of Leonardo as the brain behind the work of François I.

The Greek cross-shaped center-plan design

The central section of the château of Chambord is the keep, otherwise known as the donjon .

The square building delimited by four corner towers occupies the center of the present-day complex. When construction work began, it constituted the new palace of François I. It was only in or around 1526, date marking the return of the French king following two years of captivity in Madrid subsequent to military defeat in Pavia, that the edifice was complemented by two lateral buildings and an enclosure marking off the court.

The internal composition of the keep is laid out in a way never previously seen in France and presents an undeniably “Italian” aspect. It features a Greek cross-shaped centered design; the four sides of the building open up onto spacious rooms (9m wide and 18m long) forming a Greek cross. In the center rises the monumental double helix staircase. Last but not least, the cross-shaped room delineates in its angles the living quarters composed of standardized apartments. The ornamentation of the upper parts of the keep and the château, which are riddled with chimneys and stairway turrets, recalls the stylistic peculiarities of fortified castles.

However, when the Chambord château was under construction, these traditional forms of medieval architecture had long since come to be considered as obsolete. Indeed, advances in artillery meant that by the mid-15 th century, fortified castles had outlived their usefulness. That said, the persistent survival of medieval architecture in the Chambord château should not be attributed to a mistaken notion that the builders were somehow “behind the times”. Take a close look at the keep, at its corner towers, its enclosure, its moats with their water, and you will see them bringing back to life a form of military power that may no longer be real, and is emphatically allegorical. More than thirty years after the construction of the last fortified castles was completed, these features serve as unmistakable architectural citations of bygone times. In the eyes of the contemporaries of François I, they conjure up recollections of a declining universe of chivalry, universe to which the young sovereign, who was the last chevalier king, remained nostalgically attached.

The “magic” staircase of the Chambord château

The château features a staircase of which the layout is as remarkable as its positioning in the edifice. It was placed in the very center of the keep, where four spacious rooms converge. It is composed of twinned helical ramps twisting one above the other around a hollowed out, partially open core. The so-called “double helix” staircase services the principal floors of the building, all the way up to the crowning terraces, which are topped off by the tallest tower of the castle, the lantern tower.

Ever since the 16 th century, the staircase has continued to fascinate château visitors due not only to the architectural feat it represents, but also to the dramatic staging it provides. When two persons use the opposed staircases at the same time, they can see each other through window openings but never cross paths. Just like countless château guests over the centuries, tourists take undisguised pleasure in the game.

The layout of the facades

Just like monuments of Roman antiquity such as the Coliseum and 14th-century Italian buildings (the Quattrocento), the overall design of the Chambord château facades is eminently readable from the outside. The inhabitable levels are visually separated by a molded frame, or body molding, running horizontally across the entire facade. Vertically, the rhythm is given by the flattened-out pillars, or pilasters, on which the bands appear to be resting. The layout of these elements forms an Italian-style grid pattern, which is immutable in its regularity. It is within this framework that different types of openings are embedded and endow the facade with its modular appearance. While these formal or aesthetic concerns were previously evidenced in other Val de Loir abodes (Chenonceau, Blois, Azay-le-Rideau…), the geometric design of the Chambord château is unique, having been necessitated neither by uneven terrain nor by the conserved remains of earlier buildings.

The masterfully sculpted decor

Early Renaissance edifices (1420-1500) are decorated with ornamentations drawing inspiration from the decors of the palaces of Toscane and Milan. Pilasters, medallions, candelabras, and decorative foliage ( rinceaux ) pervade the facades, the gable roofs, the chimney stacks… In the château of Chambord, these components are assembled with astonishing virtuosity and unabashed freedom with regard to formal technique, thereby subverting Italian traditions and adapting them to French taste. The finesse of the sculptors’ work is remarkable. With their elegant swirls inhabited by picturesque figures, the foliage motifs form leaf-like structures intertwined in the capitals of the central staircase. As for the more elevated sections of the château, of which the proliferation and the verticality remain markedly Gothic, they are adapted to the setting and enriched through revived ornamental vocabulary successfully integrating (but without superseding!) the local traditions.