Trip Planner: Europe / France / Centre-Val de Loire / Loire Valley / Chambord / Chateau de Chambord

Chateau de Chambord, Chambord

4.3

#1 of 367 in Things to do in Loire Valley

Chateau de Chambord is the quintessential monument to the flamboyance of French kings; all the grandeur with a dash of delightful whimsy. A dreamscape of turrets and towers rises from the terrace, resulting in its trademark silhouette that has often been likened to the skyline of a city. François I built it to serve as his hunting lodge and it is surrounded by forests that serve as a perfect lead-in to the jaw-dropping first glimpse. The Castle is a perfect example of sixteenth-century Renaissance architecture. When inside, don't miss the famed double helix stairways, rumored to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Explore its vaulted hallways, 400 palatial rooms, decorative staircases, and end your visit by taking a walk in the sprawling gardens. Choose to start, finish, or center your holiday on a trip to Chateau de Chambord by using our Chambord trip itinerary site .

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Chateau de Chambord Tours

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Chateau de Chambord Reviews

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5,600 reviews

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4.6

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By Artur R On March 20, 2018

Castelo muito amplo e muito bonito. Cheio de torres. é composto por imensos salões. O acervo é o menor dentre os outros castelos no Vale do Loire, mas mesmo assim não deixa de ser interessante. Das to... more »

Very large and beautiful castle. Full of towers. It consists of huge halls. The collection is the smallest among the other castles in the Loire Valley, but even so it's still interesting. The towers have great views of the immense garden of the Castle-and very nice design. I went on tour which, of course, never gives us enough time to enjoy all these castles guard. In addition to the castle itself, the gardens and lakes, Giants, also deserve to be visited and calmly, what, again I say, on tour becomes impossible. Even so gave to enjoy much more this wonder. According to our guide, is not yet completed your construction. Visit not to be missed.

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By jmtblack On March 20, 2018

This castle is huge and beautiful. It didn’t get 5 stars because there was a lot of construction going on which impacts its overall look in pictures. It’s also pretty empty, but I think that was due t... more »
By Cindy5739 On March 18, 2018

Que dire sur ce château ? Chambord est un monstre d'architecture à visiter au moins une fois dans sa vie. L'extérieur du château est magnifique, les intérieurs impressionnants (même si à ce sujet, nou... more »

What to say about this castle? Chambord is a monster of architecture visit at least once in his life. The exterior of the castle is beautiful, impressive interiors (even if on this subject, we found more charm to Chenonceau) and design of the stairwell simply amazing, with a little mysterious story around the designer but Shh! Let the pleasure to discover future visitors. A pity that because of the snow, we could not access the terraces for security reason... A small flat hand on the ticket: it doesn't do the visitors wait to chat with a colleague, particularly swearing like a trooper. No explanation either for the different types of possible visits. Buy your ticket and you're on your. I hope have simply hit the wrong person so far here.

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By Frederic Vidal On April 4, 2018

Stunning place. Especially the interior staircase. Magnificent! It's a bit too massive in general for my style but had no regrets visiting it and its lovely gardens.

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By Shauna Sheridan On February 27, 2018

When I went to France, this was one of the places I was looking forward to a lot. It is beautiful, but this was not as exciting as I thought it would be. The walls were all bare cement. It was gorgeous structure, but it was empty and void of any signs of what it would look like in the past. The yards were just being kept up, but were not really being cared for to make a statement. It was still amazing, but I was a little disappointed.

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By Bryan Mestre On February 21, 2018

Save your visit to the Chateau de Chambord for last when visiting chateaus in Loire Valley, because there's nothing like it. It's huge, with large gardens surrounding it, with unique architecture and impossible number of rooms and staricases. Price is reasonable and comparable to other chateaus, just the parking is quite expensive - 6 euros a day that would be charge no matter how much time you spend there. Many restaurants and shops were closed in January. Wonderful place to visit, and well organised. The rooms themselves are a bit dull compared to the exuberance of the exterior, and nothing like Versailles, but a really great place to see. Great walks too if you have the time and the weather. Probably gets busy in summer, and the cafe was really quite small - and no restaurant either. Well worth it though.

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By Shannyn O'Callaghan On February 1, 2018

This castle is beyond beautiful, inside and out. Even on a gloomy day, the look of it is amazing! Great informative guides and signage! It takes a few hours, so wear good shoes! Also, it would be wise to bring water and a snack! The gift shop has lots to choose from as well!

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By Michael Azad On February 26, 2018

Chambord was the largest and most expansive Château we saw within the Loire. It extends far and wide, so I would suggest dedicating more than a couple hours solely to this Château as it may take more than a day for some to see. It cost us 10 euros for students, but was free for EU residents under 26 who were with us. The parking was not free however. There is a lot of history to take in about this Château and it was a treat to see it all.

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