Château de Chambord

The castle of Chambord is one of the most recognizable castles in France thanks to its very distinct French Renaissance style.

The castle of Chambord is the biggest castle in the Loire Valley. It was built to be used as a hunting lodge by François I. The original design of the Château de Chambord is attributed, though with several doubts, to Domenico da Cortona but others have suggested that Leonard de Vinci may have designed it. The construction started in 1519 and ended in 1547.

The construction work was one of the most important one of the Renaissance and was overseen by architect Piere Nepveu. Once the construction was almost complete, Francois Ier invited his worst enemy in Chambord, the Emperor Charles V, to show him this huge symbol of wealth and power. Though, the construction of the building has never been completed. Today, this hunting lodge which also had as a purpose to bring Francois I closer to his mistress Claude Rohan, offers many educational tours as well as walks in the forest. A moment of pleasure in a unique castle and its park.