Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire

The castle of Chaumont-sur-Loire is located on the banks of the Loire river between Amboise and Blois, in France. It is listed as a World Heritage of Humanity site by UNESCO. It was listed as a French historical monument in 1840. The castle was built in the 10th century in order to protect Blois from the attacks of the Counts of Anjou. It was fortified then attached to the Amboise family then was demolished by Louis XI in retaliation of the revolt of Pierre d’Amboise.

His son, Charles I d’Amboise undertook the reconstruction of the Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire which was completed by his successor who decided to mix the defensive architecture of that time with the gothic architecture of the Renaissance. The Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire got afterwards many owners and was subject to rivalry between Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitiers, Henri II’s mistress.

The estate of Chaumont reaches its apogee in the late 19th century thanks to prince Henri Amedee de Broglie and his wife Marie. They entrusted architect Paul-Ernest Sanson with the restoration et the modernization of the castle. Since 1992, the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire hast hosted the Gardens Festival.