Château de Chenonceau

The dungeon and the well bear witness to the castle's medieval origins. They were razed in the 16th century by Thomas Bohier, then Secretary General of Finance for King François I. He laid the first stones of the present building on the piles of an old fortified mill, thus raising the castle on the river. The square main building presents a particularity for the time; the rooms are distributed on each side of a central vestibule and distributed by a straight staircase, directly inspired by the Venetian palaces. The originality of this layout was echoed a few years later when Catherine de Medici had a two-story gallery built on the bridge over the Cher.

The interiors of the Château de Chenonceau display all the splendor of the period, and one wanders from room to room enchanted by the richness of the furniture and decorations. The rooms are so well designed that they sometimes give the impression that time has stopped. The room of Louise de Lorraine is remarkable in this respect: the sepulchral decor reflects the mourning of the wife of Henri III who lived her last years here, withdrawn in this room with black walls, filled with funeral paraphernalia. And when you walk along the majestic Galerie Médicis, it is easy to imagine the ladies' dresses swirling on the checkerboard floor during the court's grand parties. Nestled in the piers of the bridge, the kitchens are displayed with great authenticity. You can almost smell the aroma of the pots in the dining room, the butchers, the pantry and the kitchen, where many period objects are displayed. The staging of each of these rooms makes a visit to the castle even more attractive. The entire estate cultivates the art of detail and refinement.

The park and gardens are perfectly designed: the circular labyrinth, the climbing roses of Diane de Poitiers' garden, the flower beds of Catherine de Medici's garden and the flower garden are a testimony to the French tradition of garden design. The orange tree alleys, the shrubs and the multitude of flowers form a decor conducive to strolling, especially during the evening walks organized with soft music. Alongside these remarkable gardens are the Gallery of carriages and its collection of horse-drawn carriages dating from the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, as well as the Galerie des Dômes, which preserves the memories of the Military Hospital, installed in Chenonceau during the First World War.

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Find more information on the website www.enrouelibre-centrevaldeloire.com.

Opening times

The castle is open every day of the year (see opening hours).

The castle and the store remain accessible 30 minutes after the ticket office closes.

Price:

See the official website.