CallieChambord, France
Castle Chambord was originally built in 1519 under Francois the 1st as a hunting retreat and grew during the reign of many of the ruling Louis’s of the day. It’s a true wonder to see. You can find this gem in the Loire Valley of France among the many chateaus scattered throughout the region. Chateau Chambord is by far the best of the chateaus is the area and should be top of your list when picking which ones to see!
The castle grounds have plenty of paid parking. Parking can also be paid upon exiting at the machines inside the park so you can either take your ticket with you OR leave your ticket in your car and pay at the ticket machine as you leave. Parking is a walk from the castle so make sure you wear good walking shoes for your visit. You can also rent golf carts for your visit to see the castle and the gardens. That being said the cart rentals are still a fairly long walk from the parking.
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket booth upon entering, beforehand or upon entering the castle itself. The shortest line for tickets is actually IN the castle. So if you’re waiting to get your tickets at the castle I recommend walking all the way up and buying your tickets there. Bathrooms are also available just outside the castle itself-after you enter through security.
The castle is filled with many magnificent rooms.
Since the castle was originally used for hunting they have some amazing decorative items as well such as these golden stag statues.
The unique staircase goes both up and down and was fashioned after da Vinci’s design.
The house was used as a storage facility during World War 2 for the art work for the Louvre in order to save it from the Nazi’s air raids as they moved it to other locations throughout the French countryside which only adds to it’s unique history.
Once you get done exploring the house you can go outside to the expansive gardens.
The Chateau also has several shops and cafes and hosts handmade goods and markets in the summer. Make sure you stop by and grab some baked goods! They had some amazing cookies and even make baguettes!
Need help planning your trip to France? You can find me on Facebook at Callie at Wanderkeep Travel or on Instagram at Wanderingwithcallie or you can email me at callie@wanderkeep.com and as always my services are complimentary when you book through me.
