Which château is best in the Loire Valley?
The Château de Chambord may just hold the crown as the best château in Loire Valley! As the biggest château in France, and the most magnificent, it was constructed by King Francois I in 1519 as a purpose-built hunting lodge (and to impress foreign dignitaries).
Who owns Chambord castle?
the French state
The Château and surrounding areas, some 5,440 hectares (13,400 acres; 21.0 sq mi), have belonged to the French state since 1930.
Which is the biggest castle in the Loire Valley?
the Château de Chambord
With more than 700,000 visitors a year, the Château de Chambord is the biggest and most visited castle in the Loire Valley.
What is the best chateau?
The best French chateaux to visit
- CHÂTEAU DE CAEN. Built by William the Conqueror, the Château de Caen stands on a hillock in the centre of the city.
- PALACE OF VERSAILLES.
- CHÂTEAU DE BLOIS.
- CHÂTEAU D’AMBOISE.
- CHÂTEAU DE SAUMUR.
- CHÂTEAU D’ANGERS.
- CHÂTEAU DE PIERREFONDS.
- CHÂTEAU D’AZAY-LE-RIDEAU.
What castle did the Valois live in?
of Fontainebleau
As the artistic home to what the 19th century would call the ‘School of Fontainebleau’, the castle became the privileged residence of the Valois kings, from Francis I to his grandson Charles IX.
Which famous Loire Valley château is nicknamed château of the ladies?
Chenonceau is certainly the most popular castle in Loire Valley : called the “château of the Ladies” (château des Dames) it is the most visited château after Versailles. If you are interested in French history, architecture or if you like gardens, you might be one of the lovers of Chenonceau !
Why is Chenonceau called the castle of the ladies?
Like other Loire chateaux, Chenonceau fell into disuse and insignificance from the seventeenth century onwards. Chenonceau – often referred to as the Ladies’ Chateau due to the substantial influence women had on its development – is the second most-visited chateau in France and arguably the most romantic.
Who first lived in Chateau de Chambord?
Chambord in the Eighteenth Century However, the castle remained a rather uncomfortably residence and was still lived in for only around 12 years. The first permanent resident was the father-in-law of King Louis XV – Stanislaus Leszczynski, the disposed king of Poland.