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- Destinations
- Europe
- France
- Loire Valley
- Château de Chambord
Château de Chambord
Eleven miles (18km) east of Blois, the vast Château de Chambord
is the largest château in the Loire Valley. It was commissioned by
François I, who wanted to outshine the Holy Roman Emperor Charles
V, and the result is a spectacular Renaissance masterpiece with 450
rooms. It was designed by an Italian architect in 1519, but was
worked on by French masons. The outside is essentially French
medieval - massive round towers with conical tops, and an explosion
of chimneys, pinnacles and turrets. The details inside, however,
are pure Italian: the Great Staircase (attributed by some to da
Vinci), panels of coloured marble, niches decorated with shell-like
domes, and freestanding columns. Wandering through, you can get a
good feel for the contrasting architectural styles, which have
combined to create a very decadent, if at times discordant, whole.
The château is surrounded by a 20-mile (32km) wall containing a
5,261-hectare (13,000-acre) deer park.
Information & Facts
Admission
Adults: EUR9.50, concessions available. Free for under
25s.
Language
French is the official language.
Money
The Euro (EUR) is the official currency in France. Currency can
be exchanged at banks, bureaux de change and some large hotels,
though you will get a better exchange rate at the ATMs. Major
credit cards are widely accepted, as are travellers cheques,
particularly in major tourist destinations. Foreign currency is not
accepted.
Opening Times
Daily 9am-6:15pm (1 April to 30 September);
9am-5:15pm (1 October to 30 March). Closes at 7:30pm from July to
August.
Time
Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and
last Sunday in October).