Les Châteaux

One weekend excursion I really enjoyed was our trip to the Loire valley to see some amazing châteaux: Château de Blois, Château d’Amboise, Château de Villandry, Château de Chenonceau and Château de Chambord. Every one of them was different yet all grandiose in the same. With their intricate tapestries, the winding staircases, the labyrinth of hallways, the extensive painting collections and the relaxing ambiance of the gardens surrounding them. Everything about them was extraordinary and like nothing I have ever seen before. One of my personal favorites during our visit was the château de Chambord. 

Château de Chambord has been around since the early 1500s and was one of the first châteaux to be categorized as medieval. However, this château also has elements that were very modern and unprecedented for its time compared to other châteaux that were being built along the Loire. The architectural techniques used, most prominently the idea of the donjon (the keep/tower in which one could look over the rest of the castle grounds) as well as the double helix staircase, has made this château a true aesthetic marvel. 

The castle was built under the request of François I by masons who had the expertise and experience from working on the construction of similar buildings in the Loire area. Although construction started in 1519, the Battle of Pavia in 1525 caused a minor standstill in the construction process. A year later, they continued work on the château. Throughout François I’s reign as king, more parts of the castle were completed; however upon his death in 1547 work halted again. 

Château de Chambord, is visited by many tourists as well as locals in the 21st century; this was a different story in the 17th century. People of royalty did not visit the château regularly, the stewards and the construction workers who lived there were the only ones fortunate enough to admire this château on a daily basis. Finally, the château was completed during the reign of Louis XIV; this would have been sometime in the mid to late 1600s. 

Throughout the centuries, this château went from a place for hunting parties to a private château and then it finally was purchased by the government in the early 20th century. Throughout this time, the château has gone through many ownership changes, has survived the French Revolution, and has been restored several times. I am so fortunate to have been able to visit such a richly historic and beautiful place during our time in France.