Château de Chambord: history, double staircase and how to visit

Francis I began building Chambord in 1519, a young king fascinated by the Italian Renaissance. It was conceived as a hunting lodge amid forests full of deer and wild boar. The result was a symbolic palace: a medieval fortress in layout, with towers and a keep, and a Renaissance palace in spirit.

The design is attributed to Italian architect Domenico da Cortona, although there is no consensus. Leonardo da Vinci, who spent his final years nearby in Amboise, may have influenced its conception. Francis I himself rarely stayed at Chambord; the château demonstrated grandeur rather than serving as a home.

Later, Louis XIV restored the keep, furnished the royal apartments and built stables for 1,200 horses. Molière also first performed “The Bourgeois Gentleman” here.

The double staircase

At the château's heart is an open double-helix staircase. Two flights twist around each other: two people can climb and descend simultaneously, seeing one another through openings without meeting. The staircase serves three floors and the roof. It is often associated with Leonardo da Vinci's ideas.

The roof

Climb to the roof terraces, a whole stone town of lanterns, turrets, chimneys and domes. The king and courtiers watched hunts and festivities from here. The best view overlooks the main avenue and park.

The park

Chambord is surrounded by a forest park of around 52.5 km², a reserve enclosed by a 31 km wall, home to deer and wild boar. Part is open for exploring on foot, by bicycle, electric buggy or boat on the canal. In autumn, during the rut, visitors come to hear the stags bellow.

In 1939, before the war, artworks from the Louvre and other French museums were sheltered at Chambord, turning it into a temporary store for national treasures.

Chambord forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Loire Valley”. Other famous châteaux lie nearby:

• Cheverny: a classical 17th-century château, around 20 minutes away;

• Blois: a royal château in town, around 20 minutes away;
• Chenonceau: the château over the River Cher, around an hour away. Read more in “Château de Chenonceau”;
• Amboise and Clos Lucé: Leonardo da Vinci's final home, around 45 minutes away.

• From Paris by car: around 180 km, about two hours.

• By train: to Blois, around 1½ hours from Paris, then 16 km by taxi, shuttle or bicycle.
• From Tours: around an hour by car.
• With a driver: combine Chambord with another château and a Vouvray tasting in one day.

• Arrive at opening: coaches arrive around midday in season.

• Take an audio guide or tablet: without the stories, the château feels empty because it has little furniture.
• Make sure you visit the roof: it is the best part of the visit.
• Allow time for the park: at least an hour for a walk or picnic.
• Wear comfortable shoes: there are many stairs.

• May–June and September: warm, with fewer visitors.

• July–August: high season and hot weather; come in the morning.
• October: golden woodland and the deer rut.
• Winter: the château is open and quiet, but the park is cold and darkness comes early.

1. The double staircase, straight away while it is quiet: climb one spiral and descend the other.
2. Roof and terraces, the “town on the roof” and park views.
3. Royal apartments on the second floor, Francis I and Louis XIV.
4. Hunting rooms and trophies.
5. Gardens beside the château.
6. Park, at least a short walk towards the canal.

This takes 2½–3 hours. With lunch and the park, allow half a day.

Chambord stands in wine country. Nearby is Cheverny, with fresh Sauvignon and Chardonnay whites and light reds; an hour away is Vouvray, with Chenin whites ranging from dry to sweet and sparkling. A picnic in Chambord's park with a bottle of Vouvray, cheese and rillettes makes an ideal end to the day. Read more in “Loire Valley Wines”.

Chambord is one of the best châteaux for children: a huge puzzle of a staircase, turreted rooftops, carriages, a deer park, boat rides and cycling. Special game trails are available for children inside the château; ask at the ticket office.

Leonardo da Vinci arrived in France at Francis I's invitation in 1516 and spent his final three years at Clos Lucé, near Amboise. Construction at Chambord began in 1519, the year he died. No direct documents prove that Leonardo designed the château, but much recalls his ideas: the central plan, double helix and play of symmetry. Chambord is therefore often called “Leonardo's château”. You can visit Clos Lucé, with models of Leonardo's inventions and its garden, on the same day; it is around 45 minutes from Chambord.

Chambord follows a medieval castle plan: a square keep with four round corner towers and an outer wall. Everything else is Renaissance: symmetrical façades, Italian pilasters and a “town” of turrets and chimneys on the roof. Inside, a cross of corridors divides the keep into four parts, with the famous double staircase at its centre. This layout around a central staircase is unusual for châteaux of its time.

Chambord was conceived for hunting, the kings' great passion. The surrounding forest was a reserve where they hunted deer and wild boar. Hunting traditions remain alive: the château has dedicated rooms, while the park remains a protected wildlife reserve. During the September–October rut, stags can be heard bellowing at dusk.

• Online ticket: skip the ticket-office queue in season.

• Tablet or audio guide: sparsely furnished rooms feel empty without their stories and come alive with them.
• Roof first if you arrive at opening: the terraces fill up later.
• Parking: a large paid car park sits near the château; arrive before 10:00 in summer.

1. Arriving at midday in July. Queues and crowds; aim for opening.
2. Missing the roof. Chambord's main view is from above.
3. Leaving no time for the park. Chambord also means forest, canals and deer.
4. Trying to visit four or five châteaux in a day. Two châteaux and a tasting are better.

The tour's final day starts with a morning at Chambord: double helix, roof and park, then a picnic with cheese, rillettes and a bottle of Vouvray. Before that come Chenonceau and Amboise, Chinon, Sancerre and Vouvray's tuffeau cellars. → Loire château wine tour · Loire châteaux · Loire Valley region