Chateaux have fascinated me from when I was small, imagining exploring the turrets and rooftops, throwing stones in the moat and walking across the drawbridge. So this was really a dream holiday to come to stay in the Loire Valley and visit some of France's finest. On our way to Tours, Dave decided to stop at Chambord, the largest and probably the grandest chateau of them all.
It's certainly inspiring as the Parc de Chambord - surrounding forest and hunting grounds - cover more land than Paris; and there are more than 440 rooms, 85 staircases, and 364 chimneys to give you an idea of the sheer size of it all...
It's also famous for this staircase; the double spiral design is attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci.
Francois I built Chambord as a symbol of his power and might, but only stayed in Chambord for 42 days in total. In the majority of Chambord's history the chateau has remained uninhabited, due to the huge scale, it has always been difficult to heat the living areas and indoor kitchens were added much later in its history. There are eighteenth century modifications where the ceiling was lowered to and fireplaces added in attempt to make living more comfortable.
During our visit, the interiors were furnished with period fittings and furniture, and opera costumes and props also added atmosphere. Even the rooms with lowered ceilings were huge, some of them would have been larger than our entire flat...
Despite being somewhat lacking in practicality, Chambord was one of the highlights of the Loire Valley. Its interesting staircase, wonderful terrace and rooves and the novelty of wandering around a giant castle made it a great delight!
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