Built on the river Cher, where the unique beauty of its architecture reflects in the water, the Château de Chenonceau is the Val de Loire’s finial. Château des Dames as recorded in the French history books, Chenonceau owes a large part of its charm to women: it was built in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet, then made even more attractive by Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médicis, and saved from the rigours of the French Revolution by Mrs Dupin. The lovely surroundings, the formal garden and the park surrounding it add to the impression of delicate grace emanating from the castle.
Chenonceau is not only remarkable for its architecture and history but also for the fine quality of its collections as can be seen from the inside visit: Renaissance furniture, a vast ensemble of XVI th and XVII th centuries tapestries and a great number of masterpieces. Le Primatice, Rubens, Le Tintoret, Rigaud, Nattier, Van Loo are among the most famous names that can be found ther
HISTORY
The estate of Chenonceau is mentioned for the first time in writing towards the end of the XIth century.
From the XIIIth to the XVth century, the estate of Chenonceau, with its unprepossessing feudal manor, was the property of the Marques family.
1411 : A royal order to punish Jean Marques for an act of sedition included an order for the destruction of the manor.
1432 : Jean Marques had a castle and a fortified mill built to replace the lost manor of Chenonceau.
TOUR OF THE CHATEAU
The Hall
The hall is covered with a series of rib vaults whose keystones, detached from each other, form a broken line. The baskets are decorated with foliage, roses, cherubs, chimera and cornucopia.
Made in 1515, it is one of the most beautiful examples of decorative sculpting from the French Renaissance period.
The Pantry
The Pantry is a low room with two vaults the ribs’ intersections and the Château’s largest chimney, next to the bread oven.
The Dinning Room
The Dinning Room was reserved for the Château staff.
The Kitchen
Chenonceau’s kitchens are located in the huge bases which form the first two piers sitting on the bed of the Cher.
The Guards’ Room
Originally this room was used by the armed men responsible for royal protection.
The Chapel
The Chapel was saved during the French Revolution thanks to the idea of the owner at that time, Madame Dupin, of turning it into a wood store.
Diane de Poitiers’ Bedroom
This room was the bedroom of King Henry II’s favourite, Diane de Poitiers.
Green Study
The study of Catherine de Medici, who became Regent of the Kingdom upon the death of her usband King Henry II.
The Gallery
60 metres long, 6 metres wide, lit by 18 windows, with its sandly chalk tiled and slate floor and exposed joist ceiling, it is a magnificent ballroom.
It was inaugurated in 1577 during festivities hosted by Catherine de Médici in honour of her son King Henri III.
François I Bedroom
This room remind us of King François I who was twice a guest at the castle.
The staircase
The staircase is outstanding as it is one of the first straight — or ramp on ramp – staircases built in France on the Italian model. It is covered by a raising vault with ribs cut at a right angle. The connecting joints are decorated with keys, the caissons with human figures, fruits and flowers (some patterns were hammered during the Revolution).
Louis XIV Living Room
This room evokes the memory of Louis XIV and the visit he made to Chenonceau on July 14th 1650.
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THE GARDENS AND PARK
Diane’s Garden
Entering the forecourt, which features splendid climber rose-trees and a majestic alley of 16 orange trees, the visitor discovers the Building of the Domes, which previously contained the Royal stables and the silk raising yard. Silk raising was introduced in France by Catherine de Médicis. The visitor then enters the courtyard of the 16th century farm, and lastly the Flower Garden, where countless flowers for cutting are exclusively produced. These flowers are earmarked for the floral decoration of the Monument, the Building of the Domes, and the Orangerie. The Garden of Catherine de Médicis is lined on the east with a sloping bed delimiting the moats, which are filled by the waters of the Cher River.
The gardens of the north side are lined by ivy hanging on a wooden trellis
With a surprising design for its period, the stream of water spurts forth from a large rock sculpted for the purpose and then falls with a splash into a pentagon-sh
aped receptacle made of white stone.
The flower beds themselves are planted twice a year with 30 000 to 32 000 plants for each planting:
1. The spring plantings: yellow Viola pansies and blue, white roses depending on the decorative theme, daisies, pink or white bellis perennises and their bulbs ; daffodils and mysosotises.
2. The summer plantings: petunias, tobacco, lilliput dahlias, patiences, verveine, or more begonias.
Overlooking the Garden of Diane de Poitiers are the Chancellery, the house of the estate steward at the foot of which is a dock decorated with a vine. This dock is the indispensable access to any tour on the Cher River.
Catherine’s Garden
Entering the forecourt, which features splendid climber rose-trees and a majestic alley of 16 orange trees, the visitor discovers the Building of the Domes, which previously contained the Royal stables and the silk raising yard. Silk raising was introduced in France by Catherine de Médicis. The visitor then enters the courtyard of the 16th century farm, and lastly the Flower Garden, where countless flowers for cutting are exclusively produced. These flowers are earmarked for the floral decoration of the Monument, the Building of the Domes, and the Orangerie. The Garden of Catherine de Médicis is lined on the east with a sloping bed delimiting the moats, which are filled by the waters of the Cher River.
The gardens of the north side are lined by ivy hanging on a wooden trellis
The Maze
A new maze, rebuilt exactly from Catherine de Médicis’ plans, will be opened to visits in the summer. Lined with yews taxus baccatta, according to a circular plan and rounded by a tree-covered walk.
The remaining free spaces are filled with cast iron vases. In the middle, a heighten gazebo drawn by Chief Architect of Historical Buildings, Arnaud de Saint Jouan, allows a complete sight over the maze and its layout. The maze also offers the opportunity to discover the caryatids added by Catherine de Médicis on the castle’s front. They had been scraped by madame Pelouzet 300 years later and replaced behind a bush in the park. Now these caryatids are back where they belong, in the background of the mazeStretching out in front of the Orangerie, this garden is made up of large collectors’ trees planted on a grass lawn, as its name “Le Jardin Vert” (the Green Garden) suggests.Around the garden several bushes are planted in groves: Japanese meloukhias, boxwood, laurel, yews, calycanthus, cherry trees, cfhimonanthus. Garlands of wisteria and chervil grace the facade of the Orangerie.
The Vegetable Garden
The floral decoration of the Monument, the Builidng of the Domes and the Orangerie requires a very large-scale production of flowers for cutting. These flowers are grown in a garden strictly reserved for them. This garden itself is lined with 100 climber rose-trees. The configuration of the garden is designed around 12 panels delimited by a row of 240 apple trees and 220 Queen Elizabeth rose-trees. Each panel makes it possible to cultivate a great variety of flowers which we find in the magnificent floral Compositions produced by the Floral Workshop depending on the season. The production of flowers for winter decoration is completed by flowers grown in greenhouses
THE AUDIO VISIT
The Audio-Guide
The chapel, drawing rooms, kitchen…each “room” is indicated by a number between 1 and 20 and an icon. If you are in a bit of a hurry, choose the short version (it lasts from 40 to 45 minutes depending on the language).
From the old keep and the remains of the fortified medieval mill to the garden of Diane de Poitiers (who became chatelaine in 1547) you will discover the Renaissance and the Grand Siècle in a new way. You will walk in the footsteps of Voltaire, Marivaux, Montesquieu, Buffon and Rousseau before perhaps returning to your personal iPod to continue with music to the restaurant of the Orangerie
PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS
 Château de Chenonceau
37150 Chenonceaux
France
Opening hours
The Castle is open every day of the year.
From January 1st to February 8th :
09h30 – 17h00.
From February 9th to March 15th :
09h30 – 18h00.
From March 16th to March 31st :
09h30 – 19h00.
From April 1st to May 31st :
09h00 – 19h00.
From June 1st to June 30th :
09h00 – 19h30.
From July 1st to August 31st :
09h00 – 20h00.
From September 1st to September 30th :
09h00 – 19h30.</ span>
From October 1st to October 25th :
09h00 – 18h30.
From October 26th to November 5th :
09h00 – 18h00.
From November 6th to December 31st :
09h30 – 17h00.
SPRING closings:
Easter, May 1st, May 8th, May 17th, May 28th :
09h00 – 20h00.
The gardens and the castle’s ground floor are equipped with accesses for the disabled people
Location
The Castle is located in Touraine on the Cher River’s bank and is 214 kms from Paris and 34 kms from Tours.
From Paris, the duration of the trip is:
– two hours by car via motorway A10 known as the Aquitaine (exit Blois or Amboise)
– one hour by TGV from Paris-Montparnasse to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (Tours)
– one hour and 35 minutes by TGV from Paris-CDG Airport to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (Tours)
– 25 minutes by TER Tours-Chenonceaux
The large shaded car parks are free for visitors.