To visit the Château de Chenonceau is to discover one of the most beautiful historical monuments in the Loire Valley and also in France. This magnificent building steeped in history is part of the French cultural heritage, of absolute wealth! During our visit to this region, we had the chance to discover some of the most beautiful castles of the Loire: Château de Chambord, Clos Lucé, Blois, …
Through this article, I present to you our visit to the Château de Chenonceau: how did it go, what we saw, how we got to the Château, … You will also find many practical tips for organizing your future visit. of the Château de Chenonceau.
Summary:
- Presentation of the Château de Chenonceau
- Practical advice for visiting the Château de Chenonceau
- Our visit to the Château de Chenonceau
- My opinion on this visit
Book your entry for the visit of the Château de Chenonceau and avoid the queues on site! Book your entry
Presentation of the Château de Chenonceau
The royal presence at the Palace
During our visit to the Château de Chenonceau, we learned that this Château has a rich but also very tormented history. It all started at the beginning of the XNUMXth century. At the time, the castle belonged to the Marques family, Lord of Chenonceau, who at the time supported the Duchy of Burgundy and the English during the Hundred Years War. Judged as a traitor to the king, his castles and forests were destroyed.
Nearly a century later, the Marks owe the king many debts. They were therefore expelled and their lands returned to the king's lieutenant-general, Thomas Bohier. Thomas and his wife, Katherine Briçonnet, marked the life of the Château. Indeed, they built new buildings with Renaissance decoration and inspired by their many stays in Milan.
A few years later, in the middle of the XNUMXth century, the king, aware of Thomas Bohier's abuses, recovered his lands and demanded debts. Eventually, this Château will go to Diane de Poitiers, the king's favourite.
In 1559, King Henry II died and his widow, Catherine de Medici, recovered the Château de Chenonceau from Diane de Poitiers and settled there to rule the kingdom.
At the end of the XNUMXth century, it was the widow of King Henri III, Louise de Lorraine, who settled in Chenonceau. After his death, there will be no royal presence at the castle.
The Château de Chenonceau in the Age of Enlightenment
It was in the XNUMXth century, the Age of Enlightenment, that the Château regained all its magnificence thanks to Louise Dupin. She organized a brilliant literary salon there, surrounded by the biggest names of the time.
The Château de Chenonceau then passed into the hands of Marguerite Pelouze who invested millions to restore it; then of the Menier family who transformed the castle into a hospital during the First World War and who also used this building to help refugees cross the Cher to reach the free zone during the Second World War.
All the occupants of this Château have left their mark: whether in terms of decoration, layout, extensions or even in the gardens, the richness of the Château de Chenonceau lies in its construction over the centuries.
Practical advice for visiting the Château de Chenonceau
Before presenting our visit to this magnificent castle in more detail, here are some practical tips that may be useful if you are planning a visit to the Château de Chenonceau.
- When to visit the Château de Chenonceau?
- How much is the entry ?
- Take a guided tour of the Château de Chenonceau
- How to book your entry for the Château de Chenonceau?
- How long does the visit to the Château de Chenonceau take?
- Where to park to visit the Château de Chenonceau?
- Where to stay to visit the Château de Chenonceau?
- Where is the Château de Chenonceau located?
- Where to eat around the Château de Chenonceau?
- What other castles of the Loire to visit around Chenonceau?
When to visit the Château de Chenonceau?
You can plan your visit to Château de Chenonceau throughout the year. Indeed, this place is open every day and the fact that it is inside allows you to enjoy it whatever the weather.
On the other hand, the visit of the Castle also includes gardens. If you want to enjoy the outdoors, you will have to plan according to the weather: the period from Easter to All Saints' Day seems to me to be the best time to enjoy the magnificent gardens of the property.
How much is the entry ?
Admission to visit the Château de Chenonceau will cost you €15 per person. It includes a paper visit guide allowing you to visit the site in complete autonomy. In normal times, you can also opt for an audio guide, but it is not available during Covid times.
Admission is free for children under 7 years old.
There is a reduced rate, €12, for students and those under 18.
Take a guided tour of the Château de Chenonceau
As mentioned above, the option offered by the castle is an audio guide. But in Covid period, this option is not available.
When everything is back to normal and if you wish to opt for this audio-guide available in different languages including French, it will cost €19 for one entry per adult; €15,50 for reduced rates; and always free for children under 7 years old.
How to book your entry for the Château de Chenonceau?
You can buy your entry on site, but the easiest solution, which also allows you to avoid waiting at the ticket office, will be to opt for an online reservation.
Easily book your entry to the Château de Chenonceau hereHow long does the visit to the Château de Chenonceau take?
The length of your visit to Château de Chenonceau will depend on what you want to see. If you wish to visit only the Château, you will need to plan between 1h30 and 2h. If you also wish to visit the gardens surrounding the Château, weather permitting of course, then plan half a day to visit the whole.
Where to park to visit the Château de Chenonceau?
Car parks are provided at the entrance to the Château de Chenonceau. They are free and welcome cars as well as motorhomes and even buses. You can also reach the Château de Chenonceau by train.
Where to stay to visit the Château de Chenonceau?
This question is quite extensive, and you may visit different monuments and castles in the region. We plan to devote a specific article to answering the question of Where to sleep when visiting the Châteaux de la Loire.
In the meantime, here are some good addresses near the Château de Chenonceau.
Hotel La Roseraie
Here is a hotel very well located in the village of Chenonceaux, a stone's throw from the Château. Comfortable and well-equipped rooms, you can also park very easily. The reception of the staff and the breakfast are also the strengths of this place. Hotel See rates
The Clos Mony
For this second establishment, I suggest a guest room, also located in Chenonceaux, ideally placed to visit the Château de Chenonceau. The welcome from the owner is perfect and her house tastefully decorated. You will be very well received and everything is thought out to make your stay pleasant! Bed and Breakfast See rates
Bed and breakfast in Chenonceaux
Finally, here is a very pretty bed and breakfast, also in the heart of Chenonceaux and therefore ideally located for visiting the Château de Chenonceau. Able to accommodate up to 4 people, the reception of the hosts is quite charming and the accommodation is spacious, well decorated and comfortable. Bed and Breakfast See rates
Where is the Château de Chenonceau located?
The Château de Chenonceau is located in the Loire Valley, where many other Châteaux are located. It's about a 40 minute drive east of Tours.
The easiest way to get to Château de Chenonceau is to come by car. You can also take a train that drops you off directly at the entrance to the Château.
Where to eat around the Château de Chenonceau?
Different addresses are located around the Château, but one is particularly well placed, it is a gourmet restaurant located within the grounds of the Château de Chenonceau: the Orangerie. In a decor worthy of this historic place, you can taste delicious dishes enhanced by the know-how and technique of Chef Christophe Canati trained with the biggest names in French gastronomy.
If you want a simpler, quicker and less expensive meal, I can recommend a very small address located in the heart of the village of Chenonceaux, so perfectly located to visit the Château before or after your meal, it is the Crêperie le Medici. Local and fresh products, a small menu to ensure the quality of these products and a warm welcome.
Another possibility for a quick meal on site, take advantage of the picnic facilities available at the entrance to the park. Two picnic areas are available: one covered and one uncovered.
What other castles of the Loire to visit around Chenonceau?
To end on this practical part, here is a short list of other tourist places to visit around the Château de Chenonceau:
- The Chateau of Amboise
Let's start with this castle located in the town of Amboise and overlooking the Loire. Magnificent building in an exceptional geographical location, it is also the burial place of the famous Leonardo da Vinci! - Chaumont Castle
Here is a magnificent building with a breathtaking view of the Loire. Nicely decorated and with beautiful collections, this Château is worth a visit. - Cheverny Castle
One of the most beautiful castles in the region, the Château de Cheverny has a magnificent park and a richly furnished interior. - The Castle of Blois
Located in the heart of the city of Blois, here is a very pretty building! The city of Blois is also worth a visit. - The castle of Chambord
The Château de Chambord is one of the most famous castles in the region, this magnificent historic building is worth the detour whether for the visit of the Château or for its resplendent gardens! - Le Clos Luce
This is a pretty little castle where Leonardo da Vinci lived. You can also walk in the park of this castle and discover some reproductions of the inventions of this genius! To find out more about visiting Clos Luce, don't hesitate to take a look at our dedicated article.
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Chambord Castle
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Clos Lucé
Our visit to the Château de Chenonceau
Now that I have presented you with the main practical information for organizing your visit, here is an overview of our visit to the Château de Chenonceau.
Our arrival
Let's start at the beginning first: our arrival. We were driving and had planned a meal from the bag. We really appreciated the car park at the entrance to the Château, its accessibility but also its freeness. The picnic area is very pleasant and can even be used in case of rain thanks to the covered area.
We had booked our tickets on the internet so as not to have to queue when we arrived.
If you also want to book your ticket online, it's simple, fast and practical: book your entry to the Château de Chenonceau.
Once at the entrance, our ticket is scanned and we can quickly access the Palace and its gardens.
The gardens of the castle
Once we entered the enclosure of the Château, we could notice that there were various green spaces and perfectly maintained gardens, each well delimited and having a very particular history.
First of all, we went up the majestic Grand Allée, lined with these magnificent trees offering a very pleasant shade in the middle of summer.
On each side of this alley, you will find a labyrinth or even the Parc de Chisseaux. As for the other side, you can see the Donkey Park, the Flower Potager, the old XNUMXth century farm or the Russell Page Garden.
Once you arrive at the entrance level of the Château, you will find the two most important and symbolic green spaces of this place: the Garden of Diane de Poitiers and the Garden of Catherine de Medici, both of which are women who left their mark the history of this Château as we saw at the beginning of the article. From these two gardens, you can admire the castle crossing the Cher river.
Visit of the interior of the Castle
Once the gardens have been visited, here we are inside the Château. This has a ground floor, a lower floor and 2 upper floors. All of these floors can be visited and contain interesting pieces to see.
Here are the main rooms you can see on each of these floors:
- The ground floor
This is the first floor that you will visit when entering the castle. In particular, it has a magnificent, perfectly preserved chapel. You will also find the bedroom of Diane de Poitiers but also the Green Cabinet, where Catherine de Medici worked, and many other rooms dedicated to different kings. But the most impressive room of this place is the Gallery, commissioned by Catherine de Medici and located on the Pont de Diane de Poitiers, which crosses the Cher. This room is absolutely splendid, with its exposed joists in the ceiling, its checkerboard floor, its huge windows and its beautiful Renaissance fireplaces. This room was also where the hospital was installed at the time of the First World War.
- The basement
It is here that you will find the beautiful kitchens of this Château composed of rooms such as the butcher's shop, the pantry or the staff dining room. The decoration of these places presents different utensils used at the time. -
- The first floor
We are now on the first floor of this magnificent castle. You will find beautiful rooms here: the room of the Five Queens, that of Catherine de Medici, that of César de Vendôme or even the room of Gabrielle d'Estrées. This floor also presents a magnificent gallery located on the Pont de Diane, the Galerie Médicis. Here are presented beautiful collections of paintings, sculptures, furniture, tapestries, ... but also explanatory panels on the history of the castle and above all, on the various ladies who have occupied this place over the centuries and who have marked their passage in the story.
- The second floor
This second and last floor has only two rooms, including the bedroom of Louise de Lorraine, who came to this castle following the assassination of her husband, King Henri III. This room is also dark and an atmosphere of mourning is felt as soon as we enter this room.
My opinion on this visit
This visit to the Château de Chenonceau was a great rediscovery. Indeed, it was not our first visit to this place, but each time it is a real pleasure and above all, the opportunity to learn a little more about the history and the important roles of all the ladies. who lived in this place.
In addition to the historical richness of this castle, it is also its interior, the layout of the various rooms, the furniture used, etc. which is very significant. Without forgetting its green spaces outside, be it the gardens, the labyrinth or even the park. They are all maintained to perfection!
This place takes us to another era and invites us to take our time to discover all its secrets and admire its beauty.
It was really a nice visit both inside and out, and I can only recommend it!
