Loire Valley's Château de Chenonceau - The Loveliest Château of Them All

One would be very hard set to find a lovelier château in all the land - and lord knows that the Loire Valley, home to the kings and queens of France for centuries, has its fair share of them. Surely there are a few more grand and imposing, perhaps some with a more sordid history (though this one must be in the running) but as for looks? Château de Chenonceau takes the deliciously decadent cake.

Straddling the Cher River, this château, built in the early 1500s, has a fascinating history of passing between the hands of the France's King Henry II's favorite mistress...and his wife. While his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, helped construct the wing of the château that straddles the Cher, Henry's wife Catherine de Médici ultimately ended up with the castle after Henry's passing, adding her own stamp through a lovely section of gardens named after her.

Whether you're here to relish in the 16th century drama, or simply admire the château's stunning beauty (or perhaps both!), let's explore a bit more of what makes this place special.

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Ben and I arrived in the Loire Valley in December of 2015, and promptly set about exploring all the chateaux our little feet could carry us to. This was our third château, and while not our last, it has remained one of my favorites.

We based ourselves in the town of Amboise, about a 20 minute drive from this château. Upon arrival at the château, you pull off the main road, and drive down a long private drive with a large parking lot at the end. A few steps away is the main entrance, where you can purchase your tickets. Next, you cross the threshhold and enter the château's orbit, by first strolling over a moat separating the carpark from the castle up ahead.

Along the long, tree lined walk, you follow along two moats on either side, guiding you to the castle itself.

As I mentioned above, this château is not the most imposing ones in the Loire Valley. But what it lacks in sheer size, it makes up for in grace.

Passing by the Versailles planters, we neared the castle.

We opted, though, to first visit the Catherine de Medici garden area first. This would allow us to see the castle as it straddled the river, while also enjoying views of this charming space. At the time of my visit, I was not as well versed in the history and drama behind the two competing owners of this castle (I would later watch the show Reign, a very dramatized - and pretty inaccurate though incredibly entertaining! - look at Mary, Queen of Scots and her relationship with the French court, which helped make the two ladies of this castle more memorable).

The gardens are separated from the château by a moat, which provides an even more interesting look at the castle from the opposing side.

We walked to the riverbank next, where you can really see the château in all of its river straddling glory. I don't know why I find this idea of a house sitting above a river so fascinating, but I absolutely adore the unconventionality of the idea.

Below, a few pictures of the castle from a variety of perspectives from the garden.

Once we crossed back over the moat, it was time to head inside. Above and below we can see the only original structure from the first castle built on this site, the keep.

Looking back at Catherine de Medici's gardens from the castle side.

Next, we crossed over the moat again and into the main structure.

Inside the château is still a collection of beautiful decorations, including this highly stylized wood door.

Even the floors were incredibly well decorated, adding to the overall loveliness of the château.

We next entered the chapel.

Because it was Christmas time, there were added decorations.

Next, we continued on throughout the building, entering various rooms to learn more about the ladies who called this space home.

Not a bad view from the bedroom.

Next, we entered the main hall that straddled the Cher River. We had opted to rent the audio guide, which gave us some more context about the various spaces in the castle. We often spring for these guides because we don't claim to be experts on a lot of things, and you can learn a lot more about these places through the guides.

It would have been interesting to see how this space was used hundreds of years ago...

The river below upon which we were standing above.

And again, due to our visit in the month of December, we were treated with some lovely Christmas decorations, including this massive tree found at the long end of the hall.

Next, we headed downstairs to the pantry and kitchen. I did not capture a lot of great pictures in these spaces, but it is always interesting to see how the lives of those both up and downstairs intersected through this work.

I am always entertained by the amount of copper gelatin molds there are in each of these grand houses! I also love all of the other copper cook wear, though. Always so striking.

Back upstairs, we continued through the various rooms once again.

Each room is well decorated and maintained, and provides an interesting glimpse into the lives of those who owned this house.

And finally, it was time to bid adieu to this lovely little château astride the river.

Looking back, while Château de Chenonceau was not the grandest château in all the land, it's elegance, history, and position not only along a river, but atop it, made for a truly memorable day of exploration. If you find yourself in the Loire Valley, do not miss your chance to spend some time here.

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Château de Chenonceau Details

To learn more about this trip, including other places we visited around France, visit our Northern France 2015 Itineary.

Visits to Château de Chenonceau include a leaflet, but for a small upgrade, can include an audioguide. Entrance to the château are €17 or €22 with audioguide (2023 prices).

For more information about ticket prices, location, and hours, visit their website here.

Note that there is a restaurant on property, though we did not eat while there. To learn more about their dining options, visit here.

This website, Experience Loire, was helpful in getting information about the history and interior of the château. This website, Travel Caffeine, also provided a lot of useful context and history. Be sure to visit each to learn more about the lovely château.

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Days of travel: December 5, 2015