Chateau de Chambord - the crown jewel of the Loire Valley in France

Chateau de Chambord - the largest of the Loire Valley chateaux - is a masterful blend of French Renaissance and Italian Classical architecture influenced by many designers including Leonardo da Vinci according to legend. Located in the Loire Valley in France, about 180 km or 112 miles south of Paris, the Chateau de Chambord, was originally designed to be a hunting lodge for King Francois I when construction began in 1519. Far from cozy, this stone-cold Chateau was considered too cold for comfort by the king who ended up visiting only a few times during his reign. Despite construction ending in 1547, the Chateau de Chambord remains unfinished today.

Undoubtedly one of the most recognizable of the Loire Chateaux, the Chateau de Chambord's most notable features are its turreted roof top that resembles a French provincial village and its interior double-helix stone stairway in which two separate stairways intertwine around a central axis that would allow some to ascend while others descend without ever passing each other along the way.

If you're planning a holiday to Paris, be sure to include the Loire Chateaux in your itinerary. It's a full-day tour that runs from 7 a.m to 7 p.m. and includes visits to Chenonceau, Cheverny including lunch, and finally Chambord. A fascinating journey awaits along the River Loire and the Chateau de Chambord. Learn more about this and other tours to the Loire Valley.