A Beauty in the Loire Valley of France: Chateau de Chenonceau (Travel Guide)

by France, Art, History & Music30 comments

After my first trip to Europe in 2013, I found out that castles with military history quite fit my fancy — think of dungeons, armories… the works! Besides, I have always been fascinated with historical accounts that relate to war; hence the reason why I am also into anything and everything that’s related to the World Wars! (This doesn’t mean, of course, that I’m into violence and warfare. I simply like this aspect of the past because of the various emotions, lessons, stories, tactics, and perspectives involved.) (Chateau de Chenonceau)

That aside… I cannot deny the charming hold of castles or palaces that were privately owned by royalty and/or nobles in the past. Just glancing at colorful gardens, glittering banquet halls, and spiraling towers instantly make my heart swoon!  So of course, when it comes to these types of places in Europe, one cannot forget the wondrous Loire Valley that’s speckled with various breathtaking châteaux!

Loire Valley

Loire France

Located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in France, the Loire Valley spans 280 kilometers and it is often called the ‘Cradle of the French‘ or the ‘Garden of France‘ mainly because of the great presence of fruit orchards, fields, and vineyards along the river.

Now, much like what you’ve learned in economics and in history, any area that’s near a body of water is bound to be a great spot for progress and so the Loire Valley was truly a strategic area in the past. Because of this fact, a lot of nobility have built extravagant castles and fortresses in this part of France which now leads us to today’s famed: ‘Châteaux of the Loire Valley‘. (Yep, it’s a part of France that’s speckled with stunning numbers of châteaux so it’s also aptly called the ‘Valley of the Kings‘!)

TRIVIA: The châteaux and the whole central region itself is even listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as it perfectly depicts thousands of years’ worth of rich architecture, art, and agriculture features.

Therefore, other than heading to the Loire Valley for its ‘wine culture’, it’s a great destination for when you’re looking for the splendor of French châteaux.

We stumbled into this beauty while my friend and I were doing our first ever ‘EuroTrip’ together back in August 2013 and it was quite an experience!

» Castles = Châteaux?

A château is primarily a manor, residence, or country house of nobility that can be with or without fortifications (making it as fortresses). But of course, the word sure château also means ‘castles’ in French that’s why if a distinction is needed, they usually use the term: château fort.

There’s also what is called ‘palais‘ but in French, it’s mainly used when referring to grand manors in the city so it’s slightly different from the term ‘palace’ in English (which doesn’t make a specific requirement of having such a residence in an urban place).

Chateau de Chenonceau

Loire Valley

Photo by: Benh LIEU SONG via Flickr / CC

There are over hundreds of châteaux in the Loire Valley that were built between the 10th and 20th centuries. With such a big number, obviously, as travelers, we are often after the best ones due to limitations of time and money; so when it comes to that, I can definitely recommend a must-see for your Loire Valley itinerary: the Chateau de Chenonceau!

Arched over the Ricer Cher near the small village of Chenonceaux, it is one of the best-known châteaux of the Loire Valley and it is termed as the “Women’s Castle” since it is the only castle in the region that has been built, inhabited, and saved by women during the Renaissance.

TRIVIA: Other than the Royal Palace of Versailles, the Chateau de Chenonceau is the most-visited château in France!
.
ENTRANCE FEE: €11 for adults / €8.50 for children 7 to 18 and students.

» History of Chateau de Chenonceau

To help you understand why this château was primarily run by women, here’s an overview of its historical timeline:

13th Century: Chenonceau belonged to the Marques family and they built a château and mill on the site in the 1430s after it was torched in 1412.

1513: Thomas Bohier, Chamberlain to King Charles VIII of France, purchased the castle from Pierre Marques and while he was rebuilding it, his wife Katherine Briçonnet often supervised most of the work.

1535: The château was seized from Bohier’s son by King Francis I of France due to unpaid debts to the kingdom.

1547: After King Francis’ death, King Henry II offered the château as a gift to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, and she did a lot of work on the estate: attaching an arched bridge to join it to the opposite bank and setting up exquisite gardens in four sections.

1559: After King Henry II’s death, his widow Catherine de’ Medici forced Diane to exchange the Chateau de Chenonceau for the Château Chaumont with her. In this time, Catherine added several more gardens, a gallery, a service wing, and several sets of rooms.

1589: When Catherine died this year, the château was transferred to her daughter-in-law, Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont, wife of King Henry III.

1773: A wealth squire named Claude Dupin bought the château and his wife, Louise Dupin, saved the property from destruction during the French Revolution by proving how essential it was for travel and commerce as “being the only bridge across the river for many miles”.

1864: A rich heiress, Marguerite Pelouze, acquired the château and she commissioned a lot of changes in the structure that it ended up making her broke — and so, the château ended up being seized and sold.

1891: A Cuban millionaire, José-Emilio Terry, bought Chenonceau from Pelouze. Terry sold it to a family member, and later on in 1913, it was sold to Henrie Menier who is a member of the Menier family (known for their chocolates) and he still owns it today!

» In Photos

Basically, this is how the estate looks like, and it’s really huge and well-surrounded by gardens (and even a labyrinth!) that were built by the women who used to inhabit it over the years:

Chenonceau Map
Chateau de Chenonceau

Photo by: Dennis Jarvis via Flickr / CC

Inside, the ground floor comprises the hall entrance, the guard room, a chapel, Diane de Poitiers’ bedroom, Louis XIV-inspired living room, the study of Catherine de Medici, a 60-meter long stunning gallery, and King François I’s bedroom. On the side, a staircase leads down to the basement where the pantry or kitchen is found.

Upstairs though you will find more rooms such as that of Catherine Briçonnet’s Hall, the Five Queens’ Bedroom (in memory of the ladies in the Medici family), Catherine de Médici’s bedroom, an Estampes Exhibition Room, Cesar of Vendôme’s bedroom, and Gabrielle d’Estrée’s bedroom. Lastly, the third floor has Louise de Lorraine’s bedroom.

Chenonceau Gallery

Photo by: Dennis Jarvis via Flickr / CC

Best Castles
Chateau de Chenonceau: Castles in France

» Travel Guide

It’s preferable to rent a car in order to not only explore the Loire Valley but that of Chateau de Chenonceau. Nevertheless, public transportation is doable — albeit a bit challenging. Your best bet is to go by train given that Chenonceaux is a stop on the regional TER trains that link to Tours and Bourges (with the station almost next to the castle entrance).

It will take about 30 minutes from Tours and about 2 hours from Bourges, and the trains are generally available every two hours; however, it’s important to check the schedules online from these websites: Oui SNCF (Europe) or RailEurope (USA & Rest of the World).

Another option is to join guided Loire Valley tours that are often done from places like Paris!

• • •

Have you seen my latest vlog?

How I Afford to Travel the World (Vlog)

About Me

About Aileen : Sidebar

Hey there! I am Aileen Adalid.
At 21, I quit my corporate job in the Philippines to pursue my dreams. Today, I am a successful digital nomad (online entrepreneur, travel writer, & vlogger) living a sustainable travel lifestyle.

My mission? To show you how it is absolutely possible to create a life of travel no matter the odds — and I will help you achieve that through my detailed travel hacks, guides, resources, tips, and MORE!

Follow Along

CURRENTLY BASED IN: The Philippines

Trending Now

Top 10 Things to Do on a Trip to South America

South America is one of the most diverse continents — full of natural wonders and fascinating cultures. Join us as we explore the top 10 things to do.

Top 10 Things to Do for Your First Tibet Travel

Make the most of your Tibet travel with these top 10 must-do activities, from exploring ancient monasteries to trekking mountains!

Geisha of Japan: Understanding the Facts, History & Myths

Japan’s geisha are cloaked in mystery & secrecy resulting in a number of false ideas about them — so let’s get the facts straight!

Maximizing Your Miles: Unlock Budget-Friendly Travel Hacks & Tips

Start traveling smart! Take note of these travel hacks that will help you in maximizing your miles or do points hacking.

EU261 Compensation: Your Essential Guide on European Flight Delays or Cancellations

Learn to claim EU261 compensation for flight disruptions like delays, cancellations, downgrades, or denied boarding!

Learn Today

How to Start a Successful Blog

and Earn Money!

30 Comments

  1. Wandering Carol

    Two areas I haven’t been to in France that I’m determined to visit are Champagne and the Loire Valley. Castles and champagne, could there be a better pair?

    Reply
    • Aileen

      True that! Hope your goal comes true :D

      Reply
  2. Monica

    Castles are fascinating! I’ve been to France a few times but I haven’t seen Loire Valley yet – I hope to visit it one day.

    Reply
    • Aileen

      You should definitely see it! I think you’ll love it :)

      Reply
  3. Winederlusting

    Oh. My. Your photos are fantastic. Being the wine fanatic that I am the Loire Valley is some place I’ve always wanted to go. I’ll definitely be reverting here when I finally make the visit :).

    Best,
    Greig

    Reply
  4. Kim-Ling

    Great post! We loved the Loire Valley, but sadly missed Chateau Chenonceau! We did get to visit Chateau Chambord however, and loved it! The photos are lovely and make me want to go back!

    Reply
    • Aileen

      On my case, I haven’t had the chance to see Chateau Chambord so it’s definitely something that I should check out next time :)

      Reply
  5. Elaine J. Masters

    Brought back such fond memories of driving through and visiting the wine region of France.

    Reply
    • Aileen

      Aah, France is also truly a haven for winos :)

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pin It on Pinterest

Use promo code AILEEN5OFF to save 5% off on all Klook tours and hotels!
This is default text for notification bar