Chateau de Chambord is the name given to the royal estate at Chambord in the Loir-et-Cher region of the Loire Valley, near Blois. It is the largest of the Loire castles. It is located in a park surrounded by a wall over 30 km long.
Chambord is Unesco World Heritage Site since 1981 and as a historic monument since 1840, and is part of the system of European royal residences.
To visit the Chateau de Chambord, you will need to purchase a ticket via the online ticketing service. (Platform different from the official website)
Visiting times at Chateau de Chambord vary according to season: from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm in low season, and from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm in high season.
Here are the Château de Chambord opening times for 2025:
Period | Opening hours | Remarks |
---|---|---|
January 2 to 4 | 9am - 6pm | |
January 5 to March 28 | 9am - 5pm | |
March 29 to October 26 | 9am - 6pm | |
October 27 to December 19 | 9am - 5pm | |
December 20 to December 31 | 9am - 6pm | Early closing at 4 p.m. on December 24 and 31 |
The château is open every day of the year, except January 1, March 20 and December 25. The last entrance is 30 minutes before closing time. The formal gardens also close 30 minutes before the château.
The park surrounding the château is open all year round.
For further information or to organize your visit, please contact the reservations department on +33 (0)2 54 50 50 40 or by email at reservations@chambord.org.
Here is a table summarizing the rates for visiting the Château de Chambord in 2025:
Ticket type | Rate | Description |
---|---|---|
Full price | 19 € | Access to the château and formal gardens. |
Reduced rate | 16,50 € | For visitors who have purchased a "forest or animation" service, teachers who do not hold an education pass, young people aged 18 to 25 from outside the EU, jobseekers, RSA or welfare recipients. |
Free | 0 € | For under-18s, 18-25 year-olds from the European Union, French primary and secondary school teachers holding an education pass, disabled persons and their accompanying adults, and journalists. |
HistoPad | 6,50 € | Interactive tablet offering an immersive 3D tour. Family pack (3 HistoPads) available at €17. |
In-depth visit | 15 € | Access to areas usually closed to the public. Duration: 3 hours. Additional charge. |
Guided tour | 4 € à 7 € | 1h30 guided tour, giving access to areas closed to the self-guided tour. Additional charge. |
Prices may vary according to season and special offers. We recommend consulting the official Château de Chambord website for the latest information.
Chambord offers a range of prices, depending on the tour and the individual's situation. Rates vary from 12 to 14.50 euros per person.
Visit Blois - Chambord station is a railway station located in Blois, in the Loir-et-Cher department of the Centre-Val de Loire region. It is on the line from Paris-Austerlitz to Bordeaux-Saint-Jean, between Orléans and Tours. The station is served by TER Centre-Val de Loire trains from Paris-Austerlitz or Orléans to Tours, and by Interloire trains between Orléans and Le Croisic. Since 2022, Ouigo Train Classique services between Paris-Austerlitz and Nantes have also stopped here.
For travellers to the Chambord castlelocated about 20 kilometers from Blois, several transport options are available from the station:
Car Car rental: Car rental services are available close to the station. The journey to Chateau de Chambord takes around 25 minutes via the departmental roads.
Shuttle Shuttle services: Shuttle services are available, particularly from tourist operators, offering direct links between the Blois - Chambord train station and the château. It is advisable to check timetables and book in advance.
Bus The regional bus network offers routes between Blois and Chambord. Schedules and frequencies vary, so it's advisable to check with the local transport network.
The Blois - Chambord station is equipped with a range of services for travelers, including ticket offices open every day, cash dispensers and facilities for people with reduced mobility. Parking and bicycle storage are also available in the immediate vicinity of the station.
For up-to-date information on train times, station services and transport options to the Château de Chambord, please consult the official SNCF and Château de Chambord websites.
To get to the Chateau de Chambord, you'll need to take the D33 and/or the D112, depending on which parking lot you choose. The estate has several parking lots open 24 hours a day.
The services on offer are diverse. In fact, the site offers three different stores, a booking site, 3 catering sites, and 3 different accommodation sites.
Visit Chambord Live is an exceptional musical event that takes place every year in the majestic setting of the Chambord castle. This one-of-a-kind festival welcomes renowned international artists, offering a grandiose spectacle in the heart of France's heritage. Thanks to its historic setting and immersive atmosphere, Chambord Live has become a not-to-be-missed event for music and culture lovers.
Practical information:
Publishing Chambord Live 2025 promises an unforgettable evening with the legendary band Black Eyed Peas. After memorable performances by Sting, Imagine Dragons and David Guettathe festival continues to win over a wide audience with its blend of music and exceptional heritage. The concert will take place on June 22, 2025A unique experience where modernity and history meet in a grandiose setting. Spectators will have the opportunity to discover or rediscover the castle while enjoying a spectacular musical show.
Attend Chambord Liveis an immersive experience on one of France's most beautiful sites. The festival takes place in the open air, under the starry skies of the royal estate, offering a magical atmosphere. In addition to the concert, visitors can explore the Chambord estatewith its formal gardens and vast natural spaces. With a limited number of places available, it's advisable to book your tickets early to make sure you don't miss out on this not-to-be-missed event.
Chambord offers a wide range of events, often including film shoots.
Chateau de Chambord consists of a square keep surrounded by four corner towers, which form a Greek cross when viewed from the air, and in the middle of which is the double-revolving staircase. The style of the chateau is undoubtedly Renaissance. influenced by the presence of Leonardo da Vinci the court of King François 1er, and thus the Italian Renaissance style. For example the double-revolving staircase. Today, it is impossible to know the name of the architect who designed this Renaissance monument.
With its 426 rooms, 83 staircases, 282 fireplaces and 800 carved capitalsthe Chambord castle is a monumental work of art. It is based on a Greek crosscentered around a massive keep flanked by four towers. This symmetrical, imposing structure is reminiscent of medieval fortified castles, while adopting elements typical of the Renaissance with its wide openings, elegant galleries and sculpted details.
The castle's roofs are a veritable ornamental masterpiecewith their innumerable bell towers, dormer windows and finely sculpted fireplacesgiving the building an enchanting silhouette.
One of the castle's most fascinating features is its double-revolution staircaseoften attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. This unique staircase allows two people to climb the steps simultaneously without ever passing each other, an architectural feat that still intrigues people today. Located at the heart of the keep, it symbolizes the innovation and avant-garde vision of the Renaissance.
Although designed as a hunting lodge rather than a permanent royal residence, Chambord incorporates multiple influences:
The gardens of Chambord were created on the initiative of Louis XIV. Work began in 1684, requiring major roadworks and earthworks, which were completed in the 18th century.
It wasn't until 1734 that the formal gardens really came into being. The work, covering more than 6 hectares, continued until 1751, with the removal of the marshes that persisted around the estate and encouraged malaria.
The gardens will be redeveloped between 2016 and 2017, in one of the largest garden restoration and planting projects in France.
The surface area of the Chambord estate is estimated at over 5,000 hectares. Part of this land - the agricultural land - was annexed by François 1er in the 16th century, and the rest was acquired by Gaston d'Orléans in the 17th century. The estate is surrounded by a 32-kilometer wall.
Chambord owns and cultivates vegetable gardens based on permaculture. More than 5 hectares were already under cultivation, and a further 5 hectares were added, with the aim of encouraging short circuits, from production to consumption.
The current stables are in fact made up of what was once known as the "petite écurie", a project initiated by Louis XIV. The project for a large stable was never realized, and the work was completed by the Comte de Saxe in the 18th century.
The estate includes vineyards for red and white wine, whose origins can be traced back to François 1er, who is said to have brought over 80000 vines from Burgundy, Beaune in Burgundy, in the 16th century. Since 2015, the estate has undertaken the planting of over 14 hectares of vines.
In 1498, Château de Chambord became part of France's royal heritage with the accession to power of Louis XII, but it was François who made it his own. Ist who decided to transform the château into a palace after his victory at the Battle of Marignan.
The project is to create a magnificent hunting estate, in honor of François 1st construction of a square keep with four towers and two wings. The work was partially completed in 1539, in anticipation of the arrival of Charles V. Despite the extensive work, François 1st stays no longer than 40 days.
As the hunting lodge was far from the court residences, the Château de Chambord was left unexplored. Louis XIV who showed an interest in Chambord by visiting the château on numerous occasions and completing the work begun by François I.
King Louis XV exiled his father-in-law, the King of Poland, and transferred the château to Marshal de Saxe, who later became its governor.
In the 19th century, the château's history was a turbulent one, as it passed from hand to hand in the wake of succession and the times of France.
It was acquired by the French state in 1930.
Visit Chambord Castle was built in the early 16th century under François I, who wished to use it as a sumptuous hunting lodge. Its exceptional architecture, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, makes it a masterpiece of the French Renaissance. With its 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces and 84 staircasesIt is the largest of the Loire castles.
The château is open all year round and offers several types of tour:
Visit duration varies according to visitor interest:
Yes, access to panoramic terraces is included in the entrance ticket. They offer an exceptional view over the estate, with the opportunity to admire the castle's roofs and numerous chimneys.
Yes, Chambord organizes year-round :
There are several paid parking lots near the château, with prices around 6 € per day. Free parking is available at 4 kmA shuttle service to the site is available for a fee.
Yes, some picnic areas are located close to the château. You can also enjoy lunch in one of the estate's restaurants.
Nearby must-sees include :
Yes, it is possible to sleep in a hotel Le Relais de Chambordlocated just a few metres from the château. From gîtes, B&Bs and campsites are also available in the region.
Visit spring and summer are the ideal times to enjoy the gardens and shows. L'fall offers a beautiful ambience in the forest, and thewinter allows for a quieter, more intimate visit, especially during the Christmas decorations period.
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