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Add French Castles Chambord and Blois to Your Loire Valley Itinerary
If you have several days for your Loire Valley itinerary, I’d recommend including French chateaus Chambord and Blois as a day trip. The mega castle of Chambord holds an astonishing 440 rooms. The chateau at Blois features a stunning courtyard. There’s enough to see and do at both places to warrant a full day trip, but don’t try to squeeze too much else into your itinerary for this day.
Keep reading to see the highlights at Chambord and Blois, and learn when to go, how to get there, and what else to see in France’s Loire Valley.
When to Visit
Not all of the chateaus of the Loire Valley are open all year. You’ll want to plan your visit for a time when you’ll be able to see the ones that matter most to you. I recommend seeing the epic Chambord first, as it’s bigger and will probably require more of your time.
Chambord Chateau is open daily except for 1 January, 28 November, and 25 December. It’s open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. from the end of March through the end of October, with shorter hours during the winter.
Blois Chateau is open from 9 a.m. until 6:30-7:00 p.m. from early April until early November, also with shorter hours during the winter.
How to Get There
If you’re visiting Chambord and Blois, you’ll probably spend at least a few days touring the chateaus of the Loire Valley. The best way to see these castles is with a rental car that you can pick up at the airport in Paris. This will give you the flexibility to spend more time at the places you like most and change your plans easily if you need to.
With limited time in the region, it’s simply not practical to try to visit these places using public transportation. Arranging a guided tour of all of them is another option, but is more costly than doing it yourself.
Cost of Entry Tickets at Chambord and Blois
Chambord charges €14.50 for each adult. You’ll need to spend a few more euros for parking too.
Blois charges €13 for each adult, with extra fees for audio guides or special tours. There’s a parking fee of a few euros here as well.
What to Expect at Chambord
After you park your car, it’s a short trek over to Chambord. It’s a giant castle, with four towers and two wings. I would recommend planning to spend at least 3 hours here. The castle is so big that even if a school field trip is going on, you’ll hardly ever cross paths with the group.
If you’re visiting late in the fall, expect it to be cold inside—it would no doubt be quite expensive to keep all 440 rooms here heated. Fortunately, it’s likely that they’ll have a lit fireplace on each floor (the castle has hundreds of fireplaces) that you’ll be visiting where you can warm yourself from time to time.
Inside you can watch an 18-minute video about the history and architecture of Chambord.
It’s said that many of the architectural elements here reflect the influence of Leonardo da Vinci, who died at about the time that construction of the castle began. A keep dominates the interior. Early on you’ll also notice a fancy double helix staircase.
Some of the rooms that really stand out are the kitchen as well as the apartments of Louis XIV, Maria Theresa, and Francois I.
On the first floor, a video tells the sad story of Henri, Count of Chambord, who aspired to become king but was exiled in the first half of the 19th century, wandering Europe but never taking the throne.
The second floor features hunting exhibits and former ballrooms.
On the third floor, you’ll see a series of elaborate towers.
By the time you’re finished exploring the interior, it’ll probably be about time for lunch. The on-site restaurant is a good choice.
After lunch, take another look at the façade and surrounding trees and bridges in the changed afternoon light. Even today the surrounding woods are full of game like deer and boar.
Next, make your way over to the second chateau of the day: Blois. The drive is about 17 kilometers and you should be able to get there in 20-25 minutes.
What to Expect at Blois
Upon arrival at Blois, pay for your entry ticket and optional audio guide. There’s a conveniently located underground parking lot that should charge you around 3 euros for 3 hours. I’d advise staying at Blois for at least 2 hours.
The courtyard is outstanding, with a mix of architectural styles. There’s 13th-century Gothic, 15th-century Flamboyant (in the Louis XII wing), 16th-century Renaissance (in the Francois I wing), and 17th-century Neoclassical (connected to Gaston d’Orleans).
As you wander about, you’ll frequently see depictions of salamanders: the symbol of Francois. In the 16th century, many people believed the salamander could create and resist fire. Francois adopted a similar motto along those lines for himself.
Another intriguing belief during that time frame was this: poisoned food could be detected by watching its color change upon adding powdered unicorn horn or snake’s tongue. I’m not sure what they used for unicorn horn, though.
Step into the Hall of the States General to see an impressive blue and gold ceiling.
Don’t miss the room of Francois I, which is truly grand.
In another room, you’ll see a series of busts of kings.
Catherine de Medici’s room is another impressive highlight at Chambord. When she was born, most women wore white while in mourning, but she set a trend by wearing black for 30 years after her husband was killed in a jousting match.
Another room holds cabinets of curiosities, which later inspired the establishment of museums.
Wrap up your tour and return to your hotel to get dinner and plan the next day’s adventure.
What to Do Next
If you’d like to know more about what to do in the Loire Valley of France after you’ve seen Chambord and Blois, you can choose from among countless other chateaus. I’d recommend taking a a few more day trips to see them, visiting no more than two or three each day. Consider the following Loire Valley itineraries:
Did you know that the United States also has buildings that look like the chateaus of the Loire Valley? For example, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina was built centuries later to look like a French chateau from the Renaissance.