Loire Valley: Playground of the French Kings

One step removed from France’s capital, Val de la Loire (Loire Valley) boasted strategic importance in the past centuries. It marks the boundary between northern and southern France and was a frontier zone during the Hundred Years War. After King Charles VII reclaimed the crown during the mid-15th century, the area was transformed into the center of French court life.

Embraced as a safe haven away from intrigues in Paris, the royal family took residence in Loire Valley. Soon, the nobility followed suit because they didn’t want or even dared to be far from the seat of power. Their presence began attracting the very best architects and landscape designers. And in the following centuries, more than 300 châteaux (castles) spawned in this lush, fertile valley.

Elegantly settled on a rock cliff overlooking the River Loire, Château Royal d’Amboise (The Royal Castle of Amboise) was a favorite royal residence of many French kings. From Charles VII to Francis I, they all used this Italian-style castle as a frequent getaway from the official royal seat in Blois.

In the second half of the 16th century, Château Royal d’Amboise started falling into demise. The majority of its original structure was later demolished. Only the Gothic wing, the Chapelle St-Hubert, and the outer defensive circuit of towers and walls are still preserved.

Looming on a rocky outcrop at the center of the city of Blois, Château Royal de Blois (The Royal Castle of Blois) provides a magnificent panorama of art and history of the castles of the Loire. It comprises four wings surrounding a spacious courtyard.

Each wing poses a different style, making the château an outstanding example of the development of French architecture from the 13th to the 17th century. The castle was the seat of the powerful counts of Blois. Once in royal hands, it became the official residence of several French monarchs, including Louis XII, Francis I, Henry III, and Henry IV.

If you only have time to visit one castle in the Loire Valley, make it the Château de Chambord. Rising up like Mont Saint Michel, but out of an ocean of trees, Châteux de Chambord is by far the most recognizable French castle. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, making it the world’s most visited châteux. Started as a hunting lodge for Francis I in 1519, this project quickly grew into the region’s largest and grandest château.

It comprises over 400 rooms, 365 fireplaces, and more than 80 staircases. Blending Renaissance features with traditional French medieval structures, the castle is the finest exemplar of French Renaissance architecture. After several setbacks, the gigantic construction was completed 28 years later. But at that time, Francis I didn’t show any enthusiasm for his elaborate building. He kept residing in his royal apartments in Blois and Amboise and only stayed in Chambord on very few occasions.