THE GUIDE CHÂTEAUX 2019 FRANCE TODAY’S TOP PICKS FOR 2019…


Clockwise from main: Château de Chambord is a Renaissance marvel; call Château de Poncé home on holiday; admire the captivating Jardins de Hautefort; Domaine de Pouzelande is small but perfectly formed; inside Château Le Breil; the glowing white façade of Immaculate Château in the south west


WHERE TO VISIT Château d’Amboise (Indre-et-Loire)


If you go weak at the knees over Renaissance architecture, you simply must start planning a castle crawl around the Loire Valley – it’s here you’ll see the finest examples of French palaces from the 15th and 16th centuries, beautifully preserved and protected by UNESCO. Perched on a rocky promontory overlooking the Loire River, the Château d’Amboise is an excellent place to start. While it may look humble (well, as humble as châteaux get), it boasts one of the most fascinating histories, involving numerous people of influence from Mary, Queen of Scots to


140 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Apr/May 2019


Leonardo da Vinci, whose tomb is housed in the nearby chapel of Saint-Hubert. To mark the Italian painter’s death in Amboise exactly 500 years ago, the château is hosting a number of must-see exhibitions, concerts and events this year. www.chateau-amboise.com


Château de Chambord (Loir-et-Cher)


Five centuries have passed since the first stone was laid at Chambord. The imposing structure was initially built by François I as a hunting lodge before being completed during the reign of Louis XIV, becoming one of the most recognisable examples of Renaissance architecture in France. Sitting


on roughly 13,000 acres of walled-in land, and with the building itself containing more than 400 rooms, you’d be hard-pressed to squeeze it all into one day – which is why the English guided tour is so handy, showcasing all the highlights in just one hour and leaving you plenty of time to get lost afterwards! Unique to 2019, meanwhile, the exhibition Utopia at work will be the first ever presented in Chambord to delve into the château’s origins. www.chambord.org


Château de Chenonceau (Indre-et-Loire)


Appearing to float above the River Cher, otherworldly Chenonceau is one of the most


famous châteaux in France. Aside from its good looks, a long history steered by women and a distinctly feminine grace set it apart from its Loire Valley neighbours. Often referred to as the ‘Ladies’ Château’, its construction was overseen by Katherine Briçonnet between 1513 and 1521; it was home both to Henry II’s wife Catherine de’ Medici and his mistress Diane de Poitiers (both of whom designed gardens to rival one another, which you can still wander through today); and renowned beauty Madame Dupin is credited with rescuing the castle during the French Revolution. Swing by in summer for the opening of Catherine de’ Medici’s restored apothecary


IMAGES © DORIAN MONGEL, CHÂTEAU DU PONCE, CHÂTEAU LE BREIL, IMMACULATE CHÂTEAU, CHÂTEAU DE HAUTEFORT, , DOMAINE DE POUZELANDE


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