Chateau de Chambord is one of the most visually impressive castles in France’s Loire Valley. Whatever vision of a fairytale castle you have in your head, I promise that Chambord is even better.
With over 400 rooms, 150 metres of facade, a Leonardo Da Vinci staircase and 13,500 acres of park and forest, you know this monumental castle was on my France bucket list.
My family and I visited Chambord Castle on a day trip from our home base in Orleans, France. It was one of seven Loire Valley chateaux we explored while living in Orleans.
After all of those castles, Chambord stands out as the largest and the castle with the most intricate exterior. I loved taking in all of the outer architecture, but I’ll admit that the Chambord castle interiors were not my favourite.
Still, I think it’s worth visiting Chateau de Chambord, if only for the incredible design. But if you’re on the fence, reading through my article should help you decide whether you want to visit or not.
Below you’ll find everything you need to know for your visit – such as how long to spend at the castle, if the castle is dog and baby friendly, and a quick history to prep you.
After that I’ll walk you through what you can expect to find within the chateau and share my honest review after visiting Chateau de Chambord. What did I think of one of the Loire’s most famous castles? Find out below!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
What you need to know before visiting Chateau de Chambord
The information below is current as of November 2025. For the most up to date info, click here.
Opening days & hours
Chateau de Chambord is open every day of the year, except January 1, December 25 and, new this year, on Mondays in the low season. So on Mondays from Nov 17, 2025 to Mar 29, 2026, the castle will be closed – unless it’s a school holiday, then it’s open!
The chateau is open from 9:00AM to 5:00PM all year. It’s open an hour later until 6:00PM during the high season (late March to late October) and during Christmas holidays.
Hi, mom!
Ticket prices
The full rate for the chateau and gardens is €19 ($22 USD) per person. If you’re a non-EU citizen between 18 and 25, you can pay the reduced rate of €16.50 ($19 USD).
If you’re an EU citizen under 26 or a non-EU citizen under 18, good news: admission is free! So this is a good castle for kids, since they get free entry.
Buy your tickets to Chateau de Chambord here!
You have the option to add a histopad onto your ticket for €6.50 ($7.50 USD) or an English guided tour for €7 ($8 USD) for adults and €4 ($5 USD) for children. Note that the guided English tour is only available once per day in the summer.
We opted for just the regular tickets without the guide or histopad. It might’ve been nice to have the histopad for a little extra context but since we were short on time, we worried it would slow us down.
Plus, when we used a histopad later at Blois Castle, it wasn’t all that informative. Though I did like the one we used at Palais des Papes in Avignon, so maybe they’re hit or miss!
Parking
Our view of the castle as we walked from P-2
Unfortunately, you do have to pay for parking at Chambord Castle. Cars parking in the P-0 lot will pay €6 ($7 USD) while those parking in P-2 will pay €5 ($6 USD). P-1 is reserved for buses.
The difference between P-0 and P-2 is the distance from the chateau. P-0 is just 600 metres (0.3 miles) from the castle while P-2 is a bit farther.
We parked in P-2, mostly because we missed the turnoff for P-0, but didn’t think the walk to the castle was too long. If you’re able to walk and it’s a nice day, save yourself the euro and park in P-2.
There is also parking available for motorcycles, bicycles (free), caravans, motorhomes, minibuses and coaches.
Note: You’ll get a ticket when you enter the parking lot that you’ll need to bring with you to one of the pay machines in order to pay for your parking. So don’t lose your ticket or forget it!
There are pay machines in the parking lot itself or at the ticket booth at the castle; you can pay as soon as you enter. Just remember to bring your little ticket with you so you don’t have to go back to the car and get it like we did!
On your way out, a machine will scan your paid ticket so you can exit.
Baby-friendly?
This family got their stroller to the rooftop!
Kids of all ages are allowed at the chateau but how friendly are Loire Valley chateaux for babies? Turns out, Chambord is pretty baby-friendly!
Strollers are allowed inside the castle, which is rare (most castles we visited asked you to park your stroller before going inside). Chambord will even lend you a light-weight stroller for your visit (depending on availability).
However, I wouldn’t recommend using a stroller inside Chateau de Chambord. You’ll have to carry it up four long, curved flights of stairs and manoeuvre it through tight doorways and crowds.
I saw someone emerge on the rooftop with their stroller and they looked winded! Chambord does have a spot for stroller parking if you don’t want to use it in the castle.
Outside, we didn’t find a stroller that much more useful. We had planned for my husband, Colin, to walk Baby C around the gardens in her stroller so she could fall asleep but the pebbles underfoot made that near impossible.
Instead, I’d suggest using a carrier for your baby. Do note that metal frame baby carriers are not allowed at Chambord Castle, however. So stick with a soft carrier for this visit.
Another baby-related thing you may like to know: there are restrooms with changing tables and bottle warmers available by the reception area and inside the chateau.
Dog-friendly?
Yes, dogs are allowed at Chateau de Chambord but with certain restrictions.
Leashed dogs are allowed in the park area of the chateau. But they are not allowed in the castle enclosure, French gardens or stables.
Some castles, like Chateau de Villandry that we also visited, allow dogs into the castle if they’re in a carrier. But Chateau de Chambord doesn’t have this same rule.
How do you get to Chateau de Chambord?
You can get to Chateau Chambord by car, bike, train + shuttle bus, or day tour.
If you can rent a car, driving to Chambord is likely the easiest option. We were coming from Chateau de Cheverny, which was an easy 25 minute drive from Chambord.
Here are the drive times/distances to Chateau de Chambord from nearby cities:
- From Paris: 2.5 hours (175km)
- From Tours: 1 hour (80km)
- From Orleans: 55 mins (55km)
- From Amboise: 55 mins (50km)
- From Blois: 25 mins (15km)
Our view driving up to Chateau de Chambord
If you prefer to take public transit, you’ll take the train to Blois-Chambord station. From there you’ll take a connecting shuttle bus to the castle.
You can purchase your train, shuttle and castle tickets together for a discounted rate or present your train ticket at the castle for a discounted entrance ticket.
Note that the shuttle bus to the castle from Blois-Chambord station can be pretty limited. Double check the schedule before you plan your day. You could also take a taxi from the train station instead (apx 25 minutes).
Or, if you want to save yourself the hassle of planning transportation, hop on a convenient day tour to Chambord Castle. These tours include stops at a few castles or other extras, so you can make the most of your time in the Loire Valley.
Book one of these top-rated Loire Valley castle day tours:
How much time do you need at Chambord Castle?
Chambord Castle is HUGE. There’s 156 metres of Grand Facade, 77 staircases, 282 chimneys and over 400 rooms. So yeah, you’re going to want some time to discover this place!
And that’s just the castle. You still have the gardens, stables, park, restaurants and gift shop to explore.
Plus, you’ll need to factor in the crowds. Chateau Chambord is one of the most popular castles in the Loire Valley, so expect to see lots of people and tour groups throughout. This might slow you down, especially in some of the tighter castle corridors.
All to say, I think you’d want at least two hours for your castle visit and an extra hour to explore the grounds. You could easily make an entire day of visiting Chambord if you walk/bike/drive through the park, take a lunch break, etc.
We had a bit of a rushed visit to Chateau de Chambord (that’s what travelling with a baby will do to ya), but tried to see as much as we could in our limited time. I would’ve loved more time to explore at a slower pace.
But if you’re also in a rush like we were, the chateau map points out areas they recommend you focus on if you’re short on time. Still, I wouldn’t try to visit if you have less than an hour.
A quick history of Chateau Chambord
All right, before we get inside the castle, let’s have a quick history lesson:
Construction began on Chateau de Chambord in 1519 as a collaboration between French and Italian artists, architects and masons. It was built to glorify King Francis I of France.
Over the 16th and 17th Centuries, Chambord Castle was used by Francis I, Henri II and Louis XIV for their hunting trips, to entertain guests and to monitor the on-going construction.
Fun fact: Because Chambord wasn’t a permanent home for a France monarch, it doesn’t have “Royal” in its title. Other castles where French kings did live, such as Chateau Royal de Blois, get the “Royal” added into their name.
In the 18th Century, relatives of the crown were allowed to use Chateau Chambord. What a nice family perk!
Then in 1821, the castle was given to Henri, Duke of Bordeaux and grandson of King Charles X (but he preferred to go by Court of Chambord). While he didn’t live at the castle, he did oversee restoration and opened the chateau to the public.
Finally in 1930, the state become the owners of Chateau de Chambord. The castle gained UNESCO World Heritage status in 1981.
Another fun fact: During WWII, thousands of works of French art were brought to Chambord Castle for safe-keeping. Apparently this happened at a lot of castles during that time; it’s rumoured that the Mona Lisa was kept at Chateau de Cheverny!
Exterior of the castle
Of all the Loire Valley castles we visited, I was most impressed by the exterior of Chateau de Chambord. When we were still five minutes down the road we saw Chambord in the distance and our jaws dropped.
This is what you expect a castle to look like!
As mentioned in the history above, Chateau de Chambord is a combination of French and Italian styles. The central cross-shaped keep has medieval origins and symbolizes military power.
No plans or sketches of the castle’s design exist, but historians believe Leonardo Da Vinci had influence – especially on the stairs, which I’ll cover in the next section.
All of the pillars rising out of the top of Chambord follow an Italian-style grid and give the castle a very ornate, geometric feel. Look closer and you’ll see lots of Renaissance-era sculpting along the walls, rooftops and doorways of the castle.
Taking in the exterior, both from ground level and up on the outdoor terrace, was my favourite part of visiting Chateau de Chambord!
Buy your tickets to Chateau de Chambord here
The famous Chateau de Chambord staircase
The first thing you’ll see when you enter the castle is a ginormous double-helix staircase in the centre of the keep. But what is that exactly?
Designed by Leonardo Da Vinci, a double helix staircase is two flights of stairs that circle around a central core. There are windows along each flight allowing you to see other people on the steps, but your paths will never cross.
Think of it like a strand of DNA. Or like something out of a Harry Potter movie!
I thought this staircase was so cool! It looks simple, but it’s trippy once you get on it. And it makes it easy to lose someone; my mom and I both took the stairs but ended up on different paths.
Chateau de Chambord is designed so that no matter where you are in the castle, you can always come back to the double-helix staircase at the castle’s core.
What you’ll see on the ground floor
On the ground floor of Chateau de Chambord you’ll see the giant staircase in the middle and wings branching off to the four corners.
You can start by watching a short film about the castle’s history. Next you’ll move into reception rooms, 18th Century kitchens, the carriage room and the lapidarium (a collection of stones and sculptures).
My favourite rooms were the kitchens; I’m not sure why but I always enjoy seeing how the kitchens were laid out in these historic castles.
Compared to Chateau de Cheverny which we had visited on the same day, Chambord was much larger but also more sparse. Right from the ground floor, I could tell that the interiors were not going to be as intricate.
But what it lacks in detail, Chambord makes up for in scale – this place is huge!
What you’ll see on the first floor
Going up the stairs to the first floor (or what we’d call the second floor in North America), you’ll see the living quarters of past castle residents.
This is where the size of Chambord really started to overwhelm me; it was very easy to get lost in the maze of rooms and corridors.
Up here you’ll find the 16th Century living quarters of Francis I, the queen’s bedchamber from the 17th Century, ceremonial apartments, a chapel, 18th Century apartments, Louis XIV’s theatre, and the Count of Chambord’s museum.
While it was cool to see the various rooms and apartments, they weren’t as intricately decorated as rooms we’d see later at Chenonceau Castle or Meung-sur-Loire Castle.
Again, it seemed to me that is was more about the huge number of rooms here than any of the small details inside the rooms.
In fact, my favourite part was actually anytime we’d leave the rooms and follow a staircase or hallway that led us outside.
My mom taking in the architecture!
Walking along these balconies allowed us to see the castle architecture up close and get a different perspective on the building.
What you’ll see on the second floor
Up another flight of stairs to the second floor (or North American third floor) and you’ll notice beautiful carved coffered vault ceilings around the main staircase.
This floor is primarily used as a gallery, not recreated to show you how the castle was used in previous eras. It starts with exhibits dedicated to the castle’s history of hunting (hence, the taxidermy).
There’s also a children’s quarter with interactive activities for kids and a temporary gallery showcasing a different exhibiting artist. Neither of these were my favourite, as Baby C is too young for kids activities and I’m not a huge art fan.
My favourite space was the trophy gallery, a long hallway decorated with antlers. I’m not usually into antlers and hunting trophies as decor, but I thought this room was really cool.
It looked different to all of the other rooms and was noticeably less crowded (we had the whole room to ourselves!).
What you’ll see on the chateau rooftop and terraces
Finally, you’ll emerge on the top level of Chambord Castle where you can go out onto the rooftop and take in the views. This was my favourite part of visiting the castle!
I loved walking around the terraces to take in the Gothic spires and pillars up close. The architecture was so ornate leading me to take way too many photos.
You also get a nice view of the French gardens from this floor, which were restored in 2016/2017 to resemble what the gardens would’ve looked like in the 18th Century.
View of the French Gardens
Fun fact: The lantern tower in the middle of the rooftop has a fleur-de-lys on it. The fleur-de-lys is pointed to the sky which symbolizes the French king being at the centre of his kingdom.
What else can you do around the chateau grounds?
Besides the giant castle itself, there’s lots more you can do around the grounds of Chateau de Chambord. You really could spend an entire day here and not get bored!
Other chateau activities include:
- Strolling through the French gardens
- Seeing the equestrian show (check showtimes)
- Renting bikes or golf carts to tour the grounds
- Taking a guided 4×4 tour of the grounds
- Going on a guided tour of the vegetable garden
- Renting a boat to go down the 4km canal
- Walking some of the 20km of trails along the Grand Promenade (you can even download an audioguide for the walking routes)
- Dining at the on-site restaurants
- Buying some merch from the gift shop (including products made at the chateau, such as honey, wooden objects and wine)
Restaurants at the chateau 
The chateau’s very own wine!
Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time to explore the grounds as we were working around Baby C’s nap schedule and our dog, Ellie, waiting for us back at home in Orleans.
We did spend a bit of time in the French gardens and looked longingly at the restaurants on our way out!
Buy your tickets to Chateau de Chambord here!
Wrapping up: My review of visiting Chateau de Chambord
Undoubtedly, Chateau de Chambord is one of the most impressive castles in the Loire Valley. Just seeing the castle from the road when we were still five minutes away clued us into this fact.
So yes, I do think Chambord Castle deserves a place on your Loire Valley itinerary. If you want a castle that’s going to visually wow you before you even go through the entrance gates, this is it.
But inside? My review is mixed.
I loved how grand Chambord was. It was wild to be in a place so big that you got lost and fun to have so many different rooms to discover.
But some of those rooms were a let down. I preferred the intricate interiors of Cheverny and restored rooms of Chenonceau. The bare walls in some of Chambord’s rooms were disappointing.
My favourite part of the castle was the exterior; I loved walking along the balconies and across the rooftop. It was the architecture I was there for – not the half-done interiors, art galleries and hunting exhibits.
Of course, that’s not to say that the interiors of Chambord Castle are bad. It’s just that after visiting seven Loire Valley castles, these interiors were far from the best. But if this is your first castle or you’re really into art galleries, Chambord may impress you.
All said, I’m still very glad we went to Chateau de Chambord. Despite having to visit in a hurry, it was worth it to see the giant castle up close, race through the maze of rooms, and explore the rooftop.
And I would still recommend it. If you have the time, make a full day out of your Chambord Castle visit so you can take your time inside the castle and enjoy the grounds.
But even if you only have an hour or two, I think it’s worth visiting to see Chateau de Chambord’s impressive castle architecture up close.
I’d love to know: Is Chambord Castle on your France bucket list? Or if you’ve been, let me know what you thought of it!
Check out the rest of my Loire Valley, France posts to plan your trip:
Please visit:
Our Sponsor