A Fairytale, very Instagramable Castle

As if it had dropped straight out of a fairytale, Chenonceau castle has a particularly special feature. It was built across water, creating stunning reflections in the Cher river.

Chenonceau castle has a diverse and somewhat dramatic history. First a mill, then a Renaissance castle, a hospital during WWI, and a way to get to the free zone in WWII (as the Cher river was the French Demarcation line).



This 16th century chateau is surrounded by 70 hectares of garden and forest. The rose gardens and French gardens are famous worldwide.

chenonceau castle loire valley

Chenonceau : The Lady's castle

This surprising and beautiful place is the fruit of the work of several inspiring women who brought a feminine touch to this magnificent chateau. Their work is one of the reasons Chenonceau Castle receives around 800,000 visitors each year, making it one of France's most important tourist attractions.

  • Catherine Briconnet was wife of Thomas Bohier, who transformed the medieval mill into a Renaissance castle.
  • Diane de Poitiers, lifelong mistress of King Henri II added the formal gardens and the arched bridge.
  • Catherine de Medici changed the arched bridge into an Italian-style gallery (to host parties) and forced Diane de Poitiers to move to Chaumont sur Loire castle (also a magnificent place famous for its gardens).
  • Louise de Lorraine inherited Chenonceau in the late 16th century.
  • Madame Dupin, in the 18th century, saved Chenonceau castle from destruction during the French Revolution. She transformed Chenonceau into a writers' haven.
  • Madame Pelouze bought Chenonceau in a ruined state and supervised its total restoration in 1863. It is thanks to her that we can enjoy visiting Chenonceau today and experience it as it was in the Renaissance era. 

inside chenonceau castle

Chenonceau is one of the most visited of the Châteaux de la Loire and receives many thousands of visitors during the peak season. For a more peaceful and intimate experience, we know a hidden viewpoint, one of the secrets we share with all France Just For You travelers. It has an exceptional view of the castle from across the river.



We also have some suggestions on discovering Chenonceau from the River Cher, with some amazing photo opportunities!

Tip on the best way to experience Chenonceau

Chenonceau castle is also famous for its flower arrangements. There are four full-time flower arrangers at the castle, who create beautiful artistic floral arrangements from fresh flowers all year long. But it's at Christmas time that the flower arrangements are the most beautiful.

These are some pictures we took in Chenonceau castle on our last visit:  

For gourmet travelers, we will take you to one of the oldest distillery in the region - very near Chenonceau castle. See our Loire Valley Self-Drive itineraries

Our Travelers’ Reviews

Carol & Mike
We have recently returned from our second trip to France arranged by Emilie and Guillaume. The itinerary was created by Emilie to include our particular interests and everything ran smoothly from start to finish. We look forward to exploring another part of France in the future arranged by France Just For You.
Cathy
France Just For You planned the trip of a lifetime for my husband and me. We traveled to Normandy, St. Saint Michele, the Loire Valley and Provence. We are typically not road trip travelers, but this adventure brought us closer to the wonderful people of France than any group tour or "drop and plop" vacation could ever do. The bed and breakfasts …
Ed
This is the third year in a row that we have traveled to France, as part of a two country vacation. Because of our positive experiences with Emilie's help in the past, and our desire to be relatively independent, we chose to have her craft our French trip again this year. In a word, she is incredible! We have such a high level of confidence in her …

Our Travelers’ Photos

Sheena & Anna
From the US
In Provence
Bonnie & her 2 daughters
from Canada
In Ménerbes, Provence
Ruth & Mary-Ann
From the US
In front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Sharyn
from the US
Taking a cooking class in Normandy
Christina & her niece
from Australia
In the Wolves Sanctuary in Guéret
Lorelea, Teresa, Diane & Chris
From the US
With their hostess in Lille, Northern France
Shanna & Mike
from the US
For their First Wedding Anniversary in Provence
Lytha & Ron
From the US
Canoeing in the Dordogne region
Cynthia & Roger
from the US
in Monet's House and Gardens in Giverny
The Loo Family
From Malaysia
At the breakfast table in the Loire Valley
Joe
From the US
Digging & Finding a truffle in Provence
Judy & Rich
from the US
in Giverny, Normandy

Last Blog Articles