Château de Chenonceau

Where it is & how to get there

• Train: Trains from Tours reach Chenonceaux station in about 30 minutes; the château is a 5-minute walk.
• By car: About 20 minutes from Amboise and 35 from Tours.
• Tours: Loire castle day tours from Tours and Paris usually include Chenonceau.

The story of Chenonceau

Chenonceau is called the "Château des Dames" because women shaped its history. Katherine Briçonnet oversaw its building from 1513; King Henri II gave it to Diane de Poitiers, who built the bridge over the Cher and the gardens; after his death, Queen Catherine de' Medici took it and added the 60-metre gallery on the bridge.

In the 18th century Louise Dupin hosted writers like Rousseau here and saved the château during the Revolution. In the Second World War the Cher marked the line between occupied and free France, and the gallery became a secret passage for people escaping the occupied zone.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Arrive at opening time and visit the gardens after the château.
• Walk to the edge of the Diane de Poitiers garden for the classic view of the arches over the river.
• Rent a rowing boat in summer to see the château from the water.

What's around Chenonceau

• AmboiseRoyal château and Leonardo's Clos Lucé, 20 minutes away.
• Gardens of Diane and CatherineTwo formal gardens on either side of the château.
• The Cher riverBoat trips and riverside walks.
• ToursLively city and transport hub, 35 minutes away.

Questions travellers ask