Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
drive up behind the château (direction: Montrichard), take the first hard right turn (follow-
ing
Stade du Tennis
signs), and drive to the lot beyond the soccer field.
Background:
The Chaumont château you see today was built mostly in the 15th
and 16th centuries. Catherine de Médicis forced Diane de Poitiers to swap Chenonceau
for Chaumont; you'll see tidbits about both women inside. Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette,
Voltaire, and Benjamin Franklin all spent time here. Today's château offers a good look at
thebestdefensedesignin1500:onacliffwithadrymoat,bigandsmalldrawbridgeswith
classic ramparts, loopholes for archers, and handy holes through which to dump hot oil on
attackers.
Self-Guided Tour:
There's no audioguide or regular English tour. Your walk
through the palace—restored mostly in the 19th century—is described by the English flier
you'll pick up when you enter. As the château has more rooms than period furniture, your
tourwillbepepperedwithmodern-artexhibitsthatfillotherwiseemptyspaces.Therooms
you'll visit first (in the east wing) show the château as it appeared in the 15th and 16th
centuries. Your visit ends in the west wing, which features furnishings from the 19th-cen-
tury owners.
The castle's medieval
entry
is littered with various coats of arms. As you walk in,
take a close look at the two drawbridges (a new mechanism allows the main bridge to be
opened with the touch of a button). Once inside, the heavy defensive feel is replaced with
palatial luxury. Peek into the courtyard—during the more stable 1700s, the fourth wing,
whichhadenclosedthecourtyard,wastakendowntogivetheterraceitsriver-valleyview.
Entering the château rooms, signs direct you along a one-way loop path
(suite de la
visite)
through the château's three wings. Catherine de Médicis, who missed her native
Florence, brought a touch of Italy to all her châteaux, and her astrologer (Ruggieri) was
so important that he had his own (plush) room—next to hers.
Catherine's bedroom
has
a case with ceramic portrait busts dating from 1770, when the lord of the house had a tra-
dition of welcoming guests by having their portrait sketched, then giving them a ceram-
ic bust made from this sketch when they departed. Find Ben Franklin's medallion. The
exquisitely tiled
Salle de Conseil
has a grand fireplace designed to keep this conference
roomwarm.Thetreasuryboxinthe
guard room
isafineexampleof1600s-eralocksmith-
ing. The lord's wealth could be locked up here as safely as possible in those days, with a
false keyhole, no handles, and even an extra-secure box inside for diamonds.
A big spiral staircase leads up through a messy attic and then down to rooms decor-
ated in 19th-century style. The
dining room
's fanciful limestone fireplace is exquisitely
carved. Find the food (frog legs, snails, goats for cheese), the maid with the bellows, and
even the sculptor with a hammer and chisel at the top (on the left). Your visit ends with a
stroll through the 19th-century library, the billiards room, and the living room.
