Less than two hours south of Paris, Chambord opens to you the doors of the Loire Valley, a river inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as a "living cultural landscape". An unavoidable stop, Chambord is the largest and most prestigious of the French Renaissance castles. Rising in the heart of a vast forest rich in game, Chambord was not designed to be a permanent residence but simply a hunting pavilion. Francis I loved to spend his days there to dedicate himself to the pleasure of hunting, at that time a privilege reserved to the nobility. Chambord was born from the dream of Francis I, King of France, who brought to France from his battles in Italy a great number of artists, among them Leonardo da Vinci. Nobody knows the name of the architect of Chambord, but this masterpiece seems to be inspired by the sketches of the great Italian master, especially the famous double revolution staircase. Chambord Castle marks the beginning of the French Renaissance, a harmonious balance between Italian principles and French traditions. Chambord is a castle of perfect proportions that provokes a feeling of majesty, a harmony in volumes and decorations. Take Leonardo's staircase to reach the terraces: from the top of the keep, let yourself be hypnotized by the fantasy of the roofs with their turrets, chimneys and vertiginous skylights and enjoy an incredible view on the Estate, as wide as Paris.
