Château Dreaming

Centre-Val de Loire · Loir-et-Cher, France

Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire

The château Catherine de' Medici famously traded to Diane de Poitiers in exchange for Chenonceau after Henri II's death. High above the Loire with drum towers and drawbridge intact, it is now equally famous as home of the International Garden Festival, held every year since 1992.

Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire
Photo: @lain G from Fontainebleau (proche), France · CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

At a glance

Built
Rebuilt 1469–1510
Style
Late Gothic turning Renaissance
Commissioned by
Charles I and Charles II d'Amboise
Signature feature
Drawbridge entrance between massive drum towers above the Loire
The swap
Catherine de' Medici obliged Diane de Poitiers to take Chaumont in exchange for Chenonceau
Today
Domaine régional hosting the International Garden Festival (since 1992)
Stables
Luxurious 19th-century stables built for Prince Amédée de Broglie
Visiting
Open to visitors year-round (festival April–November)