Centre-Val de Loire · Indre-et-Loire, France

Château de Chenonceau

The "Château des Dames", famous for spanning the River Cher on the arches of its two-storey gallery. Its history was shaped by a succession of remarkable women — Katherine Briçonnet, Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de' Medici and Louise Dupin — and it remains one of the most visited châteaux in France.

At a glance

Built: 1514–1522 (gallery completed c. 1576)
Style: Late Gothic / French Renaissance
Commissioned by: Thomas Bohier and Katherine Briçonnet
Signature feature: 60-metre, two-storey gallery built across the River Cher
The women of Chenonceau: Diane de Poitiers received it from Henri II; Catherine de' Medici reclaimed it and added the gallery
Wartime role: Military hospital in WWI; the gallery bridged the demarcation line in WWII
Ownership: Privately owned by the Menier family since 1913
Visiting: Open to visitors year-round