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Published: June 12th 2008
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Chateau Chambord
An impressive Chateau, but its only really interesting feature was the double staircase... Wednesday 14th May
Chateau Chambord was our first destination today.
We had decided to forgo breakfast at our hotel and pulled in at a roadside cafe we passed on the way to the Chateau at around 10.00am. There was nobody visible inside when we entered, so we called "Madame" two or three times before we got a response. It took a little time before we made it clear that we wished to have breakfast. Madame escorted us to a table in the dining area, took our orders for hot drinks and then all hell broke loose in the rest of the cafe. From my seat I could see the orders desk/cafe area and a passage way into the kitchen. Various shouts came from the kitchen area, a gentleman hurtled from the kitchen into the area behind the orders desk and began working the cafe machine, a second lady appeared from nowhere and bustled back and forth down the passageway. The chaos continued for quite some time, but eventually we ended up with the ubiquitous French baguette (cut into pieces), butter, jam, honey and appropriate hot drinks for each of us.
It seemed a lot of effort for little
Light!
This shaft of light penetrates the hollow in the centre of the double helix staircase in Chambord. return, but we enjoyed breakfast none the less.
The road from the cafe continued to skirt the Loire for someway and then (after a series of turns down very narrow roads in a village), turned away inland. We passed through a couple of lonely plots of grape vines (the first we had seen in France) and fields dotted with red poppies.
Following signs we arrived at the car park of Chateau Chambord. Alighting from the car we could see eight or so huge towers peeping out above the line of trees that edged the parking area.
Following the path toward the chateau we lost the towers amongst the nearby trees and buildings. The suddenly the awesome sight of the chateau hit us full on as it came into view. It is extremely hard to describe the impact his immense building has upon you. Across the front wing facing you are two enormous rounded towers flanking the front entrance. This wing expands off to the east and west ending in two towers only slightly smaller. This entire front faceade spans 156 metres. But behind this peek numerous other towers, including an even larger middle one.
The structure
Staircase
This is Chambord's amazing staircase, as seen from outside the main rooms. of the chateau is that there is a central keep (or donjon) with a large tower at each of its four corners. Each side of the keep is about 60 metres long. The keep has a spiral staircase at its centre and all the other rooms in the donjon feed off the open atrium area and corridors radiating out for the staircase. The staircase is surmounted by a domed lantern, to admit light, which is higher than the outer towers The keep is part of the front facade but the outer walls form a 156m by 117m rectangle. Each of this outer walls corners also end in towers
The sheer grandeur and immensity of the chateau really knocks you off your feet.
All visitors enter by the back door (or tradesman's entrance) so you walk along the whole 117m length of the west side and halfway across the southern side to reach rear entrance.
We bought audio-guides and proceeded to the inner keep to view the spiral staircase. This central staircase is a double staircase, that is there are two stairways wound around the hollow central newel.
Mlle de Montpensier who played there as a child
Poor Cherub!
This cherub has a hard job - holding up the double staircase! said "The stair is designed in such a way that one person can ascend and another descend without their meeting although they can see each other".
Early in the audioguide it was suggested that we view a video on the building of the chateau. The video was in continuous play mode in one of the rooms you first pass upon entering the donjon. There is a large central screen and about half a dozen smaller screens in the room (along with seating). The audio is in French but each of the smaller screens also display subtitles in a particular language, one of which was English.
The video was very interesting and informative; covering the history and physical structure of the Chateau.
When we explored a few rooms with the audioguide but the rooms were very large and impersonal, and since, unlike Chateau Chenonceau, Chambord had not escaped the wanton destruction generated by the French Revolution almost all the furnishings were reconstructions or pieces imported from elsewhere. It just lacked ambience and an authentic feel and all three of us decided to give up the tour after half a dozen rooms.
If you are visiting the area
Chateau Chambord
Another view of Chateau Chambord, to give you an idea of the real size of this place. around Blois in France, by all means place Chambord on your visiting list. But the outer grandeur greatly outweighs what lies within and I would recommend that you not purchase an audioguide; the excellent free to enter video does a good job of giving you all the important information.
One thing I haven't mentioned is that the actual Chateau of Chambord is within 5,440 hectares of grounds, most of which are open forest. The grounds are kept stocked with boars, pheasants, deer, rabbits and foxes. However most of this area is closed to the public, but here are still large areas of tamed gardens and gravel paths that can be explored on bicycle by the more energetic.
From Chambord we planned to visit another Chateau, de Valmer, that was on our way back to the hotel and claimed to have beautiful Renaissance gardens. When we arrived there we found only 1 other car parked there instead of the hundred or so at the other chateaus we had visited.
The couple from the other car were photographing forlornly from the gates. I checked our brochure for the chateau "Open10h-12h30 et 14h-19h" ..Checking my watch it was around 15.45
Bridge
More for aesthetic value than any real reason. Pretty with the reflection. (3.45 pm - the French work on the 24 hour clock) so the chateau should be open. We wandered over to the other couple, who happened to be French, and motioned that it was locked, although there was no sign to that effect, and the gent continued to mournfully take long distance photos. Marion buzzed on the intercom at the gate and was curtly informed that the chateau was shut.
Not wanting to sit wasting time, we gave it up for lost On the way out of the drive of the chateau we passed two more cars (who were about to be disappointed) on the way in.
Who can understand the workings of the French mind? If you flood an area with brochures that include opening times, surely you need to stick to them.
Back at the hotel we packed, ready to emerge from our trog-like existence into the light of day tomorrow.
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