Although the French word Chateau is most often translated as castle in other languages, it most often means a palace or residence in French. For example, the famous Chateau de Versailles bears no resemblance to a castle, thus it is known as the Palace of Versailles. There are thousands of castles in France ranging from ruins to quite normal conditions. Some of the most visited French castles are located in the South of France and in the Loire Valley, popular because of their Renaissance style of architecture.

2. Pierrefonds Castle

Among the most beautiful castles in France, it is also worth noting the Chateau de Pierrefonds. Often used as a filming location for TV shows, Pierrefonds Castle is perched on a hill overlooking the picturesque village. Originally built in the 12th century, Pierrefonds was later besieged in 1617 by the military secretary, Cardinal Richelieu, when its owner joined political party, opposing King Louis XIII. Left demolished by Richelieu's troops, the castle remained in ruins for two centuries until Napoleon Bonaparte decided to begin a restoration project during the mid-1800s. Although Napoleon modernized Pierrefonds, the spacious rooms remained unfurnished. However, visitors can appreciate the castle's brilliance as they view the charming drawbridge, courtyard, towers, corridors, chapel and underground crypt, which contains the remains of several French kings.

3. Chateau de Chaumont

Located in the Loire Valley, Chateaumont Chaumont has a history that is as colorful as its striking appearance. The castle was built in 1465 on the remains of a 10th century fortress. But it was destroyed soon after King Louis XI discovered that its owner, Pierre d'Amboise, had organized a rebellion against the king. Having been restored several decades later, sadly famous wife King Henry II, Catherine de Medici, who bought Chaumont and often entertained famous people here, such as the astrologer Nostradamus. After this, the castle passed through various owners to finally be donated in 1938 to the French government. Today, visitors can tour the castle to view its elegant interior, gardens, lavish stables, scenic views of the Loire River and countryside.

4. Chambord - one of the most beautiful castles in France

Also located in the Loire Valley, the Chateau de Chambord easily stands out for its remarkable design and size. Regarded as one of the best examples French Renaissance architecture, Chateau Chambord was built in the 16th century as a hunting residence for King François I. This grand chateau has 440 rooms and 300 fireplaces, as well as many other striking features, such as its double spiral staircase and an elaborate roof of chimneys, domes, gables and towers that evoke the city skyline. Chambord - surrounded by a moat and wall hunting reserve, whose territory is home to wild boars, deer and many other animals.

5. Legendary Versailles

As one of the most famous Castles in France, Versailles attracts more than 3 million visitors annually. This magnificent palace was built in 1624 as a hunting lodge for King Louis XIII and later expanded to become the residence of the French Royal Family. The palace's stunning features include the Hall of Mirrors, a corridor with seventeen mirrored arches and many other details. In the Queen's bedroom, visitors can view the hidden door through which Marie Antoinette escaped. With its magnificent halls, Versailles is a must-see. Also visit the palace's 250-acre English gardens, which are designed in a geometric idyll of trees, flowers and paths.

Continue reading also about the most famous castles in England in a separate selection.

There are hundreds of castles in France, of which only ruins remain. Here is our list of the ten best medieval castles in France - those that have managed to preserve their appearance from the Middle Ages.

Vitre Castle (Chateau de Vitro)

The medieval castle of Vitre is located in the city of the same name in northwestern France in the Brittany region. The castle was founded by Baron Robert I de Vitre. Construction began around 1060. This castle was one of the first in France to be officially classified by the authorities as a historical monument.

Tarascon Castle

The French medieval castle of Tarascon, or as it is also called by locals, the castle of King Rene, is a landmark of the city of Tarascon in the historical region of Provence. The construction of the fortress began in the 12th century. Before construction began, there was a Roman military fortification in its place.

The castle is located near the west coast of France in the Morbihan department. Served as a residence for the Dukes of Brittany. It was built at the beginning of the 13th century as a boyar's house, and at the end of the 14th century it was fortified and expanded. This moated fortress includes a chapel, a dovecote and several ruined outbuildings.

Chateau de Saumur

The castle is located in the city of Saumur in western France. It was originally built in the 10th century as an impregnable fortress by order of Theobald I, Count of Blois. But after its destruction in 1067, the castle was rebuilt by Henry II Plantagenet at the end of the 12th century.

Angers Castle (Chateau d'Angers)

Located in the city of the same name in the department of Maine-et-Loire. It was built in the 9th century, and in the 13th century it was expanded to the form in which it can now be seen. During the Second World War it was heavily damaged, but, nevertheless, restored and is now a museum.

Falaise Castle

French medieval castle of Falaise or the so-called castle of William the Conqueror, which is located in the southwest of the city of Falaise. Almost the first stone castle in the region of France - Lower Normandy. The name of the castle comes from the word “falaise” - “rock”, because the fortress is located on a local hill. The castle is associated with William the Conqueror, son of Robert of Normandy, who was born here in 1028. The castle and surrounding lands belonged to the family and descendants of William the Conqueror, who became king of England, until the 13th century.
The castle was abandoned in the 16th century due to changes in warfare and new installations in fortification construction. Residential premises were not used either, because the first luxurious royal residences-palaces of a Renaissance-manieristic nature, like Fontainebleau or castles in the Loire River valley, were already appearing. The entire 17th century was empty and destroyed. The ruined castle was noticed only in early XIX century.

Josselin Castle

The castle is located in the Brittany region of France. It was built in the 11th century. In 1488, Francis II, Duke of Brittany, took the fortress and partially destroyed it. And only in 1822 the castle was completely restored.

Castelnaud Castle

The French medieval castle of Castelnau is located at the confluence of the Dordogne and Seu rivers in the Dordogne department. It was built in the 13th century to protect against the nearby fortress, built opposite the Chateau de Beynac. Now the Castelnau castle is a museum of medieval wars.

Foix Castle (Chateau de Foix)

Foix Castle - located near the border with Spain near the city of Foix in the Pyrenees. The first mention of the castle dates back to 987. Throughout its history, the castle was besieged many times, but was captured only once in 1486. Now a museum.

Carcassonne Fortress

The fortress is located in the French city of Carcassonne and is located on a hill, on the right bank of the Aude River, in the southeastern part of the city. Founded in the Gallo-Roman period. At the beginning of its history it was a Gallic village, then in the 3rd century AD, the Romans decided to turn it into a fortified city. The castle was finally annexed to the kingdom of France back in 1247.

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Coupiac is a commune in France, located in the Midi-Pyrenees region. Department - Aveyron. Part of the canton of Saint-Sernin-sur-Rance. The district of the commune is Millau. The population of the commune in 2008 was 473 people. Cupiac Castle (XIII century). Historical monument since 1928

Chateau de Calmont d'Olt

Chateau des ducs de Lorraine

Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine (now the Museum of Lorraine)

The Lorraine Museum is a historical museum created by the Lorraine Archaeological Society in 1848. Since its founding, the museum has been located in the Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine in Nancy. The museum shows the history of Lorraine from ancient times to the time of the Empire. Along with the life of the ancient duchy and its capital Nancy, the museum also pays attention to the art and traditional crafts of Lorraine.

The main building of the museum, located in the Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine, houses the historical museum. The Lorraine Museum of Arts and Crafts is located in the building of the ancient Cordelier Convention.

Monument to the Duchess of Lorraine Philippa of Geldern, (XVI-XVIII centuries).. Gallo-Roman Jupiter trampling an angiped.

Finally, in the Church of the Cordeliers there are the tombs of the Dukes of Lorraine. In addition, the museum includes Montagu Castle.

The museum presents the following historical sections:

Period ancient history to the Merovingians, which includes the ancient Roman period;
The Middle Ages in Lorraine: from the rise of the Duchy of Lorraine to the Battle of Nancy in 1477 and the Renaissance;
Classical period: from Duke of Lorraine Charles III to Duke of Lorraine and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I;
The Age of Enlightenment and the reign of the last Duke of Lorraine Stanislav Leszczynski (until 1766).
In addition to the historical sections of the museum, separate rooms are dedicated to artists who made a great contribution to the development of Lorraine over the centuries:

François-André Vincent, “The Marquis la Galazier receives the title of Chancellor of Lorraine at the Castle of Meudon from Stanislaw Leszczynski on January 18, 1737” (1778).

View of the castle and the town of Commercy (XVIII century).

the Jacques Callot room, which displays numerous engravings by the famous engraver and draftsman;
the hall of Georges de Latour, where there are several paintings by the Lorraine artist depicting daily life region of the 17th century;

Georges de La Tour, "Woman with a Flea" (1625-1650).

sculpture hall of Richer Ligier, Paul-Louis Siflé, Clodion and others;

hall of religious sculpture;

scientific cabinet of the 18th century;
hall of faience of Lunéville and Saint-Clement;

a rich collection dedicated to Judaism (the collection of bookbinder and collector René Viener, a member of the Nancy school, which was transferred to the museum in 1939).

“Treasures of Pouilly-sur-Meuse”: 31 objects from the 15th and 16th centuries found in this city in 2006, including coins and cups. Classified as a national treasure of France.

Palais des comtes du Maine

Chateau de Sainte-Suzanne (Mayenne)

Sainte-Suzanne is a picturesque ancient village located in western France in the department of Mayenne, Loire Land region. It is part of the association “The Most Beautiful Villages of France”.

Just under 1000 people live here. This area went down in history as the “Pearl of Maine County.” historical territory where she was.

Sainte-Suzanne stands on a hill reaching 220 meters in height, known as “Mont Noir” (which means “black mountain” in French).

To the north of the settlement there are even more high hills, on the slopes of which lie forests. Distance to the largest settlement- Angers - is 88 kilometers.

The history of the settlement begins in the 10th century, when the relics of Saint Susanna, after whom the city was named, were brought to the local temple. A century later, the city fortress was besieged by William the Conqueror. During the Hundred Years' War, Sainte-Suzanne was held in English hands for 14 years and was only liberated in 1439. In 1608, one of the ministers of King Henry IV of Navarre settled here. The city quickly acquired important economic and administrative significance - the center of the parish was located here, frequent fairs were held, and salt mining developed. In the 19th century, more than 1,800 people lived here.

The main religious building of the city is the Church of St. Susanna, which survived many destructions and subsequent restorations. Only the Renaissance portal and the bell tower have been preserved in their authentic 16th-century form. The interior design of the church is quite modest, but it contains medieval wooden sculptures of the 14th-15th centuries.

Outside the city there is an ancient cemetery with a chapel of St. Mary Magdalene. When the main church was closed during the French Revolution, the parish temporarily moved to this chapel.

In addition to the Castle of Sainte-Suzanne, many stone mansions and mills of the 17th century have been preserved in the city. One of these houses houses a local historical museum, where the rarest medieval ammunition of the 15th century is displayed.

entrance to the museum

Three kilometers north of the settlement there is a Neolithic monument - the burial mound of the Dolmen des Herves, whose age reaches 6,000 years.

Vitrified part of the wall of the castle of Sainte-Suzanne. Vitrified forts are defensive structures whose stone walls are vitrified, that is, partially melted, and the voids between them are filled with glassy slag.

Fontenoy-le-Château

The fate of Fontenoy Castle is sad. At present, Fontenoy-le-Chateau is almost completely destroyed. Its ruins are located in the Vosges region in northeastern France. The main function of the castle has always been defense, which it carried out from the 11th century until its partial destruction in 1635, during the Thirty Years' War.

In the 11th century, the Abbey of Toul, which owned this land, laid the foundation of a tower to protect its territory and the Coney River valley. It was one of the first fortresses in the south of the Vosges, along with Epinal and Remiremont.

The castle was located on a rocky outcrop of sandstone at the confluence of the Coney and Chatelain rivers, it was protected by natural steepness on three of its sides, and water from nearby rivers made it possible to flood it in case of danger. The main entrance was protected by a dry ditch, traces of which are still visible; thorn bushes also complicated the approach to the castle. The lower terrace was invulnerable and protected warehouses and barns. Twice in its history the castle was seriously rebuilt for the purpose of strengthening.

In 1360, the castle became owned by the powerful Noufchatel family after the marriage of Thibault VI to Marguerite de Chalon, Madame de Fontenoy. The castle was increased in size and was supposed to serve for the defense of the neighboring Duchy of Lorraine.

In the second half of the 16th century, the castle was adapted for artillery.

In 1596, as evidenced by the foundation stone of the castle, Diane de Dumpmarte and her husband Charles Philippe de Croix further strengthened the castle's defenses, making Fontenoy a safe and practically the only place for trade between North and South.

The castle began to undergo the most significant destruction during the 17th century, when it was literally dismantled into stones in order to build houses. It was still somewhat preserved until French Revolution, but since 1750, due to the intensive construction of the village of Fontenoy, the ramparts were dismantled and their stones were used for construction.

In 1784, Marc Antoine de Voye described the castle as follows:

"The walls of the fortress, its gates, some towers were destroyed... and everything that can be seen on the slabs of the castle: J"aime qui m"aime. vive Crouy (I love those who love me. Long live de Crouy)"

The remains of the castle began to be considered a national treasure. The stone cladding has almost completely disappeared, sections of the walls from which the stones were removed have collapsed, and the terraces have been leveled over time. In the 19th century, stones were still used to build the town hall. Finally, to prevent the danger of the collapse of the remaining walls, some of them were even blown up.

In 1930, Mr. Louis Olivier wrote that "no one even tried to preserve the ruins."

Almost a thousand years later, even reduced to ruins, the castle still looks impressive. The local association for the support of Fontenoy Castle, founded in 1978, began an operation to save the castle's keep. The goal of this project is to restore the buildings on the castle grounds in order to stop its deterioration and stop the removal of the stones from the walls. The first stone for the new cladding was laid on July 5, 2008.

Chateau de Foix

Foix Castle is a French castle of the Counts of Foix, famous in the Middle Ages, towering over the city of Foix in the Pyrenees. Important tourist site.

The history of the castle begins in 987. In 1002, the castle appears in the will of Roger the First, Count of Carcassonne, who left the fortress to his youngest son Bernard. Since 1034, the castle has become the administrative center of the county of Foix and plays a significant role in military history Middle Ages.

The city of Foix is ​​known throughout the Ariège as the capital of the Cathar movement. For the next two centuries, the castle was the residence of the counts who became the leaders of the Occitan resistance during the Albigensian Crusade.

Besieged many times, the castle was taken only once in its history, in 1486, due to treason (during a war between two branches of the Foix family). Beginning in 1479, the Counts of Foix became kings of Navarre, and the last of them, Henry IV, became king of France in August 1589 (crowned in February 1594 in Chartres).

He annexed the Pyrenees lands to France. The castle has been the residence of the governor of the Foix region since the 15th century and continued to defend the borders of the region, including during the religious wars. Before the Revolution, a garrison was based in the castle. The governors were Count Treville, known from The Three Musketeers, and Marshal Segur, minister under Louis XVI.

Since 1930, the castle has housed the museum of the Ariège department. The sections on prehistoric, Gallo-Roman and medieval archeology tell the history of Ariège since ancient times.

France is rich in historical monuments, and perhaps the most significant of them are castles. During the Middle Ages, a huge number of castles were built in France. Kings, knights, courtiers and courtiers lived in them. All castles by architectural style and appearance completely different.

It is hardly possible to find a pair of twins. Many masterpieces of history have survived to this day. Now these are magnificent museums, architectural monuments, sights of the country, for the sake of visiting which a whole army tourists all year round comes to France.

Angers Castle

Initially it was a small settlement. Angers Castle accommodates a mixture of historical events and architectural styles. It is through the history of this castle that one can examine the entire rich history of the emergence of the French state. England and France repeatedly fought over the possession of this castle.

Versailles is one of the most famous, majestic and beautiful castles in France. It was built during the reign of King Louis XIII and was a simple hunting lodge. But it was soon expanded, and the Royal Family moved in to live there. For many years, Versailles was the residence of kings.

Versailles is beautiful both inside and out

It was hardly possible to find anything more worthy for the residence of kings. Versailles is beautiful both inside and out. Everyone dreams of walking around the castle, but an even greater desire is to stroll through the huge, magnificent English gardens of the palace. Such a beautiful geometric idyll of flowers, trees and paths is rarely seen anywhere. It's almost unique.

Vincennes Castle

The greatest royal fortress, which is located in the suburbs of Paris near the Ile de la Cité.

Vincennes Castle has survived to this day in its original form.

Unlike many castles in France, which were usually built on a hilltop or cliff, this castle was built on a plain. Special fortress ditches were dug and filled with water from a small stream. In the Middle Ages, the castle was surrounded by a forest in which there were many wild animals. It was not without reason that the favorite pastime of kings was hunting.

Troussay Castle

Not far from Blois, in the Loire Valley there is a small medieval Castle of Trousset. Initially it was a fortress, which was built back in 1450. The oldest parts of the castle were built in the 16th century during the reign of Francis I.

In those days, the castle belonged to Robber de Bugis, the head of the royal stables and the king’s squire. It was the domain of the de Bugy family until 1732, but then the castle was bought by the Peluys family, a family of lawyers. But they were also short-lived masters. The castle passed from one owner to another until it was bought by the family of the scientist and historian Louis de la Saucay.

Away from the bustle of the city lies the majestic Chateau de Chambord. This is a very beautiful castle with magnificent architecture, it delights with its sophistication, elegance, and splendor. The Chateau de Chambord is rightly called a masterpiece of the Renaissance.

The Chateau de Chambord is rightly called a masterpiece of the Renaissance.

Its size and grandeur will not leave anyone indifferent. It was not without reason that King Francis I constantly thought about how to make Chambord Castle special. He even wanted to change the course of the river so that the castle would outshine the others with its splendor.

Castle of Ussé

On the banks of the Indre, in the Laura valley, there is a small medieval castle of Usse. The first owner, who initially built a wooden fortress in the 9th century, was Gelduin de Saumur. And his son, Gelduin II, laid the first stone of the castle in 1040, which has survived to this day. It was he who was described in his fairy tale “The Sleeping Beauty” by Charles Perot.

This castle is truly beautiful. Beautiful nature, gloomy Chinon forest, deep rivers. The castle itself was built in dark colors, but its white towers could be seen from afar. The castle is full of architectural delights of that time. Back in 1861, the castle of Ussé was recognized historical monument France.

Perhaps the most majestic building located in the central part of the Loire Valley is the Chenonceau Castle. This castle was built on the basis of a military fortress, which was surrounded by deep water ditches.

Chenonceau Castle was built on the basis of a military fortress

And only with the help of a drawbridge could one get into the fortress. The castle was built during the Renaissance, which is reflected in the architecture of the building. Everything is gorgeous both outside and inside. And this speaks of refined and exquisite taste his owners.

Chateau d'If

Built in the 16th century, the Château d'If has actually survived to this day. The castle was built in the Mediterranean Sea on the island of the Friulian archipelago. Initially, its goal was to prevent any enemy attacks on Marseille from the sea. But the castle has a happy fate, because during the entire period of its existence it never repelled a siege. That is why the original appearance of the castle has been preserved to this day.

This is perhaps the most favorite castle among tourists. After all, there is not a single person who does not know the story about the Count of Monte Cristo, which was told by Alexandre Dumas. Many people want to personally plunge into the world of Edmond Dantes, to see with their own eyes the cell where their favorite hero suffered for several decades.

The Chateau d'If was a prison for many aristocrats. Many sat in it and waited for their sentence, which was then carried out in the square in the center of the castle. To this day, the castle smells of death.

Royal Castle of Amboise

The Royal Castle of Amboise is considered to be the most famous castle in the world. This is the first architectural creation in the Loire Valley. The castle was built in the Renaissance style, but it can also be classified as a Gothic building. These two styles of architecture are very closely intertwined in the external design of the castle.

Royal Castle of Amboise in Renaissance style

The Royal Castle was built in the 11th century. It gained fame from the many royal families that lived here. Here is the tomb of the great artist Leonardo da Vinci. The Royal Castle of Amboise is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chinon Castle

In ancient times, Chinon Castle was a fortification system for three different castles. It was during the reign of Charles VII that the fortress flourished. Having begun reforms in the reorganization of France, announcing the abolition of the feudal order, the king moved to live in Chinon Castle.

A significant meeting between the papal legate Alexander VI and King Louis XII also took place within the walls of this castle. At this meeting, the king received permission from the church to dissolve his marriage to Jeanne Valois. This allowed the king to soon marry the widowed Anne of Brittany, thus becoming king for Brittany as well.

Over the years, Chinon Castle has lost its military significance and turned into a prison.

Castle of Clos Lucé

An equally famous castle in the Laura Valley is the Castle of Clos Lucé. The great Leonardo da Vinci brought fame to this castle. It was here that the famous Italian found refuge towards the end of his life.

The beautiful castle of Clos Lucé, built of pink and white brick, was located near the Royal Castle of Amboise. The first house built of colored bricks appeared here during the reign of Louis XI. Currently, these two neighboring castles can easily compete in beauty.

Castle Sumor is the largest and no less famous castle located in the Loire Valley. The castle itself was built in the shape of an irregular quadrangle. Round white towers were erected in each corner, two of which have retained their original appearance to this day. Even the masonry, made in the 13th century, has been preserved.

Chateau de Saumur is a famous castle located in the Loire Valley

The remaining towers were restored. The eastern tower is decorated with coats of arms that belonged to the Angevin family. Originally it was a fortress. But the Duke of Anjou reconstructed it for the royal court. During the reign of Louis XIV, the castle served as a prison.

During Napoleon's military operations, the castle was converted to store weapons and ammunition. Having gone through a difficult life path, Sumor Castle was partially destroyed. Currently, the restored castle will soon begin to welcome tourists and lovers of historical attractions.

Of course, this is far from full list famous castles of France. There are more than a thousand of them and you can talk about them for a long time. After all, the history of each castle is unique and interesting. These castles have lived interesting life, which our contemporaries are trying to look into.

Video review of castles in France

The abundance of magnificent architectural and historical monuments located in the Loire River valley in France determined the inclusion of the Loire Valley from Sully-sur-Loire to Chalon-sur-Loire in the List world heritage UNESCO.

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The most beautiful castles in France

Beautiful architecture france and fascinates with its magnificence and unsurpassedness. It leaves an indelible mark on the soul of everyone who visits these attractions. Although in English the word Chateau is translated as castle, in French- this most often means a palace or estate.

Most visited castles of France, including those in the Loire Valley, built in architectural style Renaissance. In fact, there are thousands of castles, but we decided to present you only the most unique and unrivaled ones, which millions of tourists from all over the world want to visit. It is in order to plunge into the era of kings, lords, beautiful ladies and rich nobles and take with you indelible impressions of luxury and comfort, it is worth including palaces and castles in your route.

Castle de Chantilly

Castle de Chantilly- one of the most aristocratic residences of the old world era. It is located 40 km from Paris in the commune of Chantilly, in the valley of the Nonet River, a tributary of the Oise River. He is a shining example transition from a fortified citadel to a beautiful palace. The residence is located on a huge rock, surrounded on all sides by water. Built in 1560, Chantilly is large number luxurious rooms, an art gallery, magnificent gardens and impressive stables.

Be sure to visit the Condé Museum - this is one of the best galleries in France. A walk through the pavilions takes visitors through charming gardens with fountains and sculptures. Chantilly Racecourse was used as a filming location in the James Bond film A View to a Kill. Chantilly will also be of interest to gourmets, since the local whipped cream is famous throughout France.

Castle de Chantilly

On southeast on the outskirts of the Compiègne Forest between the cities of Compiègne and Ville-Cotterets is a fabulous Chateau de Pierrefonds. It is perched on a hill overlooking the picturesque village. The castle is rectangular in plan, its dimensions are 103 m by 88 m, the thickness of the external walls reaches 5 - 6 meters. It contains a monument to Louis of Orleans. There is a coat of arms hall and a hall of knightly ladies. Visitors appreciate all the splendor of the castle, as well as the underground crypt, which contains the remains of several French kings.

The castle served film set for such films as: Aliens, The Messenger, the story of Joan of Arc and the Man in the Iron Mask, as well as the TV series Wizards of Waverly Place and Merlin.

Chateau de Chaumont

Chateau de Chaumont located between the cities of Amboise and Blois in the Loire Valley. He can boast of his rich history nothing less than its wonderful appearance.

The castle was first rebuilt in 1465 on the ruins of a 10th-century fortress. But it was soon destroyed after King Louis XI learned that its owner, Pierre Aboise, was involved in a conspiracy against the king. After the castle was restored, several decades later, the wife of King Henry II, Catherine de Medici, acquired the palace. Been there often famous people, such as the astrologer Nostradamus. After this, the castle changed a very large number of owners. Today, visitors can tour the castle to see its exquisite interior, gardens, luxurious stables and picturesque views of the Loire River.

Chateau de Chaumont

Chambord Castle

Chambord Castle one of the easily recognizable castles of the Loire. It is one of the finest examples of French Renaissance architecture. The name of the architect is unknown, but research proves the participation in the construction of Leonardo da Vinci, who was at that time an architect at the court of King Francis I.

The castle was built in the 16th century as a hunting refuge for the king. The castle has 400 beautiful rooms and 300 fireplaces. Chateau Chambord has many striking features, such as a double spiral staircase and intricate roofs with chimneys, domes, gables and towers that resemble a city. There is a wonderful reserve there, which is a haven for wild boar and deer.

Chambord Castle

Castle of Versailles

The most famous - Versailles castle, very often it is called Palace of Versailles, This building looks so luxurious, both outside and inside. This particular castle is distinguished by its unique integrity of design and harmony of architectural forms, with a beautifully designed landscape. Versailles is the former residence of the French kings.

The palace is very functional. It contains fabulously beautiful halls and corridors lined with 17 mirrored arches. In the queen's bedroom you can see the secret door through which Marie Antoinette escaped during her march on Versailles. Be sure to walk between the 250 arches of the palace gardens, which are designed in geometric patterns of trees, flowers and paths. You will not remain indifferent to this miracle!

The castle was built in 1624 as a hunting lodge for King Louis XIII and then expanded to serve as a French residence. royal family. It became a kind of monument to the era of the “Sun King”, an artistic and cultural expression of the idea of ​​absolutism. The Castle of Versailles attracts more than 3 million visitors a year.