Chateau de Chambord
Chateau de Chambord is likely the best example of architecture of the French Renaissance. This chateau, the largest in the Loire Valley, was built for King Francis I to serve as a hunting lodge and so that he could be closer to his mistress.
The chateau consists of a massive keep in the center with four enormous towers at the corners. Chateau de Chambord has 365 fireplaces, 84 staircases, and 440 rooms. The environs of the castle consist of a 13,000 acre wooded park. This is a great place to stop for those visiting Loire valley castles as it is perhaps the best example of a Loire valley chateau.
