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Château de Chenonceau
The Château de Chenonceau rises over the Cher, in Touraine, in the commune of Chenonceaux. The present building was built from 1513 to 1521 for Thomas Bohier, and it was his wife Katherine Briçonnet who directed the work during her husband's absences. It is called the "Ladies' Castle" because several women marked its history: Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de' Medici, Louise of Lorraine and Louise Dupin.
From 1576, Catherine de' Medici had Jean Bullant build two superimposed galleries on the bridge built by Diane, which gives the castle its profile above the river. In the eighteenth century, Louise Dupin held a salon there frequented by Voltaire, Montesquieu and Buffon, and Rousseau was her secretary.
The Menier family, of chocolate fame, bought the estate in 1913 and still own it. The castle has remained a private property open to visitors. It is a listed historic monument, and part of the Loire Valley inscribed by UNESCO in 2017. Hours and prices should be checked on the official website, as they vary with the season.
