Windows and balconies of Chateau de Chambord.

At Château de Chambord, the windows are part of an extraordinary architectural composition. Set among steep slate roofs, elaborate chimneys, turrets and sculpted stonework, they appear at different heights and in a variety of frames and surrounds. This close view of the upper château reveals just how much attention was given to the roofline, where even the practical business of lighting the rooms becomes part of the decoration.

François I commissioned Chambord in 1519, but this enormous château was never intended to be a conventional family home. Designed to make a statement about royal power and Renaissance ambition, it contains 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces and 84 staircases. With so many windows, you might imagine that choosing one with a view was never a problem!

“Through every window,the Loire Valley breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

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