The Château de Chambord is François I’s Renaissance palace in a vast walled forest east of Blois, the largest and most extravagant of the Loire châteaux, famous for its double-helix staircase and its rooftop of towers and chimneys. In 2026, on a trial basis, a ticket for the château and French gardens costs €21 for nationals and residents of the European Economic Area (EEA) and €31 for other visitors, and under-18s go free. As of October 2026 it opens 9:00–18:00 until 25 October and 9:00–17:00 from 26 October to 18 December. Book online, bring proof of residence for the EEA rate, and allow half a day with the park.
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Tickets and tours for Château de Chambord
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Why Chambord matters
François I, a lover of the arts and a passionate hunter, began Chambord in 1519, the year Leonardo da Vinci died at nearby Amboise. The Domaine national de Chambord, the public body that runs the estate, describes its double-helix staircase as inspired by Leonardo: two spiral flights wind around a hollow core, so one person can climb while another comes down, glimpsing each other without ever meeting. Construction was only finished under Louis XIV.
Later guests included the exiled Polish king Stanislas Leszczynski (1725–1733) and Marshal Maurice de Saxe, given Chambord as a reward after his victory at Fontenoy in 1745. The Count of Chambord inherited it in 1821, and the French state bought it in 1930. Chambord was on France’s first list of historic monuments in 1840 and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1981, today as part of the Loire Valley site. Its 5,440-hectare estate is a nature reserve where deer and wild boar roam.
What you’ll see
- The double-helix staircase: the heart of the keep, lit from the lantern tower above. Try it with a friend on the other flight.
- The keep’s floors: rooms laid out in a Greek cross around the staircase, with furnished royal apartments and the château’s collections. In 2026 the estate announced that one of its paintings, long thought to be a 19th-century copy, is an original from Botticelli’s studio.
- The terraces: a forest of carved chimneys, turrets and dormers on the roof, with views over the gardens and the forest.
- The French formal gardens: included in the ticket, laid out at the foot of the keep.
- The park: more than 25 km of bike paths, a horse show (until 1 November in 2026) and, from 28 November, Christmas at Chambord.
The HistoPad tablet guide brings the rooms back to life in the Renaissance, and there are guided tours in English.
Tickets and how to visit
Prices and hours from the official Chambord website, as of October 2026:
- Standard ticket (château and French gardens): €21 for EEA nationals and residents, with proof; €31 for other visitors. Reduced rates are €18.50 and €28.50. These trial prices apply until 31 December 2026; the 2027 prices had not been published.
- Free: under-18s, EU citizens under 26 (and long-term residents aged 18–25), and visitors with a disability plus one companion.
- Train discount: €18.50 instead of €21 if you show a train ticket for the same day; the “Rémi Pack” combines train, shuttle and a reduced entry.
- Hours: 9:00–18:00 from 28 March to 25 October and from 19 December 2026 to 2 January 2027; 9:00–17:00 from 26 October to 18 December. Closed 1 January and 25 December. Some Mondays in winter are closed, so check the calendar.
- Booking: buy e-tickets on chambord.org; in July and August they save a long wait.
- Bags: after the security check, bags larger than 55 × 35 × 20 cm, baby carriers, helmets and hiking poles go in the free lockers. Power banks are not allowed in the château or the lockers.
- Dogs: on a lead in the park only, not in the château, gardens or stables (assistance dogs excepted).
- Parking: €8 a day for cars; bikes park free.
How long to allow and when to go
Two to three hours covers the château, the roof terraces and the gardens; add the horse show or a bike ride in the park and it fills a day. Be there at 9:00 in summer, before the tour buses. In autumn the forest turns gold, and from early November, once the horse show season ends, the château is much quieter.
Accessibility
A ramp leads to the ground floor of the keep. The reception, ticket office, ground-floor rooms, café, shop and French gardens are accessible, with adapted toilets and free reserved parking. Wheelchairs and seat sticks can be borrowed at the ticket office, subject to availability, and electric carts can be hired for the grounds (not in the formal gardens). The HistoPad has versions for visitors with reduced mobility, in sign language and with audio description. The upper floors and terraces are reached by the historic staircases, so ask at reception what is possible on the day. Visitors with a disability and one companion enter free.
Getting there
Chambord is less than two hours from Paris by car (A10, A85 or A71) and 25 minutes from Blois. Without a car, take the train to Blois-Chambord station (the estate quotes about 80 minutes from Paris), then the Rémi line 2 shuttle to Chambord, €3.30 single or €6.60 return as of October 2026, bought from the driver. Check the timetable on the Rémi Centre-Val de Loire site before you go. Cyclists can ride in on the Loire à Vélo network; the shuttle carries up to six bikes.
Combine it with
Pair Chambord with the royal town of Blois the same day, then head south-west to the Château de Chenonceau (about 47 km as the crow flies) for its gallery over the Cher. Ride the park’s trails or the Loire à Vélo with our cycling guide, and taste Cheverny or Vouvray wines with our wine tasting guide. For bases, trains and a three-day plan, see our Loire Valley travel guide.
Château de Chambord FAQ
How much does Chambord cost in 2026?
€21 for EEA nationals and residents with proof, €31 for other visitors, and €18.50 or €28.50 at the reduced rate. Under-18s go free. These trial prices run until 31 December 2026.
Why does Chambord have two prices?
Since 14 January 2026 the estate has been testing a lower rate for nationals and residents of the European Economic Area. Bring an ID card, passport or proof of residence to get it.
Did Leonardo da Vinci design the Chambord staircase?
No document proves it, but the estate describes the double-helix staircase as inspired by Leonardo, who lived at Amboise until his death in 1519, the year work began.
How do I get to Chambord without a car?
Take the train to Blois, then the Rémi line 2 shuttle (€3.30 single). Show your same-day train ticket for €18.50 entry instead of €21.
How long do you need at Chambord?
Two to three hours for the château, terraces and gardens; a full day with the horse show and a bike ride in the park.
Can I bring a bag or a power bank into Chambord?
Small bags yes; anything over 55 × 35 × 20 cm goes in the free lockers. Power banks are not allowed inside or in the lockers, so leave them in the car or at your hotel.