 Standing on the River Cher, the Château de Chenonceau is probably the most celebrated château of the many that are situated in the Loire Valley.
Used as a working mill in the early Middle Ages, the château, which was built by Thomas Bohier in 1513, spans the whole width of the river, seeming to float on water. Often referred to as the Château de Femmes and owned by a succession of powerful noblewomen – including Henri II’s mistress Diane de Poitiers, the Queen Regent Catherine de Medici and her daughter-in-law Louise de Lorraine – its developing style and décor benefited from their grace and charm. |
