Chateau de Chaumont-Sur-Loire

the chateau series: chaumont

Posted on July 9, 2015

Second last chateau for the series:

Chateau de Chaumont-Sur-Loire

So what can we say about this chateau? The gardens are magnificent and large enough to host rather extravagant floral shows, one of which we were able to witness while we were there. It was a mixture of some modern art and some clever landscaping. “Different” is probably how we would describe it.

The chateau itself is grand and the architecture is as memorable as the others we have shared. Standing outside prior to entering and all we see is this dreamily romantic and fairy tale-like castle from the outside.

This chateau has a soap opera story to go with.

Queen Catherine de Medici bought the chateau in 1550.

Legend tells that due to her superstitions and “predictions” of a possible dynasty downfall from her astrologers; Nostradamus and Cosimo Ruggieri, she wanted to exchange homes with Diane de Poitiers, her husband’s former mistress who lived in Chateau de Chenonceau*, a slightly more modest home.

In 1562, Diane de Poitiers took possession of Chaumont. And the chateau owes its current appearance to her.

She also had her initials and emblems added into the designs around the place. (Look above the fireplace in the picture below – the Greek letter delta and the three circles).

All the historical apartments adorned with the period furnishings and furniture. Although similar style to the other chateaux we visited, there was something slightly more warming and welcoming about this one. Quite possible that it was actually someone’s home, so lived in and therefore decorated with a little more care.

But what we found most interesting about this chateau were the horse stables, apparently one of the best preserved horse stables of the 19th Century. It really was such a fascinating time in history.