Innovations at Chenonceau

The design of the chateau-bridge The straight ramp staircase All the rooms of the chateau open onto a central hall (and not aligned one after another)

The ground floor of the Chenonceau chateau is centered around a gallery (1) built over the five-arched bridge that crosses the Cher. Designed as a ballroom, it is approximately 60 meters long.

The floor of this gallery is covered with enameled tiles, and it leads to the larger rooms, such as the bedrooms of Francois I and Louis XIII, who was the last king to come to the chateau, and to the (2) drawing room.

You can also visit Diane de Poitiers' bedroom, with its walls covered with splendid tapestries from Flanders, and the Green room of her rival, Catherine de Medicis.

The kitchens are in the bridge's piers, which made it possible for foodstuffs to be easily delivered by boat.

You reach the 1st floor by an Italian inspired straight ramp staircase, which is one of the most original innovations of the chateau.

The hall, said to be designed by Catherine Briconnet, leads to 4 rooms, including the bedroom of Cesar de Vendome, (3) the legitimate son of Henri IV, and across from this room is the bedroom of Catherine de Medicis, with a print room richly decorated by Italian Renaissance paintings.

The only room that can be visited on the second floor, reconstitutes the sepulchral decoration of Louise de Lorraine's bedroom. (4) After the death of her husband Henri III, she came to live at Chenonceau. She took a room and had its walls and ceiling painted black. Louise de Lorraine, dressed in white, according to the royal protocol of mourning, spent the last 11 years of her life in this room.