Where to stay?

Chambord - set in the grounds of a charming stone manor house amongst a peaceful woodland setting.

Day 5

Arrive at Chambord and check in. Spend the evening walking amongst the impressive Foret de Boulogne and its numerous paths and routes before returning to the campsite for an evening meal.

Day 6

Only moments from the campsite is the largest château in the Loire and one of the most extravagant buildings you are likely to come across - Château de Chambord. The palace has over 440 rooms, 34km of walls and was so big, that builders had to divert the River Loire to accomplish their feat. Built by the Italian Domenico de Cortona, the plan was to introduce the Italian Renaissance art forms into France. However, as the masons used in its construction were French, the building is essentially French in its design with rounded towers, numerous chimneys and turrets. The details however, are purely Italian, in particular the ornate Great Staircase, often attributed to Da Vinci himself.

The building has its critics though. Through the many different designs, some purists consider the palace as the ugliest building in the Loire! Fortunately, visits to the palace are unguided and you are free to make your own choice. When you are finished with the endless rooms and corridors, the elegance continues outside amonsgt the huge Parc de Chambord - the largest game reserve in Europe. Here you can walk, hire cycles or even horseback ride through the park, keeping an eye out for the large red deer which are the park's most numerous residents.

Day 7

After the huge and impressive Château de Chambord, today takes in some of the regions less visited buildings, but the nonetheless, equally stunning in their design. Starting just a little southwest of the campsite is the perfectly preserved seventeenth century Château de Cheverny where a descendant of the original owner still resides today. Here you can sample life as it was because on Tuesdays and Saturdays, deer hunting expeditions take place and you can see the local aristocrats, all silk ties and cravats, blasting away on their horns. Just a few kilometres down the road is the Château de Fougeres, whose construction leaves you thinking that an attack on its fortification is imminent.

Heading a few more kilometres towards the River Loire you will reach the delightful Château de Chaumont. The château itself is quite picturesque in its setting overlooking the river and even more so inside with its Renaissance style, however, the place most deserving of your time is the Belle Epoque stables with its porcelain troughs. Here, the horses were so well looked after, that the stables had electric lighting installed before the château. However, the perfect way to take it all in, is to hire a horse or pony and trap, available in the château grounds. On your return to the campsite, if you have the energy, stop off at the Château de Beauregard with its delightful white structure set amongst a perfectly aligned park. The portrait gallery is the star turn with over 360 paintings of kings, queens and their associated families and cohorts.

Day 8

For the last day based at Chambord, cross the River Loire into the handsome town of Blois. Although much of the outer suburbs have been modernised, the château itself remains untouched and well worth several hours of your time. The history of this château is much more gory than those in the remainder of the Loire, with murder, poison, intrigue and betrayal. It was here that Henri III murdered the Duc de Guise in a bloody attack within the corridors of the château, quickly followed by the murder of the Cardinal of Lorraine. Only a year later, Henri III was murdered himself by a monk. It was here that, according to Alexander Dumas, the mother of Henri III kept poisons hidden behind skirting boards and some of the 237 narrow carved wooden panels in her room. It was also here that revolutionaries in the nineteenth century were tried for conspiring to murder Napoleon III. These horrors aside, the château is a glorious riot of colour with intracate designs in the floor tiling, painted walls, arches, pillars and fireplaces. Within the château are three small museums and the churchyard and just below is a perfect example of twelfth century church architecture.

Day 9

Check out from Chambord and head a a little west towards your next campsite just to the south of Tours.