Château de Chenonceau
Chenonceau spans the River Cher on arches, the most photographed silhouette in the Loire and, after Versailles, the most visited château in France. It is called the Château des Dames: Diane de Poitiers built the bridge, Catherine de’ Medici took the château from her and added the gallery on top of it, and a succession of women shaped everything since.
The short version
- Chenonceau spans the Cher on five arches and is, after Versailles, the most visited château in France.
- Our Loire Valley Day Tour starts the day here, then lunch at Château de Villesavin and Chambord in the afternoon. Our Wine & Castle Tour adds a sommelier tasting at Caves Ambacia between the two.
- Admission is €19, or €24 with the audioguide; children 7 to 18 pay €15 and under-7s enter free.
- The château opens every day of the year, 9:00 to 19:00 from July 4 to August 23 and 9:30 to 16:30 in midwinter.
- Chenonceaux station is a short walk from the gate on the Tours–Vierzon line, with few trains a day. By car it is 35 km from Tours.
The Gallery Over the River
The two-story gallery on the arches served as a hospital ward for more than 2,000 wounded soldiers in the First World War. In the Second, the Cher below marked the demarcation line, and the château’s position astride it made the gallery a discreet crossing between occupied and free France.
Visiting in 2026
Chenonceau opens every day of the year, with seasonal hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in midsummer down to 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in winter. The 2026 adult ticket is 19€ with the guide leaflet or 24€ with audioguide; children 7 to 18 pay 15€, and under-7s enter free. The gardens of Diane and Catherine flank the entrance court, and the kitchens built into the bridge piers are the surprise of the visit. Allow two hours. The LinkParis.com Loire Valley day tour from Paris starts the day here, with admission included, before lunch at Château de Villesavin and Chambord.
Chenonceau pairs with Chambord as the classic Loire day; our top ten castles page covers the rest of the valley.
Planning the day
Chenonceau is the one château that works as a half-day by train from Tours: the Chenonceaux station sits a few hundred meters from the gate, but the Tours–Vierzon line runs only a handful of trains a day, so check both directions before you leave. By car it is 35 km, and Amboise, 15 km north, is the natural second stop, with Chambord about an hour further east.
The holiday weekends of spring, Easter, May 1, May 8, Ascension and Pentecost, keep the summer hours of 9:00 to 19:00. The audioguide adds €5 to the ticket; the free leaflet covers the rooms well enough for most visitors.
Both of our Loire day trips from Paris start the day here: the Loire Valley Day Tour goes on to lunch at Château de Villesavin and Chambord, and the Wine and Castle Tour to Caves Ambacia and Chambord.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Chenonceau in 2026?
19€ for adults with the guide leaflet, 24€ with audioguide; children 7 to 18 pay 15€ and under-7s enter free. The château opens every day of the year.
Why is Chenonceau called the ladies’ château?
Because women built and ruled it: Katherine Briçonnet oversaw the original construction, Diane de Poitiers added the bridge, Catherine de’ Medici the gallery, and Louise Dupin’s salons later saved it in the Revolution.
What happened at Chenonceau during the wars?
The gallery served as a military hospital in the First World War, treating over 2,000 wounded, and in the Second the Cher beneath it marked the line between occupied and free France.
