Château de Chambord

Chambord does not look like a house; it looks like a city of towers. François I began it in 1519 as a hunting lodge in the forest of Boulogne, and the result is the grandest and strangest of the Loire châteaux: a vast white keep ringed by four round towers, topped with a rooftop of chimneys, turrets and lanterns that the king's masons designed to be seen from far across the park. At its centre is the double-helix staircase, two spirals wound around the same core so that people can climb and descend without meeting, and tradition ties its design to Leonardo da Vinci. Rooms are largely unfurnished apart from displays, but the terrace is the highlight, a walk among the chimneys and the roofs that gives views over the estate. Outside, the park around the château is the largest walled forest park in Europe, with trails, deer and a view of the façade from the water. Chambord sits about an hour from Tours and Amboise, a bit further from the rest of the valley, so it suits a half day on its own or a day trip paired with Cheverny or Blois.

Start with the staircase and the terrace. The double-helix stair is the architectural signature of Chambord, and the roof terrace is where it pays off, a landscape of cones and towers with the forest spread out behind. The rooms on the first floor include the king's apartments and a collection of historical objects, but this is a château of volume and silhouette rather than furniture, so look up as much as you look around.

The grand courtyard and the entrance façade, best photographed from the park, show the way the building was designed to be seen.

The park is half the visit. You can walk or cycle through the forest to the terraces at the edge, hire a boat on the canal in good weather and take the road around the estate by car. The scale of it explains why the château was a hunting lodge: the king and his guests would ride out and return to a banquet. In winter you will often see deer in the clearings, and the colour of the trees in November is spectacular.

The practical points matter more here than at other châteaux. Chambord is in low season from late autumn, with the château generally open from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon through the winter months and some Mondays closed in the quieter months, so check the calendar for your date. The roof is exposed and cold, the forest paths can be muddy, and the nearest food is in the village by the gate, so bring layers and eat before or after. Parking is paid, and the park itself is free to enter.