Visiting Château de Chambord, the largest of the Loire châteaux, requires no mandatory booking: the château + gardens ticket costs €21 at the full rate for visitors from the European Economic Area (€31 for everyone else, which includes US and UK visitors), and it is free for EU residents under 26. The château is open every day except January 1 and December 25, from 9 am to 5 pm or 6 pm depending on the period. About 15 km (9 mi) away, the Royal Château de Blois lets you follow Francis I to the town where he had his famous staircase built.
This guide uses the official information from chambord.org recorded on October 15, 2026, calculates the distances to the other châteaux for a combined trip, and matches the season with the Météo-France normals from our Loire Valley guide.
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Key facts: Château de Chambord
- Hours: 9 am – 6 pm from March 28 to October 25, 2026; 9 am – 5 pm from October 26 to December 18; last entry 30 min before closing
- Full price: €21 château + gardens (€31 outside the EEA); reduced €18.50 (€28.50 outside the EEA); 2026 prices valid until December 31, 2026
- Booking: not mandatory; online ticket office available
- Closed: January 1 and December 25; the park and grounds are free to enter all year
- Time needed: not published by the estate; allow half a day for château + gardens (our estimate)
- Information checked on 15 October 2026 on chambord.org (official website). Prices and hours may change: check before you go.
Chambord tickets: official or resellers?
The estate sells its admission tickets, tours and activities on its online ticket office, accessible from chambord.org, and on site. The official website does not mention any advantage in going through a reseller: buy at the official price, and beware of offers that add fees without any extra service.
| Château + gardens ticket (2026) | EEA visitors | Non-EEA visitors (incl. US and UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Full price | €21 | €31 |
| Reduced rate (proof required) | €18.50 | €28.50 |
| EU residents under 26 | Free | — |
Official tip if you come by train: on presentation of a train ticket dated the same day, the admission ticket is €18.50 instead of €21. A single ticket also combines train, the « Châteaux » shuttle and admission at the reduced rate (see the estate’s How to get here page).
Opening hours and closing days
| Period (2026) | Château hours |
|---|---|
| January 4 – March 27 | 9 am – 5 pm |
| March 28 – October 25 | 9 am – 6 pm |
| October 26 – December 18 | 9 am – 5 pm |
| December 19 – January 2, 2027 | 9 am – 6 pm (9 am – 4 pm on December 24 and 31) |
Best time to visit Chambord
The estate publishes no attendance figures. The long hours (until 6 pm) run from late March to late October. For the weather, we use the Tours normals (Météo-France), the reference station for our Loire Valley page, and the sunset time calculated at Chambord, useful for enjoying the terraces and the park late in the day.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Average max (Tours) | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:37 am | 5:29 pm | 8 h 52 min | 7.7 °C (46 °F) | 11.0 |
| February | 7:59 am | 6:16 pm | 10 h 17 min | 9.0 °C (48 °F) | 9.8 |
| March | 7:06 am | 6:58 pm | 11 h 52 min | 12.9 °C (55 °F) | 9.3 |
| April | 7:04 am | 8:43 pm | 13 h 38 min | 16.0 °C (61 °F) | 8.9 |
| May | 6:16 am | 9:24 pm | 15 h 08 min | 19.6 °C (67 °F) | 9.0 |
| June | 5:55 am | 9:53 pm | 15 h 58 min | 23.4 °C (74 °F) | 7.6 |
| July | 6:11 am | 9:47 pm | 15 h 36 min | 25.9 °C (79 °F) | 6.7 |
| August | 6:49 am | 9:06 pm | 14 h 17 min | 26.0 °C (79 °F) | 6.6 |
| September | 7:31 am | 8:06 pm | 12 h 35 min | 22.1 °C (72 °F) | 7.5 |
| October | 8:12 am | 7:06 pm | 10 h 54 min | 17.0 °C (63 °F) | 9.8 |
| November | 7:59 am | 5:17 pm | 9 h 19 min | 11.4 °C (53 °F) | 11.4 |
| December | 8:35 am | 5:02 pm | 8 h 27 min | 8.1 °C (47 °F) | 11.5 |
May, June and September combine long days, highs of 19 to 23 °C (66 to 74 °F) and fewer rainy days than in winter. In November–December the château closes at 5 pm and the sun sets earlier: come in the morning.
What to see and combining Loire châteaux
- The double-helix staircase, at the center of the keep: two flights that cross without meeting;
- The apartments on the different floors;
- The terraces, with the chimneys and lanterns, and the view over the park;
- The French-style gardens (included in the ticket);
- The park of 5,500 hectares (13,591 acres), free to enter (marked cycling routes).
Landmarks: construction of Chambord began in the 16th century under Francis I. The estate, a UNESCO World Heritage site with the Loire Valley, is surrounded by an enclosed park of 5,500 hectares (13,591 acres), largely a wildlife reserve, which you can explore on foot or by bike on marked routes (15 loops of 10 to 43 km, or 6 to 27 mi, according to the estate). Bring walking shoes if you plan to extend your château visit into the park.
Combining Chambord with other châteaux: we calculated the straight-line distances from Chambord. Road distances are longer; use them to compare.
| From Chambord to | Straight-line distance |
|---|---|
| Blois | 14 km (9 mi) |
| Cheverny | 14 km (9 mi) |
| Chaumont-sur-Loire | 29 km (18 mi) |
| Amboise | 46 km (29 mi) |
| Chenonceau | 47 km (29 mi) |
| Tours | 67 km (42 mi) |
| Villandry | 81 km (50 mi) |
A realistic day: Chambord in the morning, Cheverny or Blois in the afternoon. Details of the other châteaux are in our Loire Valley guide. The château on the Cher combines better with Amboise: see our page on Château de Chenonceau.
Getting to Chambord
- Car: less than 2 hours south of Paris and 15 km (9 mi) from Blois according to the estate; A10 motorway, Mer exit (no. 16) or Blois exit (no. 17). Parking lots open 24 hours a day, no booking;
- Train + coach: Blois-Chambord station, then the Rémi 41 shuttle (line 2); a combined train + « Châteaux » shuttle + admission ticket exists;
- Bike: Chambord is linked to the Loire à Vélo route by the Châteaux à vélo network.
Accessibility
The estate lends cane seats and wheelchairs (reception hall and château entrance, subject to availability), and the P0 parking lot has reserved spaces. It warns that, because of the architecture, some passages are narrow and tricky in a wheelchair. Disabled parking spaces are free with proof.
Activities, dining and visiting with a dog
Beyond the self-guided visit, the estate offers several activities, detailed and bookable on chambord.org: guided tours (from the one-hour « Essential » tour to the three-hour in-depth tour, with access to areas normally closed), a visit with the HistoPad (digital tablet), riddle booklets for children, rental of electric buggies and rowing boats, and the equestrian show « Chambord, l’histoire à cheval », narrated by Jean Dujardin, with ten horses and eight riders. The kitchen gardens can also be visited in season.
- Where to eat: several places to eat on the estate, including Autour du puits, the Café d’Orléans, the Pavillon des Jardins and the addresses on the village square; the Loir-et-Cher tourist office also mentions free-access picnic areas in the forest;
- With a dog: according to the Loir-et-Cher tourist office, animals are not allowed in the château (except guide dogs) but dogs on a leash are accepted in the gardens and outdoor areas;
- Current exhibitions: « Les festins de Chambord » from September 26, 2026 to January 24, 2027, and « Calder au cœur de la France » (two monumental stabiles in the French-style gardens) from October 15, 2026 to August 29, 2027, according to chambord.org.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Arriving less than 30 minutes before closing: last entry is set 30 min before;
- Forgetting proof for the reduced rate: it is mandatory;
- Not keeping your train ticket: it entitles you to the €18.50 rate on the same day;
- Scheduling too many châteaux in one day: beyond two, the visit becomes rushed.
What to see nearby
Blois, Cheverny and Chaumont-sur-Loire are the neighboring stops; everything is presented in our guide to visiting the Loire châteaux. Another great château can be visited in a day trip from the capital: the Palace of Versailles. For entry requirements, see entry requirements for France.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Château de Chambord?
On 15 October 2026, €21 at the full rate for château + gardens for EEA visitors, €31 for others (including US and UK visitors); €18.50 at the reduced rate, according to chambord.org.
Do you need to book to visit Chambord?
No, booking is not mandatory; the online ticket office lets you book tickets, tours and activities.
What are the opening hours of Château de Chambord?
In 2026: 9 am – 6 pm from March 28 to October 25, 9 am – 5 pm from October 26 to December 18; last entry 30 minutes before closing.
Is Chambord free?
The ticket is free for EU residents under 26; the park and the grounds around the château are free to enter all year.
How do you get to Chambord without a car?
By train to Blois-Chambord, then the Rémi 41 shuttle (line 2), or with the combined train + « Châteaux » shuttle ticket.
Can you visit Chambord with a dog?
Not inside the château, except guide dogs. Dogs on a leash are allowed in the gardens and outdoor areas, according to the Loir-et-Cher tourist office (val-de-loire-41.com).
Our sources
- chambord.org: Hours and prices, How to get here, Visitors with disabilities — consulted on 15 October 2026
- Météo-France, Tours climate sheet, 1991–2020 statistics (normals taken from our Loire Valley page)
- Calculations: sun (NOAA algorithm) and distances (haversine), Destination de Voyage
- chambord.org, home page (activities, equestrian show, dining, exhibitions) – consulted on 16 October 2026; val-de-loire-41.com (Loir-et-Cher tourism development agency), Chambord visitor guide – consulted on 16 October 2026
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.