Sorry for any possible translation errors. Our translator got lost in the gardens. We told him to stay with us, but he loves plants...
Cheverny in brief
A château open to the public for over a century
The entrance to Château de Cheverny, where the magical tour of the interiors begins. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: jérôme Prod'homme.
Cheverny has been in the same family for 6 centuries, even before the present building was created in the early 17th century. It is a private château owned by the Marquis and Marquise de Vibraye, where they live with their 3 children, and is open to the public almost all year round. Closures are so rare that they are reported in the local newspapers. It is the oldest private château open to the public, having opened its doors in 1922. A great novelty in those days and a certain open-mindedness and even courage for the chatelains of the time, who must have been judged strangely by their peers. The château is at the heart of an estate of over 100 hectares (crossed by a magnificent 500-metre long driveway), including a forest.
A detail from the magnificent Louis XIII mantel at Cheverny: the god of commerce Mercury. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.Com: Jérôme Prod'homme (c)
The best furnished château in France.
Having visited many châteaux, both private and public, I can tell you that Cheverny is the best furnished in France. You'll find the salons d'apparat not only furnished, but decorated with flowers, as well as very intimate rooms such as a bedroom. You get the impression that the person who lived there at such and such a time has just left. Standing in front of a mahogany dressing table, you can almost smell the perfume of the beautiful woman who slept there a few centuries ago. In another room, we come across children's toys carelessly laid out in the bedroom, something that today's children are delighted to see on their visit. The kitchens and their brassware take you back to the days before electricity, when many people and many utensils were needed to serve the table and feed both the noble owners and the staff. That's the whole point of Cheverny: you can imagine an era as if you were there.
A dressing table that looks like it's been abandoned. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Jérôme Prod'homme (c)
One of its great qualities is also that it offers a huge number of works of art for visitors to see. From the delicate carvings on the stones, or the monumental fireplaces, to the antique furniture, we are moved to think that it took a great deal of skill to create something so beautiful and so solid. What you're about to discover is the most beautiful and best furnished non-royal châteaux in France, and you'll literally be leaving our time behind to travel back in time from the construction of the château in the 17th century to the 19th century, and even to the 20th and 21st centuries through the Tintin museum and the new love garden.
The interiors of Cheverny are spectacular. Here is the king's bedroom. photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: yorgy67 via dépositphotos
What to see in Cheverny
The exterior
The apprentice garden behind the château is magnificent. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.Com: Massimosanti via dépositphotos.
Cheverny is a vast and beautiful estate with a total of 100 hectares, including 20 hectares of parkland and gardens. There are 6 gardens in all , and it's a real pleasure to discover these gardens, which combine French tradition and modern art. The vegetable and flower garden features vegetables (which are served in the château's restaurant in the orangery) and 'cut' flowers used to decorate the château's rooms, with bouquets that are both beautiful and lively, ensuring that the interiors never feel like a museum. The apprentice garden, located behind the château, and which you will discover at the end of your tour of the interiors as you will be leaving through it, is made up of superb boxwood taupières carved with works of art. Further on, the most recent garden, the Garden of Love, features 6 solid bronze statues by Swedish artist Gudmar Olovson. The tulip garden is Cheverny's great speciality, with over 600,000 tulips on the entire estate, including 500,000 in the tulip garden alone. It's a true splendour to be discovered in March and April during the flowering season. The labyrinth, in the great tradition of the French parks of the Renaissance and the 17th century, is a great place for all the family to enjoy. Kids love getting lost in it, and it's a real adventure. Finally, the sweet garden, an orchard in fact, features 370 different fruit trees . It covers one hectare and features all kinds of fruit, from the familiar French apple to the more exotic kiwi.
Interiors
One of the rooms at Cheverny with a dress. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.Com: Jérôme Prod'homme (c)
First and foremost, the tour is very well organised. Even if you go in the middle of summer, when it's crowded, you still get the feeling of having the rooms to yourself for a few seconds, and you can take some great photos of empty rooms. It's also due to the fact that you don't go inside, but discreet barriers allow you to enter a little, to have several angles, and to leave room for the next person. It's ingenious and makes for a very pleasant visit.
The Great Staircase at Cheverny. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Michael6882 via dépositphotos
You will discover the immense dining room with its 34 panels illustrating the astonishing life of Don Quixote. They are signed by Jean Mosnier (1600 - 1656), who worked for Queen Marie de Médicis and whose works can be seen in the Louvre and the Palais du Luxembourg in Paris. The fireplace is neo-renaissance and was added well after the room was built. You will then climb the grand staircase. Take time to admire the elegance and delicate carvings. The grand salon is magnificent, in shades of blue, grey and gold. The petit salon is a delight of comfort and delicacy, with its Louis XVI and Empire furniture. The library boasts no fewer than 2,000 books.
The arms room and its collections, including a suit of armour that belonged to the young Count of Chambord. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Michael6882 via dépositphotos
The armoury is astonishing with its weapons and armour (which often amaze the little ones). The King's bedroom is spectacular, with its Flemish tapestries and coffered ceiling. The King's bedroom is a reminder of the tradition of having a room ready to receive the sovereign in French châteaux, as the King was at home everywhere. No French king has ever slept here, but Henri IV spent a few moments here.
See also:
Still at the château: the Tintin museum is a real treat. It reminds us that Hergé chose Cheverny as the inspiration for the Moulinsart castle belonging to Captain Haddock. There are many drawings and panels and a reconstruction of a room on the Unicorn, Captain Haddock's ancestor's ship.
Around the château: Chevernyis a pretty village. It has a beautiful church with a porch. Further on, the Château de Troussay, which is much less well known but takes you back to the Renaissance, has 6 rooms open to visitors.
Cheverny : Opening hours and prices
The official Cheverny website is here. Always consult it before visiting the château. The prices and opening times shown on the site are binding.
Timetable
Monsieurdefrance.com timetables and fares are given in 2023 and are not binding on the site.
Winter season: 10am - 5pm (1 January to 31 March and 1 October to 31 December)
Summer season: 9.15am - 6.00pm (from 1 April to 30 September and even 6.30pm in July and August)
Rates
Please note that parking is free.
Basic adult ticket: 14 euros. Reduced ticket: 10 euros. Free for the disabled and children under 7.
Basic adult ticket plus visit to the Tintin exhibition centre: €18.50
You can also discover other offers by visiting the site.
Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Michael6882 via depositphotos.
Cheverny ; GPS / Geo Info : car, train, plane and websites
Geo / Car
The address of the Château de Cheverny is avenue du château 41700 CHEVERNY. The château is 190 kms or 2H30 from Paris (via the A10). It is 1 hour from Tours (via the A10), 51 minutes from Amboise and just over 20 minutes from Chambord.
Train
There is no train station in Cheverny, but you can get to Amboise from Paris. There is a shuttle bus service.
Aircraft
The nearest airport is Tours Val de Loire. You can also land at Paris or Nantes Atlantique.
The websites :
