Chambord, as we know, is the largest of the giant châteaux in the Loire Valley, built as a "humble" hunting lodge by François I, he who loved to build. Picture this: a mixture of medieval and Renaissance with 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces and 80 or so staircases, including the famous double-helix which some believe may have been inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, a friend of the king.

Chenonceau is the Loire Valley's best known and most visited château, one of the most famous buildings of France. It is commonly known as the Ladies' Castle, because women have been involved throughout its history: a woman built it (Catherine Briçonnet, wife of a royal financial superintendent), another woman embellished and expanded it (Henri II’s mistress Diane de Poitiers), and yet another reclaimed it (Catherine of Medici, Henri II's wife).