Chambord

Chambord, a village of France, in the department of Loir-et-Cher, is celebrated for its chateau, formerly one of the finest royal castles in France. This magnificent edifice was commenced in 1526 by Francis I., and completed under Louis XIV. As a residence of the French kings down to Louis XV. it acquired the name of the "Versailles of Touraine." Louis XV. gave it to Marshal Saxe, and Napoleon, in 1809, gave it to Marshal Berthier, from whose widow it was purchased in 1821 for 1,542,000 francs by some Legitimists and presented to the Duke of Bordeaux. Its park is about 21 miles in circumference, and reputed one of the finest in Europe.