Château de Chaumont Facts for Kids

This article is about the château in Chaumont-sur-Loire. Not to be confused with Château de Chaumont-la-Guiche or Château de Chaumont (La Serre-Bussière-Vieille).

Château de Chaumont in 2008

The Château de Chaumont (pronounced shah-MOHN), also known as Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, is a beautiful castle in Chaumont-sur-Loire, France. It's located in the Centre-Val de Loire region.

This castle was first built in the 10th century. It was started by Odo I, Count of Blois. Later, a man named Pierre d'Amboise went against King Louis XI. Because of this, the king ordered the castle to be torn down.

But don't worry! The Château de Chaumont was rebuilt in the 15th century. Charles I d'Amboise led this rebuilding project. Since 1840, the castle has been protected as a special historical building. In 1938, the government took ownership of it. Today, the Château de Chaumont is open for everyone to visit.

History of Chaumont Castle
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History of Chaumont Castle

Château de Chaumont stands above the River Loire.

The name Chaumont comes from French words meaning "bald hill." The very first castle here was built in the 10th century. It was placed between two towns, Blois and Amboise.

Early Days and Protection

Odo I, Count of Blois built this first castle. Its main job was to protect his lands. He wanted to keep them safe from attacks by his rival, Fulk Nerra.

A Norman knight named Gelduin was given the castle. He made it better and held it as his own. Later, the castle passed to the Amboise family. It stayed with them for about 500 years.

Rebuilding the Castle

Pierre d'Amboise tried to go against King Louis XI. He was not successful. As a result, the king took away his property. The castle was ordered to be taken apart in 1465.

But the Amboise family rebuilt it! Charles I d'Amboise started the work in 1465. His son, Charles II d'Amboise, finished it around 1510. His uncle, Cardinal Georges d'Amboise, also helped. The new castle still looked medieval. However, it also had some new Renaissance design ideas.

Royal Owners and Famous Guests

Catherine de Medici bought the château in 1550. She was the Queen of France. She often invited astrologers to the castle. One famous guest was Nostradamus.

When her husband, Henry II, died in 1559, Catherine wanted the Château de Chenonceau. Henry had given Chenonceau to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers. Catherine made Diane trade Chenonceau for the Château de Chaumont. Diane de Poitiers only lived at Chaumont for a short time.

A staircase within the château

In 1594, the castle went to Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne. He was Diane's granddaughter's husband. He sold it to a rich tax collector named Largentier. Largentier had made a lot of money from collecting the salt tax. But he was later arrested for stealing money.

The castle then went to a family from Lucca, Italy. They owned it until 1667. After that, it passed to the seigneurs de Ruffignac family.

Changes and New Owners

Paul de Beauvilliers bought the château in 1699. He updated some of the rooms inside. He made it grand enough to host the Duke of Anjou. The Duke was on his way to become the King of Spain in 1700.

Later, Paul's heir had to sell Chaumont to pay debts. A man named Monsieur Bertin bought it. He was an official for King Louis XV. Monsieur Bertin tore down the north wing of the castle. This opened up the house to a beautiful view of the river. This was a popular new style at the time.

In 1750, Jacques-Donatien Le Ray bought the castle. He used it as a country home. He also started a glassmaking and pottery factory there. Many French people saw him as a "Father of the American Revolution." This was because he really liked America. But in 1789, the new French Revolutionary government took his property. This included his beloved Château de Chaumont.

Aerial view of the castle

Madame de Staël bought the château in 1810. Later, in 1833, the Comte d'Aramon bought the castle. It had been neglected for a while. He started big renovations. An architect named Jules Potier de la Morandière helped him. M. d'Aramon also created a museum of medieval art inside the "Catherine de Médicis Tower."

Modern Era and Gardens

The castle was named a Monument historique in 1840. This means it's a very important historical site in France. In 1875, Marie-Charlotte Say bought Chaumont. She was very rich from the sugar business.

Later that year, she married Henri Amédée de Broglie. He ordered the building of luxurious stables in 1877. These were designed by Paul-Ernest Sanson. He also helped restore the château even more. The park around the castle was replanted in the English naturalistic style.

Marie-Charlotte Say gave the Château de Chaumont to the French government in 1938. Today, the Château de Chaumont is a museum. Every year, it hosts a Garden Festival from April to October. During this festival, modern garden designers show off their work in the English-style garden.