Chambord…amazing just in it’s size, is a treat. I would have liked to have seen more furnishings, but it never was fully furnished. Francois I built it as a hunting lodge and rendezvous point for his, ahem, mistress. Under construction for twenty years, from 1519-1547, it had many inhabitants. Built in the Renaissance style,  the roof was intended to look like the skyline of Constantinople. Not Istanbul…Constantinople. The incredible double helix staircase is rumored to have been designed by Leonardo Da Vinci…still a mystery. I just recently learned that Chambord liqueur was named after the region and the raspberry liqueur popular there in the 17th century. Maybe I should have done some more research on that before writing this post…or during!