Grand Saint Michel Hotel In Chambord Closed For Renovations

One of my favorite hotels in the Loire region is closed for extensive renovations and won’t reopen until sometime in 2017.  The Grand Saint Michel Hotel is located next to Chambord, the largest and most spectacular castle in the Loire River Valley. To spend the night here in one of the rooms overlooking Chambord is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  If a castle-view stay at this magical place is on your bucket list, you’ll need to delay it for at least a year!  And be forewarned, a castle-facing room in the renovated hotel will definitely cost more than the current rate of 90-115€!

The planned renovation of the hotel is just one part of a 10 year plan to upgrade all the facilities and infrastructure at the Domaine National de Chambord, some of which have already been completed such as the new pathways around the Grand Canal du Cosson and the English gardens.  The master plan for the Domaine National de Chambord involves updating the estate to standards worthy of a UNESCO World Heritage site thereby improving the overall experience for those who visit Chambord.  A new welcome center and restoration of the village square of Chambord are certain to make a visit to Chambord much more memorable, providing visitors with a better understanding of the diversity of landscapes around Chambord.

French architect Jean-Michel-Wilmotte will oversee the design of the new hotel which will consist of 60 rooms and a grand restaurant and a terrace bordered by French gardens. Wilmotte is regarded as one of the world’s top architects and has worked on projects at the Louvre as well as collaborating on the famous Wall of Peace on the Champ de Mars in Paris. I have not been able to find any plans for the renovated hotel, but judging from the spectacular projects that Wilmotte has worked on, it should be quite spectacular.

In the meantime, if you are interested in staying on the Domaine National de Chambord estate, there are several new gites that are available for rent.  La Gabilliere is a small cottage located at the entrance of the estate, a few meters away from the wildlife observation watchtowers.  The cottage can accommodate up to 6 people and is fully equipped.  The cottage can be rented for a weekend or a full week.  For further information, contact:  gites-chambord@chambord.org.  A second cottage can accommodate up to 8 people.

The Ormetrou Farm is a group of buildings along the wall of the domain at the end of a field with beautiful views of the chateau.  Plans are to develop more accommodation options in these buildings, respecting the architectural and landscaping characteristics of the farm, which was a working farm until recently.

With all the extensive renovations underway or planned, it’s clear that both new and repeat visitors to Chambord will be treated to a very new look in the upcoming year!  Watch for more information on the renovations!