Chateau de Cheverny

Cheverny was built between 1624 and 1630 in one campaign, which is why it is perfectly symmetrical in pale Bourre stone that whitens with age, and it has stayed with the same family, the Hurault line, for over six centuries. That continuity means the interiors are genuinely furnished rather than reassembled: tapestries, painted panelling, a Delft-tiled dining room. Herge used the facade for Marlinspike Hall in the Tintin books, cropping off the two end pavilions, and an exhibition inside plays on the resemblance. A pack of around a hundred hunting hounds is kept in the kennels, and their feeding is a scheduled daily spectacle.

What you actually see

• The furnished interiors - six centuries of one family's contents in place.
• The hound pack - about a hundred dogs with a scheduled feeding.
• The Tintin exhibition - the Marlinspike Hall connection made explicit.
• The park - canal boats, electric carts and a kitchen garden.

When to go

April to October; the hound feeding happens most days in season at a fixed time and is worth timing a visit around. The chateau opens year-round.

Honest expectations

The hound feeding is brief and crowded, and it is not for everyone. The Tintin exhibition is a separate ticket element and aimed at families. There are no grand Renaissance features here; the appeal is furnishing.

Nearby

Blois lies north; Chambord is northeast.