Nestled amidst the châteaux of the Loire, the pagode de Chanteloup is a unique 18th-century monument attesting to the splendor of a one-time palace, the château of the Duke of Choiseul.
The pagode de Chanteloup is above all a surviving reminder of the madness inhabiting the Duke of Choiseul, former prime minister of Louis XV. Exiled from Versailles by the king, he ordered the construction on his lands in Amboise of an extraordinary Chinese-inspired monument as a token of gratitude towards the friends who had maintained their friendship. Standing tall (44 meters high) and dominating an Anglo-Chinese garden covering over 10000 acres, it is one of the few remaining vestiges of a palace so huge as to bear comparison with Versailles. From atop, it offers a 360° panoramic view on one side of Amboise and the valley of the Loire, and on the other side of the vast forest of Amboise.
You can prolong your visit with a boat ride or meditate in the relaxing atmosphere of the small Chinese garden.
Young and old alike will no doubt take undisguised pleasure while testing their mettle in one of the fifty ancient games of wood scattered throughout the park.
As a visitor, you are invited to immerse yourself in the hard-to-believe history of Chanteloup and to reimagine the heyday of the château and its gardens with the 3D reconstitutions to be found in the ancient concierge lodge.
From May to September, in the Salon de Thé, compact Chanteloup picnic baskets are available for those in need of a bite to eat. They contain not-to-be-missed regional specialties such as Touraine cured pork with Saint-Maure-de-Touraine goat cheese, and are accompanied by our selection of Touraine-Amboise (AOC) wines originating in the Chanteloup vines (supplement payable).
