Châteaux of the Loire & Northern France Quiz

Answer: Loire Valley

The Château d'Amboise is located in the small market town of Amboise and overlooks the River Loire. The castle is located in a prime spot of strategic importance and has history dating from the eleventh century when it was owned by the Count of Anjou. It was confiscated by King Charles VII in the fifteenth century after its then owner was executed for treason. It underwent much redevelopment to make it suitable for royalty, and was a favourite residence for the French monarchs for over a century.

Leonardo da Vinci lived nearby, and is reputed to be buried at the château. Over the years, it was home to Mary, Queen of Scots, during her childhood and Catherine de Medici also lived there.

The castle was almost completely demolished following the French Revolution, but was restored during the reign of Louis-Philippe and is now an historical monument under French law.

Answer: Loire Valley

The largest château located in the Loire valley, Chambord was intended to be a royal hunting lodge for King Francis I. The monarch already had two châteaux in the region, one at Amboise and the other at Blois.

Work on building Chambord began in 1519 and continued until 1547. Again, the French Revolution led to damage being caused, when many of the furnishings were sold, with restoration work being carried out from the nineteenth century. Some of the Louvre's art treasures were moved to Chambord during World War II.

With 440 rooms, more than 80 staircases and nearly 300 fireplaces, there is plenty to see now the château is open to the public.

Answer: Loire Valley

Possibly the best known and picturesque château of the Loire region, Chenonceau is located on, and over, the River Cher. The present building dates from 1514, while the part which spans the river was added between 1556 and 1559. The château is sometimes dubbed the 'château of the six women' due to its famous female residents, who include Diane de Poitiers, mistress of King Henry II, and Catherine de Medici.

In 1913, Chenonceau was acquired by members of the French chocolate making company, Menier, who still own it in the twenty-first century. During World War II, it was occupied by the Germans, making it a target for the Allies. Restoration work was carried out after the war ended. The château is open to the public and is not far from Amboise, so both can be seen on one day.

Answer: Loire Valley

Dating from the sixteenth century, Villandry is more of a country mansion than a castle. The keep is older, from mediaeval times, and was the site of a meeting between Richard I, King of England, and Philip II of France in 1189.

Villandry is particularly known for its gardens, which overlook the River Cher. The château was confiscated during the French Revolution, with Napoleon giving the property to his brother Jérôme. It was sold in 1906 to Joaquín Carvallo with the money provided by his American heiress wife, Anne Coleman. While still owned by the family in the twenty-first century, the castle is classed as a monument historique and a World Heritage Site, and is opened to the public.

Answer: Loire Valley

The Château d'Usse is situated in the Loire valley, near the Chinon forest and overlooking the Indre River. It was built on the ruins of an earlier castle in the fifteenth century, and has been privately owned throughout its history.

Charles Perrault is said to have been a regular visitor and the château claims to be his inspiration for the story of the 'Sleeping Beauty' - its location near to woods certainly helps add some veracity to the claim. Although in private ownership, parts of the castle are open to the public and it is classed as an historic monument by France's Ministry of Culture.

Answer: Northern France

The town of Chantilly is situated about thirty miles (fifty kilometres) to the north of Paris. There are two châteaux on the site - the Petit Château, which dates from the sixteenth century, and the Grand Château, rebuilt in the latter part of the nineteenth century after the original was destroyed during the French Revolution.

The Institut de France took over ownership of the properties in 1889 with extensive, and expensive, restoration work carried out in the twenty-first century. The castle is now open to the public and has an art collection which is often described as nearly as impressive as that held by the Louvre.

Answer: Northern France

Falaise is in Normandy, in north-western France, the region where the D-Day landings of World War II took place. William the Conqueror (William I of England) was born there, actually in an earlier castle on the same site as the present one.

The château which still stands dates from the twelfth and thirteenth century and was fought over numerous times during the Hundred Years War and was no longer occupied by the seventeenth century. Compared to the luxurious châteaux of the Loire Valley, Falaise is spartan and more of a fortress - after all, it had to survive all those battles, including two World Wars, but it is classed as an historic monument and attracts many visitors each year.

Answer: Northern France

The commune of Sedan is located in north-eastern France, very near the Belgian border. The origins of the castle date from the early fifteenth century, when it was more of a manor house. It was extended and fortified during the sixteenth century and became known as Sedan Castle Fort.

Its location means it has seen battles, including during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 and in 1940, during World War II. The army gifted the castle to the city in 1962 and it is now partly hotel and partly museum.

Answer: Northern France

Caen, in north-western France, is only a few miles inland from the English Channel, and was an early target for the Allies following the D-Day landings in 1944. Dating from around 1060, the castle in Caen looks much more like a traditional castle with strong defensive walls.

Caen castle was the venue for a Christmas celebration in 1182 for Henry II of England and his family before the French reclaimed it in 1204. Having survived several battles during the Hundred Years War, Caen's keep was demolished in 1793, during the French Revolution. It sustained further damage during the Second World War, and is more of a ruin than the other châteaux in the quiz. It can be visited and entry is, according to online information, free.

Answer: Northern France

Vincennes is actually part of Paris, on the eastern side of France's capital city. The château dates from the fourteenth century and served as a residence for the monarchs of France until the sixteenth century. It has a particularly impressive tall keep, called a 'donjon' in French,

The castle served as a fort to protect Paris and was also a refuge for the monarchy to protect them from uprisings. In Napoleonic times, it was used as a barracks, having suffered damage during the French Revolution. The damage caused during the Second World War has been repaired, and the château is open to the public.