With 440 rooms, more than 800 sculpted columns and 420 feet of façade, the 16th-century Château de Chambord is the largest and most spectacular of the Loire Valley châteaux. Said to have been designed in part by Leonardo da Vinci, it is surrounded by a 13,000-acre hunting estate.

In March, Relais de Chambord, a hotel of 55 rooms and suites, opened in the castle’s shadow, on the banks of the Cosson river, a tributary of the Loire river. The property is a joint venture between the French government, the Marugal hotel-management firm and entrepreneur Frédéric Jousset. Renowned French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte was engaged to create a stylish, contemporary retreat. The hotel’s restaurant, Le Grand Saint Michel, has a dining terrace facing the château. In summer, tables there look set to become some of the most sought after in Europe.