Chenonceau, Château de

A château in central France, 28 km/17 mi southwest of Paris, bridging the River Cher. It was begun in 1513 by Thomas Bohier, the financial minister of Normandy, but was subsequently confiscated by Francis I and became a royal residence in 1535. It was inherited by Henry II who presented it to his mistress Diane de Poitiers.

Incorporating a single tower from an earlier building of the 15th century, the château is noted for its combination of Gothic and Renaissance features. Diane de Poitiers added an arched bridge spanning the Cher, designed by the leading architect Philibert De l'Orme. When the château passed to Catherine de' Medici this wing was enlarged 1570–78 by Jean Bullant as the Grande Galerie.