The famous staircase at Chambord by Da Vinci

Chambord's double helix staircase

The chateau at Chambord was built during the Renaissance, so you won't find any original elevators there. What you will find, however, at this 16th-century gem, is an innovative architectural feature to move between floors: the Chambord staircase, which has two spirals so that two people can use the staircase at the same time without running into one another!

The double helix staircase: the Chambord showstopper

While the chateau's immensity, facade and estate are enough to impress, its main attraction could very well be its central staircase. Attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, the brilliant inventor, the Chambord staircase features a design concept that was unique at the time: two spirals that intertwine, giving outside observers the impression of a single structure. And yet anyone who has climbed the stairs can attest that it is possible to reach the next floor without crossing paths with another person who is walking at the exact same pace: at best, they may glimpse one another through the slits carved into the inner side of the staircase.

Walk up the magical staircase at the Château de Chambord

You can easily experience the surprising double helix staircase at Chambord. It will leave you agape as you contemplate the ingenuity of Leonardo da Vinci, the accomplished artist and brilliant inventor whose chose France as his adopted homeland. This curiosity also has historic significance: the Chambord chateau is one of the most definitive embodiments of the esteem in which French kings held the Italian Renaissance, which paved the way for the rebirth of the arts in France.

It is thanks to Francis I's love of architecture that today we can admire one of the most beautiful chateaus of the 16th century. Climb the double helix staircase at Chambord : four centuries of history await you at the top.