Chaumont
by Leo Coffeng

Chaumont, on the Loire, France, has been rebuilt several times.  The "version" you see here is a fortress which was built (slowly) between 1445 and 1510.  But most of the windows are not original; they were added during and after the Renaissance.  Another major change was tearing down the north wing.  Prior to doing that, Chaumont was a closed fortress; after the new castle was more open, with beautiful views of the Loire and surrounding countryside.  Of course its fortress qualities were greatly compromised.

In 1560 Diane de Poitiers, mistress of King Henri II, came to live here.  She had to leave Chenonçeau, another and more beautiful castle (on the Cher), because Henri's wife, Catherine de Médici, wanted it.  The four-walled Chaumont must have seemed like a prison to Diane, which was the exact aim of Catherine.

Anchor builders should note that Leo used only Richter stone shapes.

Today the castle is lovely, but do not doubt that mosquitos really hurt a quiet evening in the courtyard.

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Compare this postcard picture of the real building with the Anchor building above.
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Compare this postcard picture of the real building with the Anchor building above.
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