Château de Chambord raises over one million euros to restore François Ier wing

The Château de Chambord has raised over one million euros through its ‘Chambord a besoin de vous’ fundraising campaign to restore the François Ier wing. Launched in September 2025, the initiative far exceeded its initial goal of 100,000 euros within a single year. More than 5,500 donors contributed to the fund.

The François Ier wing, which includes the king's private apartments and council chamber, has been closed to the public since 2019 due to structural risks, including cracked walls and debris. The successful mobilization was aided by a 2026 finance law providing a 75% tax reduction for donations, a measure similar to the one used for the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris.

While 12 million euros have already been secured through various means, including a grant from the Ministry of Culture, these funds were used for initial safety measures, diagnostics, and structural consolidation. The newly raised million euros will support the next phase of the restoration project.