There’s a saying in the north of Thailand: "If you haven’t been to Doi Suthep, you haven’t truly been to Chiang Mai." That might sound dramatic—until you see it for yourself.

In the heart of the France's Loire Valley, where fairytale châteaux sprout like flowers along the riverbanks, one castle stands out—not for its age or history alone, but for its sheer audacity. **Château de Chambord** is a glorious architectural riddle dressed as a royal hunting lodge, a place where spiral staircases lead to nowhere and towers rise like chess pieces on a limestone board.