Château de Chambord Events in 2026: the Horse Show, the Stags and Christmas
Showtimes and dates can change. Everything below is from the estate’s own calendar on the date at the top of this page. Check the official horse-show page before you plan around a performance, and the Château de Chambord tours each state their own cancellation terms on the card.
A 45-minute horse show in the marshal’s stables until 1 November, the stags calling in the forest this month, and Christmas from 28 November. Here is every date worth planning around, and how the Chambord castle tours fit them.
The horse show: dates and times for 2026
Chambord, A History on Horseback tells 500 years of the château with ten horses and eight riders playing François I, Louis XIV, Molière and Maurice de Saxe. It runs 45 minutes in the Écuries du Maréchal de Saxe, under covered, shaded stands. The show is in French, with summary sheets in English and six other languages.
| Period | Performances |
|---|---|
| 4 April – 27 September 2026 | Weekdays 11:45; weekends 11:45 and 16:00; no show on Mondays |
| Easter holidays, May bank-holiday weekends, 1 July – 31 August | 11:45 and 16:00 every day |
| 17 October – 1 November 2026 | 11:45 and 15:00 every day |
Arrive half an hour early; tickets are checked at the stable door.
The château and the show together, and the Passport
| Ticket | EEA rate | Everyone else |
|---|---|---|
| Horse show only, adult | €18 | €18 |
| Horse show, child 3–17 or disabled visitor | €14.50 | €14.50 |
| Château + show | €34 | €44 |
| Chambord Passport, adult | €38 | €48 |
The Passport adds the HistoPad and a discount on a boat, bike or electric car, and you can use the château part on a later day before the end of 2026. Visitors who get into the château free cannot use the combined ticket, so buy the show on its own.
The official English guided tour, July and August
Every day in July and August the château runs its own one-hour guided tour in English at 11:15, taking in the cruciform chamber, the double helix staircase and the terraces. It costs €7 for adults and €4 for ages 3 to 17 on top of admission. The 2026 run has just finished; it is the one to book next summer if you want an official guide at a small price.
The stag bellowing, mid-September to mid-October
Right now the stags in the forest are coming into the rut. From mid-September to mid-October the estate runs three-hour watches from a tower in a closed zone, for up to 16 people aged 12 and over, at €45 on weekdays and €60 at weekends. You book them with the estate by phone or email, and the park page has the detail.
Christmas at Chambord, 28 November – 3 January
From 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 the château dresses for Christmas. This year the theme is Gargantua, Rabelais’s giant, and it echoes the Festins de Chambord exhibition with themed tours of the kitchens and weekend entertainment through December: performers, games and workshops.
The château keeps its long 9:00 to 18:00 hours from 19 December, except on 24 and 31 December, when it closes at 16:00. It is shut on 25 December and 1 January.
What has just finished
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| 26–28 June 2026 | Chambord Live concerts: Orelsan, Maroon 5 and DJ Snake, with the château open to 18:00 and roads closed from 13:00 |
| July – August 2026 | The daily official English guided tour |
| Until 31 August 2026 | Forest 4×4 drives in the mornings only |
Where to check for updates
The estate publishes its calendar and news on its own site, and it is the only source for showtimes and closures. The links below go straight to it.
Where to check these figures
Every figure above comes from the Domaine national de Chambord’s own published pages, listed below. Hours and rates move, so check yours before you travel.
- Horse show
- Opening hours and rates
- English guided tour
- Christmas in Chambord
- Discover the park
- The one-day passport
The exhibitions are on the exhibitions page, the month you are coming on the weather page, and every way to visit on Château de Chambord Tours.