When the Kings of France kept their feet in the water: Floods 2026

The beginning of 2026 presents a spectacle as majestic as it is unsettling in the Loire Valley. Torrential rains have caused rivers to burst their banks, encircling some of the most beautiful jewels of French heritage. While the Château de Chenonceau, spanning the Cher River, and the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, its façades reflected in the Indre River, are accustomed to the proximity of water, the scale of these winter floods places their foundations under constant scrutiny. The region's giant, the Château de Chambord, is not spared. Although located further back from the Loire, the Cosson River—which flows through its grounds—has transformed the park and the area surrounding the monument into a vast lake. Here, as with its neighbors, the question is not only whether water will enter the lower rooms, but above all, how the structures will react to the pressure of the current and the saturated soil. A Resistance of Stone and Wood The major challenge posed by these floods lies in the stability of the foundations. At Chenonceau and Azay-le-Rideau, the buildings rest partly on oak piles driven into the soft ground. As long as they remain fully submerged, this wood is rot-proof and as strong as concrete. The danger arises during the receding floodwaters: too rapid a retreat or repeated cycles of wet and dry conditions can weaken these ancient structures. At Chambord, engineers are particularly monitoring the rising water table due to capillary action, which could damage the sculpted decorations in tufa, this fragile limestone. Despite these challenges, these castles prove once again their incredible resilience. Designed by brilliant architects who had already taken into account the whims of rivers, they stand firm, reminding us that French heritage is a constant, yet victorious, battle against the elements. ? Did you know? During major floods, some castles use modern flood barriers (removable dams) concealed within their ancient structures to protect the most precious rooms.