Château des Ducs de Savoie — Attraction in Chambéry

A big castle... and a big disappointment

I decided to visit this castle after reading countless glowing reviews online.

A majestic fortress, they said... a must-see, they insisted. Well, they clearly saw something I didn’t.

At first glance, it looked promising — the outer walls, the imposing gate, and the bastions are undeniably impressive. So far, so good.

I opted for the guided tour, which also promised the “complete” experience. That’s when things started going downhill.

A large portion of the original structures has been destroyed over time. In their place, new buildings have been erected — and they don't fit in at all with the old buildings.

These new buildings now serve as administrative offices. Translation: over 75% of the complex is closed to the public. So much for the “complete” tour.

The castle was entirely renovated in the 20th century — and yes, it shows. For example, the interior of the "Treasury Tower" (the only tower we were actually allowed to visit) looks like a set from a cheap movie .

What did the guided tour include?

The fortified gate (which, fun fact, you can visit for free anyway) The chapel, half-empty The treasury tower, almost empty A cellar, entirely empty

The guide did his best and shared plenty of historical facts. But unless you're already passionate about the Duchy of Savoy, the whole lecture might feel more like a podcast you didn’t mean to start.

In conclusion, two things worth noting:

Many of the pictures associated with this tourist site have little or nothing to do with the actual castle. Likely uploaded by people hoping to score a few social media points.

Several reviews mention a “panoramic view of the city.” I’ll post a picture and let you judge whether that view was...

Savoy is a former state that included Genève, Turin and Nice a few centuries ago. It's hard to believe nowadays that these famous cities from Switzerland, Italy and France were part of the same country, which doesn't exist anymore. Even more strange: the capital of this state was, for about 250 years, the little town of Chambery. This is what the museum is all about: the history of the Savoyard State. We took the free tour and enjoyed it a lot. The description of the artifacts is in both French and English, so there's not really need for the guided tour (unless you don't speak anyone of these languages). In addition to the historical Savoyard exhibits, the visitors have the opportunity to take some instagramic pictures from the top level terrace: the old town rooftops look great at sunset with the Alps in...

Bello da vedere ed indubbiamente parte della nostra storia, ospita, attualmente, una bellissima mostra gratuita che ci illustra le fasi del castello e la sua acquisizione da parte dei Savoia. Comunque visto che il maniero ospita le istituzioni francesi le visite sono ridotte a 4 al giorno con guida per motivi di antiterrorismo! Alle 11.00 ed alle 15.00 si visita, con 6€, la santa cappella, due torri del castello, la sala consiliare ed un pochetto della città. Alle 14.00 ed alle 16.00 il castello, sempre con 6€. Io ho partecipato alla prima e devo dire che le guide sono ottime e si sforzano di parlare in italiano per farti apprezzare il posto. Molto onestamente ci han detto che le visite in lingua italiana o inglese dovrebbero essere potenziate perché c'è clientela a richiederle, per cui non dipende evidentemente da loro che tentano di parlarti nella tua lingua, ma proprio dall'organizzazione della Savoia!!! Bella la cappella in stile neogotico, soprattutto il soffitto, lo scalone nella parte medioevale del castello e la sua facciata in stile eclettico del tempo di Napoleone III. Pregevoli i due Carillon! Comunque se non siete precisi nel prenotare ed andare agli orari prestabiliti si rischia di perdere...