The Château de Chambord

The Château de Chambord is just your average 440-room, 282-fireplace, 84-staircase hunting lodge, with grounds larger than Paris. Suitable for weekend boar hunts, illicit affairs, and elaborate displays of royal power, this little lodge is the perfect retreat for you and several hundreds of your closest friends. Its sheer size and intricate detail compensate for its deficient security. Leonardo da Vinci is reputed to have designed its double-helix staircase, and its roofline boasts more minarets than you thought you wanted.