The Chateau’s of the lovely Loire Valley

Spread across an area of just 200 kilometres long and 100 kilometres wide the Loire Valley boasts so many Chateau’s that to see them all is nearly impossible.

The trick is to pick the one’s that interest you the most, with some of them like Villandry you can actually skip the interior and just visit the gardens. Others are most famous for their setting such as Chenonceau but are still worthwhile entering. We found that all were unique and worth visiting but for different reasons.

If you only want to visit the exterior of some of the Chateau's you still need to pay the dual ticket price for both inside and out. With most of them costing between 7 - 10 euro’s and 12.50 for Clos Luce it quickly adds up.

Another thing to keep in mind is you can quickly suffer "Chateau Overload" if you try to cram in too many in one day or even over successive days so do your research & choose which ones you really must see.

Of the ones that we visited Chenonceau with it’s fairytale setting and graceful arches of it’s entry bridge along with it’s pretty garden was my personal favorite, I really enjoyed Cheverny as it felt like a family home (albeit a very large one!) and also the magnificent structured gardens of Villandry.

We chose to base ourselves in the very charming village of Amboise and we found it suited our needs perfectly; small enough for a truly Gallic experience without too much bustle of a big town and well placed to access the majority of the Chateau’s we chose to visit.

Set on the banks of the Loire River; Amboise boasts atmospheric narrow, cobbled streets, some great examples of houses with exposed wood beams and some essential shops including Bigot a divine Chocolateir and a fantastic Patisserie – mmm Tarte Tartin (the French really know how to do their pastries) and some great delicatessens to stock up on cheese, pate &bread along with some great French wines – what more do you need?

We were essentially self catering but we did discover a great little restaurant called L’Amboiserie. Fast service, reasonable prices and a lovely terrace to sit out on with views of the castle. We had a lovely meal of Lamb cutlets, great crepes and yummy desserts.

Amboise is still worth visiting even if you are not staying in the town as it has the interesting Amboise Chateau and also boasts Leonardo de Vinci’s final home Close Luce.

The town of Blois is also worth visiting for its lovely cathedral and timber gabled houses. It also has its own Chateau but we opted not to visit aminly due to time contraints.

From the first moment we arrived at Le Cardinal with its pale blue grey shutters and cheery red front door we were totally charmed. And as we stepped over the threshold we did really feel at home. This was a homely little place to stay and although we were five in our party we never felt we were on top of each other.

Initially we entered from the rear door into the kitchen and dining room. The dining area held an eight seat timber dining setting topped with a lovely bunch of fresh chrysanthemums and a welcome note on the whiteboard. This was flanked by a beautifully carved & ornate dresser.

The kitchen held all we needed a big old square double tub sink with and an island bench. It also contained a drawer dishwasher & full stove.

These two rooms were where we spent the most of our time.

Off the kitchen was a formal sitting room holding a leopard covered sofa & ornate provincial furniture – sounds a little strange but it still worked.

Up one flight of stairs was the main bathroom with a shower along with one of the smallest bedrooms with an iron frame bed & fireplace which my Aunt opted for. Then next to this was an alcove with a big old timber bed that doubled as a day bed that my sister in law claimed. Then on the other side was the main bedroom which we opted to give to the mother in law; it held a magnificent timber carved bed & with strikingly red bed cover, canopy and curtains. On the wall above the bed was a huge hanging tapestry. This was a quite awe inspiring room.

Then it was up the stairs once again. (There were thirty stairs in total from bottom to top) and up into the gabled space just below the roof top. Up here was a small sitting area with a lounge & television and off here was our bedroom. This was a cozy little room with a small window & skylight so it was still light and airy. At the other end of the landing was a second bathroom with a bath & a hand held shower. The only thing was you needed to opt for a bath as the roof gabling made it impossible to stand and shower. This room contained a washing machine & dryer which came in very handy.

There was also a lovely little outdoor courtyard filled with greenery which we loved to use for a sunny, simple lunch of fresh bread, pate & cheese or unwinding after a long day touring with a glass of wine in that lovely soft twilight time.

After entering via an avenue of huge and ancient trees the first glimpse literally takes your breath away.

We visited late in the day just as the sun was setting and the soft pink hue of dusk was highlighting and warming the stone walls with a subtle glow that set off the perfect mirror image of the Chateau reflected in the River Cher.

Reminiscent of a fairytale the whimsical turrets and graceful arches of the entry bridge and so very peaceful made this Chateau a definite highlight. It was made even more special as we were the only visitors there at the time.

The Chateau also boasts an interesting history. Building of the current Chateau commenced in the early 1500’s when the original small fortress was demolished due to the fact that it did not fit the fashion at the time. The only part that was kept was the tower in the entry courtyard. Having a chequered history the Chateau changed hands many times, at one time the home of Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henry the second. In the late 1500’s one wing was used by the Ursuline nuns, then in 1914 it was then converted to a field hospital where up to 2000 wounded were tended in WW1. It was also used as a base for the Resistance as they used to smuggle out the escapees over the back draw bridge into the forest behind.

On the left as you enter lies the beautifully designed gardens made up of pink and white blooms that also serve to enhance the femininity and fairytale essence of the Chateau.

Apart from the amazing setting it is well worth visiting was the inside of the Chateau for the impressive gallery with it’s diagonally laid black and white tiles and the huge original kitchen and scullery areas.

Also a standout was the fact it was so beautifully maintained complete with the most enormous arrangements of flowers in almost every room. Huge bunches of bright yellow chrysanthemums or white lilies made the Chateau feel very welcoming.

This Chateau is truly special.

This Chateau although large had a warmer more homey feeling than any of the other Chateau’s that we visited. This is due in part to the fact that it has always been in the same family; they actually lived there until 1985 & have maintained the original feel. Each room was jam packed with magnificent furnishings and personal mementos.

As you approach the first thing that jumps out at you is the perfect balance it presents, each side is a mirror image and it does not have the additions that many of the others do. In fact it actually looks more like a gracious stately home than a Chateau.

The interior is sumptuous – each room perfectly preserved and with the majority of the walls and ceilings covered in painted patterns or motifs.

The standout room for me was the nursery or children’s room, still containing a beautiful crib and a couple of early rocking type horses.

The Arm’s room is also spectacular boasting a vividly coloured 17th century tapestry along with many swords, crossbows and suits of armour including one designed for a small child about four years old.

The surrounding garden and lawn areas are also beautiful, the "Orangerie" located behind the main Chateau which can only be viewed from the outside as it is used for special functions but once housed the Mona Lisa during WWII.

There is also a large kennel as the Chateau still hosts hunting sorties, the hounds were mainly brown, white and black and although I would be uncertain as to how many there were there were certainly a large number. I personally felt sorry for all the dogs housed in the large concrete pens.

There is an interesting story regarding one of the early owners Henri Huralt & briefly goes like this, when he was 24 he married an eleven (!) year old girl but was sent away to war for an extended period by the King; when he returned from an extended absence and finally realising that he was the butt of many jokes within the court due to his bride taking a lover he rode straight home without saying a word, caught his wife and her lover at an inopportune moment. The lover jumped out the window, broke a leg & was subsequently run through with Henri’s sword. His bride was then given one hour and the choice to die either by the sword or poison, (some choice…) she opted for the poison & died. Henri returned to Paris but when the King heard what he had done he banished him for three years and it was during this time that Henri fell in love with his Commander’s daughter, they married & it is she who is credited with the tasteful design of the Chateau.

Due to time constraints we opted to visit just the gardens of Villandry and they were in a word "magnificent".

Luckily for all of modern day visitors the Chateau was saved in the early 1900’s by the grandfather of the present day owners, Dr Joachim Carvallo and it was he who set about re-creating the Renaissance gardens that make the Chateau so special today.

I found the layout of the gardens enchanting – I loved the terracing and the geometric design and how each section was separated by the gravel pathway and also the way there were different sections devoted to other different applications such as the herb garden or the vegetable garden.

The contrasting plantings of the ornamental gardens pink, white and red bordered by the greenery of the hedges in a semi repetitive design of abstract shapes made the view when looking at the gardens from a terrace above sensational. The first four squares of these are actually designed to represent the four stages of love, tenderness then passion, followed by fickle, and finally tragic represented by red & the duels that were commonplace in this time.

The design and colour plantings have even been adhered to within the vegetable gardens creating a checkerboard effect. This part of the garden was actually created later than the Ornamental section. It was designed and planted by Monks who utilized the produce and it was they who incorporated monastic cross designs in keeping with their faith.

The kitchen garden has are two plantings each year, one in spring & the other in summer and it boasts some 40 different types of vegetables with the exception of potatoes which would have been out of place for the period that the garden was initially planted.

The Chateau is charming and is set alongside the Loire River overlooking Amboise.

It was the home of the French Kings and Queens between the 15th and 17th centuries including Henry the second is the final resting place of Leonardo da Vinci who spent his final three years living in Amboise.

The Chateau was used as a Royal Residence for many years and you can see it in the quality of the furnishings and the beautifully carved pieces of furniture. The standout inside is the bedroom of Henri the second and the magnificently furnished red room.

From the outside apart from its unassailable fortress walls it has a fairytale look with the round towers topped with almost whimsical turrets and gables. Although set on a large piece of ground the Chateau itself is not that large as the lawns and gardens outside the main building take up quite a bit of space. The small but pretty chapel of Saint Hubert stands diagonally opposite the main Chateau itself and it here where the tomb of Leonardo is found.

There are some magnificent views from the Chateau’s walls back towards the main town centre of Amboise and across to the houses on the other side of the river.

Make sure you visit here especially if you have any interest in science and even if you don’t you will still find yourself marveling at the mind that was Leonardo’s.

Clos Luce was originally built in the late 1400’s and was the summer residence of French Kings for almost two hundred years; it was in 1516 that Leonardo was invited by King Francois I to live here and where he spent the last three years of his life.

You visit the house following a set route, first by climbing up the watch tower to the first floor and then entering Leonardo’s bedroom where he had a great view of the Castle. You then continue on to the study where he designed amongst many other things a model castle, a water course and self closing doors. You continue on through a number of other rooms including the Great Hall and the kitchen where his faithful cook Mathurine prepared his vegetarian meals.

The highlight is really kept until last down in four rooms in the basement where the Models of Leonardo have been recreated. There are approximately forty models that were four centuries ahead of their time and the first of many later inventions including a tank, the flying machine (aeroplane), plumbers wrench, car, helicopter, and parachute and so the list goes on. It is fascinating so allow yourself some time and there are many more of these recreations in the beautiful gardens including some of his paintings and it is a pleasure to wander around here.

How did the Mona Lisa end up in France? It was one of three favourite paintings that Leonardo bought with him when he travelled via mule over the mountains from Italy when he came to live here.