Paris1972-Versailles2003

I take you back to this magnificent imposing fortress for a second look (see post). Again, found me some pictures not in my blog and they should, The Fortress of Chinon is a must to visit for especially its history of France and Europe. The architecture , history and just plain medieval ambiance are tops. Anyway for this road warrior , Chinon is just 3h15 with tolls or 3h45 without tolls, from my house and we will be back, eventually, Hope you enjoy the post as I.

For geographical reference at least, Chinon is located in the Indre-et-Loire department, 37 in the Centre-Val de Loire region, and in my belle France. It is 47 km from Tours, 30 km from Saumur, 80 km from Angers, 85 km from Poitiers, and 305 km from Paris, Also about 314 km (about 195 miles) from my house. We like to go on the D751 linked to Tours, which partly bypasses the city.

The Royal Fortress of Chinon constitutes a unique ensemble in Touraine. The Fortress is one of the few medieval fortified castles in the Loire Valley. Its history is associated with famous figures: Henri II Plantagenêt, Jacques de Molay, Charles VII, Joan of Arc, Prosper Mérimée, etc. During your visit, you will discover buildings and towers from all eras: of the mill, dog tower, Coudray tower, Boissy tower, Argenton tower, clock tower, treasury tower, royal residences, palace of King Henry II Plantagenêt.,etc

It was in the 10C that a castle was built by Henri II Plantagenêt, count of Anjou and king of England in 1154. The latter will also give this place its current silhouette by building a new palace on the Fort Saint George. At the beginning of the 14C, the fortress was at the center of an important event. Indeed, the Grand Master Jacques de Molay and other high dignitaries of the Order of the Templars were imprisoned there, then tried and burned.

You must enjoy the magnificent views of the medieval city, the vineyards of Chinonais and the Vienne valley !! Both imposing and admirable, this fortress is positioned in a very strategic way, allowing it to control the passages over the Vienne river, and the city located below. A privileged place for diplomatic meetings and military strategy, Chinon has a rich history that you will enjoy discovering during your visit,

My favorite story here goes as Jeanne D’Arc, indeed, arrived in Chinon on February 23, 1429 after 470 km covered in 11 days on her horse. There were two interviews in Chinon, the first in the bedroom of King Charles VII, two days after Joan of Arc’s arrival in Chinon. It was subsequently housed in the keep of Coudray. After an assembly of women chaired by the Queen of Sicily verified the virginity of the Maid of Orleans. She is sent to Poitiers by the King so that specialists can judge her good faith. Once the procedure is over, King Charles VII receives her again at the Royal Fortress of Chinon. It is within this that Joan of Arc made the promise to lead the king to the coronation, and victory!

After a difficult period, the Royal Fortress of Chinon was handed over free of charge to the regional General Council. The latter launched an unprecedented restoration project on the European continent. The goal is to restore the fortress to its beauty and splendour. And they did, again , a must to visit,

The official Château fortress of Chinon :https://www.forteressechinon.fr/en/

The City of Chinon on its heritage :https://www.ville-chinon.com/loisirs/tourisme-et-patrimoine/decouvrir-ma-ville/patrimoine-a-decouvrir

The Touraine Val de Loire tourist office on the fortress of Chinon: https://www.touraineloirevalley.co.uk/cultural-heritage/royal-fortress-of-chinon-chinon/

Here is more from the Assoc of castles of the Loire on the Castle of Chinon :https://www.leschateauxdelaloire.org/en/members/forteresse-royale-de-chinon/

There you go folks , a wonderful old fortress castle that is still imposing  and pretty in gorgeous Chinon. This is a must and worth the detour indeed. Again, hope you enjoy it as I, And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

I like to redo update these wonderful monuments in lovely Chinon, Let me tell you about the Church Saint Maurice of Chinon. The church is a marvel of architecture , history and know them is plenty for this road warrior traveler. Chinon is located in the Indre-et-Loire department, 37 in the Centre-Val de Loire region. 47 km from Tours, 30 km from Saumur, 80 km from Angers, 85 km from Poitiers, and 305 km from Paris, Also about 314 km (about 195 miles) from my house. We like to go on the D751 linked to Tours, which partly bypasses the city.

There are so many monuments in Chinon, and of course, plenty of churches; I will pick some as my historically incline favorites. Let me tell you a bit about them, and hope you enjoy the tour. We took a ride by car as hilly roads and my Dad Elio on wheelchair would have been difficult if impossible. We stop each time we reach a church !

The Church  Saint-Maurice de Chinon is in the department of Indre-et-Loire.no. 37 of the Centre Val de Loire region of my belle France. The church is located along rue Haute-Saint-Maurice, on a terrace below it, below the Château de Chinon. It is located at Pl Saint Maurice and was rebuilt in the 12C ; gradually enlarged until the 16C. The lower nave was added in 1543. Romanesque bell tower. Gothic, Angevin style nave and choir, Renaissance aisle. Rich carved decoration inside. You can admire the figurative nice 19C stained-glass windows and from the 1950s in the aisle. It was built under Henry II of Plantagenets who later became King of England.

The Church Saint Maurice was built replacing a 10C church. From the end of the 12C, it was extended by a choir and a chapel was added to the north. In the 15C the spire of the bell tower was built and it was to the south that a chapel was built and finally, a century later, an aisle was added along the south side of the nave. The nave, which retains some remains of the 10C church in its northern wall, is made up of three equal bays on a square plan. Its architecture with very domed vaults is characteristic of the so-called Western Gothic style and contrasts with the more complex style of its southern aisle. The bell tower,of the 12C nave, is supported at its base by strong buttresses. Each of its faces is lit by two floors of twin bays, except to the west where they are walled up.

The original stained glass windows, destroyed by Nazis bombardments on the bridge over the Vienna river on August 29, 1944, are replaced by modern glazing. The church houses a statue of Joan of Arc, in 1900, representing a modest young woman, far from the representations of the flamboyant warrior. The Saint-Maurice Church must be the subject of a major restoration project. A project on hold for lack of funding,sadly.

The Parish of Chinon on the Saint Maurice Church: https://www.paroisse-chinon.fr/eglise-saint-maurice-37500-chinon.html

The City of Chinon and its heritage :https://www.ville-chinon.com/loisirs/tourisme-et-patrimoine/decouvrir-ma-ville/patrimoine-a-decouvrir

There you go folks, the nice historical and architecture of the Church of Saint Maurice of Chinon. This is wonderful ,splendid Chinon, a must to visit me think. We will be back for more soon. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I. And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

I like to redo update these wonderful monuments in lovely Chinon, Let me tell you about the Saint Radegonde chapel of Chinon. The chapel is a marvel of architecture , history and know them is plenty for this road warrior traveler. Chinon is located in the Indre-et-Loire department, 37 in the Centre-Val de Loire region. 47 km from Tours, 30 km from Saumur, 80 km from Angers, 85 km from Poitiers, and 305 km from Paris, Also about 314 km (about 195 miles) from my house. We like to go on the D751 linked to Tours, which partly bypasses the city.

There are so many monuments in Chinon, and of course, plenty of churches; I will pick some as my historically incline favorites. Let me tell you a bit about them, and hope you enjoy the tour. We took a ride by car as hilly roads and my Dad Elio on wheelchair would have been difficult if impossible. We stop each time we reach a church !

The Sainte-Radegonde chapel is a former oratory converted into a chapel on the hillside of Sainte-Radegonde, east of the historic town center of Chinon, in the department of Indre-et-Loire no 37 in the Centre-Val de Loire region of my belle France. The chapel owes its name to Radegonde de Poitiers, who is said to have met the hermit Jean Reclus there on several occasions. The chapel, disused, was sold as national property during the French revolution.

The Sainte Radegonde chapel is served by rue du Pitoche and rue du Coteau de Sainte-Radegonde, which rise gradually eastward up the hillside from the collegiate church of Saint-Mexme (see post)  , just over 600 meters away from the chapel. According to the tradition reported by Gregory of Tours, the site was indeed Christianized in the 6C, perhaps around 530, when John the Recluse, a hermit from the British Isles also called the priest John, came to settle in a cave after having frequented the religious of Saint-Mexme for a time.  The hermit John acquires, according to the chronicles, a great reputation for wisdom; he was even consulted by Saint Radegonde who stopped in Chinon to visit him on several occasions, notably when she went to Poitiers to found the abbey of Sainte-Croix de Poitiers (see post)  which explains the dedication of the chapel. Tradition reports that the oratory became, upon John’s death, a place of burial for other hermits who followed his example and retired to the same place. Among the burials found in the floor of the southern nave, those which could be dated with certainty, however, date back to the end of the Middle Ages and are characterized by the presence of cephalic cells intended to hold the head of the deceased, an arrangement which was developing at that time.

Sainte-Radegonde chapel takes its modern configuration in the 11-12C. A nave is dug directly into the rock, and consolidated by two monolithic columns when its vault is raised ,perhaps at the end of the 12C or the beginning of the 13C, its vault partially collapses and the building is no longer able to accommodate the many faithful and pilgrims. A second nave was then built, covered with a frame and a single-pitched roof, which disappeared during the revolutionary period: this space has since been transformed into garden ; a medieval colonnade and a modern grille separate it from the troglodyte nave, The chapel was looted in 1563 during the religious wars, the graves were desecrated and the relics of Saint John destroyed; Twenty years later, it was used as accommodation for caregivers and families of patients with an epidemic of plague or typhoid fever which was then raging in Touraine. It was restored in the 17C: around 1643, during the time of Canon Louis Breton who lived in the presbytery, a troglodyte built near the chapel, a new altar was inaugurated in the southern apse and a new cycle of painting, telling the story of Sainte Radegonde and whose scenes are accompanied by a caption made on the walls and the vault ,

During the clearing, cleaning and repair work that was carried out from 1960, it was discovered in 1964 the painting of the chasse royale or royal hunt , hidden under several layers of whitewash in the 19C. After having been used as a dwelling in the same way as the adjoining caves and known to several successive owners, it has belonged to the town of Chinon since 1957. The museum of arts and popular traditions of Chinonais (see post)  has been housed there since 1966. Today, the chapel is open to the public in summer and on the occasion of European Heritage Days.(see post).

The City of Chinon and its heritage : https://www.ville-chinon.com/loisirs/tourisme-et-patrimoine/decouvrir-ma-ville/patrimoine-a-decouvrir

The Touraine Loire Valley tourist office on the Chapel : https://www.touraineloirevalley.co.uk/cultural-heritage/sainte-radegonde-chapel-chinon/

There you go folks, the nice historical and architecture of the Sainte Radegonde chapel of Chinon. This is wonderful ,splendid Chinon, a must to visit me think. We will be back for more soon. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I. And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

I like to redo update these wonderful monuments in lovely Chinon, Let me tell you about the former church Saint Mexme of Chinon. The church is a marvel of architecture , history and know them is plenty for this road warrior traveler. Chinon is located in the Indre-et-Loire department, 37 in the Centre-Val de Loire region. 47 km from Tours, 30 km from Saumur, 80 km from Angers, 85 km from Poitiers, and 305 km from Paris, Also about 314 km (about 195 miles) from my house. We like to go on the D751 linked to Tours, which partly bypasses the city.

There are so many monuments in Chinon, and of course, plenty of churches; I will pick some as my historically incline favorites. Let me tell you a bit about them, and hope you enjoy the tour. We took a ride by car as hilly roads and my Dad Elio on wheelchair would have been difficult if impossible. We stop each time we reach a church !

The story goes that Grégoire de Tours, recounted the installation in the 5C of Mexme or Maxime disciple of Saint Martin, in a troglodyte hermitage in Chinon, east of the Roman castrum which will become the current castle, Saint Mexme would have founded a first church there, which serves center to a small monastery, transformed into a collegiate around the year 1000. The church was then rebuilt on a basilica plan, then enlarged from 1050 by the addition of a western massif comprising a narthex framed by two towers. In the 12C, the nave was extended to the west, a transept and a choir with an ambulatory and radiating chapels completed the transformation of the collegiate church into a vast pilgrimage building. A canonical quarter was built to the south of which some houses, as in rue Hoche, are still present.

Preserved in its entirety, the nave of the year 1000, built in a medium structure, has two levels of elevation: on the ground floor large semicircular arcades, on the upper level high windows also semicircular, underlined by a billet cord. Inside, the nave has always been framed. It is now covered with a false wooden vault dating from the 18C. During the restoration, murals were found under the arches of the high windows and some arcades. The western massif seems to have been added shortly after the construction of the nave, around 1050. It consists of a central part on two levels: on the ground floor, a semicircular vaulted narthex, animated by arcatures on the side walls, and on the first floor a vaulted gallery, enclosed behind towards the nave by a thin wall pierced by three bays. The south tower was completely rebuilt in the 15C, while the north tower was only raised by a symmetrical bell tower at the same time. The north tower now contains a beautiful 18C staircase which connects the ground floor and the first level.

In 1983, masonry work related to the restoration site made it possible to find a Romanesque painting from the 12C in the north chapel. This painting was deposited and is now on display at the nearby Church of Saint-Étienne (see post). This is the upper part of a representation of Christ in Majesty, framed by a Greek arch. At the bottom of the 18C staircase in the north tower, there is a representation of a saint, probably Saint Nicholas, passing his hand through a window to deposit a purse inside a house whose owner is reduced to poverty was preparing to deliver its daughters to prostitution. Under several arches of the nave, on the north side, scenes from the New Testament have been painted. Under the first arch is a Last Judgment, Christ the judge is seated on a throne below which are represented two angels playing the trumpet. Opposite there is a representation of hell, very erased. Under the following arch a story featuring armed men unfolds on several registers: it is undoubtedly a massacre of the innocents. On the ground floor of the south tower, rebuilt in the 15C, there is a monumental painted cycle representing on the one hand a Last Judgment, on the other a Fountain of Life, rare iconography illustrating the death of Christ for Redemption of the world. In addition, in a niche in the west wall is a depiction of God the Father surrounded by angels. This unrestored painting in the 19C brings together the whole cycle of the school active in Tours at the end of the 15C

The former collegiate church of Saint Mexme is now a cultural center: the nave of the year 1000 has housed a small wooden theater since 2002, which hosts summer shows, while the western massif hosts temporary exhibitions.

The Touraine Loire Valley tourist office on the former church :https://www.touraineloirevalley.co.uk/cultural-heritage/saint-mexme-collegiate-church-chinon/

The City of Chinon and its heritage : https://www.ville-chinon.com/loisirs/tourisme-et-patrimoine/decouvrir-ma-ville/patrimoine-a-decouvrir

There you go folks, the nice historical and architecture of the former church of Saint Mexme of Chinon. This is wonderful ,splendid Chinon, a must to visit me think. We will be back for more soon. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I. And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

I have been coming since even before living in France. This is the Loire valley of the kings, and the purest French language according to scholars. I have passed and been in Tours several times, but rather quickly either on business meetings or just stopping by on my way to other places.  All this change until I came to live in France in 2003 and was close by. Tours and its castles you think , yes, there are plenty here and beautiful. However, I came mostly for the architecture and the history and mainly for the wines of the Loire. But again, fell that had not given the merit it deserves to these wonderful monuments in previous posts, and since found me old new pictures to the blog why not combine them into a post as the Curiosities of Tours for the Cathedral Saint Gatien and the Basilica Saint Martin of Tours. Hope you enjoy the post as I

For orientation, Tours is in the Indre et Loire dept 37 of the Centre Val de la Loire region of my belle France ! A major work of art and a very intense religious monuments indeed, A glorious one two punch !!  The city of Tours is a city of Art and History designation ,been a historic city name to the Unesco world heritage sites. As an anecdote ,Tours sometimes is call the Little Paris by visitors because maybe for its history, the architectural arrangement of its boulevards in the center town and buildings in white stone ,nice and clean silhouettes. Couple posts on it is not enough, but will do my share on this post mostly a pictorial as plenty on its history and architecture on my other posts on them,

The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Gatien, the first Bishop of Tours, it is the seat of the Diocese of Tours and the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Ecclesiastical province of Tours. The body of Saint Martin, who died in Candes, was transported to Tours and modestly buried on 11 November 397, three days after his death, in a Christian cemetery outside the city, on the verge of the Roman road to the west. According to Gregory of Tours, Bishop Brice built a wooden building in 437 to house the tomb and the Mantle of Saint Martin, called for this reason a Chapel. Instead the first Basilica of Saint Martin’s Tomb, whose dedication took place in 470, Martin’s body was buried in a sarcophagus behind the altar of the new Basilica. A large block of marble overlooking the tomb, marking its place.

The parish of the Cathedral of Tours: https://www.paroisse-cathedrale-tours.fr/cathedral/index

The Tours tourist office on the Saint Gatien Cathedral: https://www.tours-tourisme.fr/en/cathedrale-saint-gatien-pcucen0370000157

The Official Basilica Saint Martin: https://www.basiliquesaintmartin.fr/

The Tours tourist office on Saint Martin Basilica : https://www.tours-tourisme.fr/en/basilique-saint-martin-pcucen0370000156

There you go folks, hope it helps you enjoy these magnificent monuments such as the Basilica Saint Martin , and Cathedral Saint Gatien of Tours. A must one two punch in lovely Tours indeed, Again, hope you enjoy the post as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

I am back again in the beautiful Centre Val de Loire region with many visits. These are all firsts amazing abundance of marvelous places to see in my belle France. I finally found me a castle that was open, and wow!! first time here and what a find! This is in the town of Lémeré in the Indre et Loire dept 37 just 10 km from Chinon. I will use additional pictures found in my vault to complement the first two posts on the castle in my blog, Therefore here is my take again on the Château du Rivau of Lémeré !! Hope you enjoy the posts as I.

Try not to repeat from previous post but sometimes is impossible to create a story, so excuse me if I do, The castle was built in 1420, was brought as a dowry by Anne de Fontenay to Pierre de Beauvau, first chamberlain of Charles VII. The king gave him his agreement to fortify the medieval castle which already enjoyed a solid reputation because of the steeds it erected. Moreover, Joan of Arc and her companions came to the estate to look for the horses that were used for the siege of Orléans. Pierre de Beauvau therefore had a veritable fortress built with pepperbox towers, moats and machicolations, a drawbridge and a walkway which today bear witness to the typical fortifications of the Middle Ages. His descendant, François de Beauvau, continued the work by fitting out the splendid stables which were the first in France to benefit from ornamental care.  Generations of Beauvau followed one another at the château. The writer Rabelais mentioned Rivau in his Gargantua: “since Gargantua offers the Château du Rivau to Captain Tolmère, as a reward for his victories in the picrocholine wars”! In the 18C, the castle was acquired by the Marquis Michel-Ange de Castellane, lord of Villandry, then various owners succeeded one another until the 20C when the castle became the property of the sculptor Alphonse de Moncel de Perrin.

At the end of the last century, a couple of “magicians” took over the places they were going to transform into an extraordinary castle like those revealed to us in fairy tales. From the monumental Gothic fireplaces to the painted ceilings, the interiors were completely renovated and graced with a theatrical scenography. The whole sound environment of the castle comes to life during the time of lords, tournaments, feasts and musicians, a spectacle that the stables bring to the skies thanks to audiovisual projections. Another magical effect of the castle, contemporary works have slipped into the collection of hunting trophies which display, with great humor, a new art of hunting.

Among the enchantments of the Château du Rivau, the gardens stand out in particular. Reality gives way to the poetry of fairy tales, a whimsical botanical universe. The rose garden stands out from any other since the roses here are selected for their fragrances. An original cast that made it possible to compose a unique conservatory, entirely dedicated to the fragrant rose. The gardens therefore have a collection of 450 varieties of roses, labeled by the CCVS (Conservatory of Specialized Plant Collections). I took my Dad Elio on his last trip always with us RIP, and boys/Rex.

In the 16C, Gabriel de Beauvau had monumental stables built in an innovative style, inspired by the Italian Renaissance. For the first time, the stables left their only utilitarian function to also become ceremonial buildings. They could then accommodate around thirty horses on the ground floor, while the upper floor housed the grooms and served as a storage place. The two wings of the Rivau Renaissance stables form the oldest stables in France, they have kept their mangers from the time and the barrel vaults. It is in these original settings that the current owners have orchestrated seven audiovisual stories that bring the equestrian past of the Château du Rivau to life. The projections evoke the equestrian art of yesteryear and the legendary horses, as well as the rites relating to the world of chivalry. The epic of Joan of Arc is illustrated using sumptuous mobile and sound frescoes composed from illuminations and iconographic documents. My Dad Elio love the Joan of Arc laser show !! RIP

The official Château du Rivau: https://www.chateaudurivau.com/en/

The Touraine Loire Valley tourist office on Rivau castle: https://www.touraineloirevalley.co.uk/cultural-heritage/chateau-and-gardens-of-le-rivau-lemere/

The town of Lémeré on its heritage: https://lemere.fr/tourisme-loisirs-decouvertes-et-patrimoine/

There you go folks, another dandy in my belle France on the valley of the kings ! The Château du Rivau is another must and glad we found it, we will be back, eventually. Again, hope you have enjoy the post as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

One of the best fairy tail castles of the valley of the kings or Loire is Cheverny. It has to rank as one of our favorites over the years. We were there long ago with the whole gang and now came back a bit less with the memories of the fallen in my family. It was a memorable visit to come here essentially to find ourselves with the loving good memories of visiting the cartoon series Tintin. Therefore, let me tell you about the Château de Cheverny and Tintin !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.

My boys grew up with their mother teaching them French since birth back in Florida USA, and one of the tools she used were the Tintin series of cartoon books from Hergé. Good she did as their French was perfect the moment arrive in France and had good notes in school where we were even complimented by the teaching staff and directors. Tintin is it, and they have become very attach to it even today; they still keep the series intact.

One of the all time best cartoonist in Europe and the world me think, Hergé and the charater Tintin, which used this castle as the series castle Moulinsart, The front of the castle is what inspired Hergé for his Tintin series here, The album shown was « The Secret of the Unicorn » that we discover the Château Moulinsart for the first time, The reporter Tintin is then held prisioner in the cellars of the castle, He removed the two outer wings. Inside, some rooms are inspired by the castle. Moulinsart then becomes a recurring element of decoration in the adventures of Tintin, Captain Haddock and Professor Tournesol settle there, soon joined by the reporter … The castle is even at the heart of the intrigue of the album “Les Bijoux de the Castafiore ”.(Jewels of Castafiore).

The steps of the Château de Cheverny were in fact redesigned in the 1930s, but it is the original one that features in the adventures of Tintin, The large interior staircase which is visible from the entrance and on which visitors will be able to see near the famous broken step that causes Captain Haddock to fall in Les Bijoux de la Castafiore. In collaboration with the Hergé Foundation, the route set up allows you to discover the underground passages of Moulinsart, Tintin’s bedroom, but also Professor Tournesol’s laboratory and the dining room in which the characters take their meals. The Château de Cheverny hosts a permanent exhibition dedicated to Tintin. An interactive exhibition on 700 m2 which introduces you to the world of characters from Hergé’s work. Magical and with kids even a must to visit.

A little history of Moulinsart tells us that the castle was offered by King Louis XIV to Chevalier François de Hadoque (the ancestor of Captain Haddock) by a deed of ownership signed in Versailles on July 15, 1684 … It was not until the end of the “Red Rackham’s Treasure” adventure that Captain Haddock bought the castle from his grandfather, with the support of Professor Calculus.

INFO: The Adventures of Tintin: Prisoners of the Sun produce by Steven Spielberg has said that the sequel to Tintin was still relevant. Last I heard, Tintin 2 was to be adapted from two albums, The Seven Crystal Balls and The Temple of the Sun. Estimated cinema in 2025.

The official Château de Cheverny on Tintin : https://www.chateau-cheverny.fr/en/the-secrets-of-marlinspike-hall/permanent-exhibition.html

The official Château de Cheverny: https://www.chateau-cheverny.fr/en/

There you go folks, figure need to put this one separate from the castle per se. The section on Tintin alone is worth the visit me think ! This is a beautiful castle of the Loire. The Château de Cheverny has given us lots of good memorable moments we enjoy remembering of it. Again, hope you too ,find it a memorable moment in your visit.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

This is an enchanting castle with lots of history other than the castle itself. One particular one we love and have come often. I found me older pictures not in my blog, again, and they should be in my blog.  It is located in the department of Loir et Cher No 41 in the region Centre-Val-de-Loire, in my belle France. Therefore, here is my new take , again, the Châteaux de Cheverny !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The Salle d’Armes ,the biggest in the castle with decoration of origin from the 17C, a great wooden chimney and tapestries of Gobelins of the 17C showing events of the war of Troy in Greece. It has a collection of weapons from the 15C to 17C, lots of swords, arquebuses, and vaults of travels from the 17C. It has a covering thread in leather of Cordoba with the arms of France and Navarra that once belongs to king Henri IV and weights 70 kg (about 154 pounds).

The decoration of the Chambre du Roi was entrusted to the most skilful craftsmen and the greatest artists of their time. On the walls are stretched eight large tapestries, made by the Paris factory. They represent, as was then customary in the time of Louis XIV, scenes inherited from mythology. The ceilings are richly decorated, with Italian-style coffers and paintings again taking up mythological themes. They are represented on the paneling 30 scenes inspired by the story of Théagène and Chariclee, also known as the Éthiopiques. A four-poster bed from the 15C, 1.60 meters wide and 2 meters long. You will also find a kneeler, intended for religious devotions, chairs dating from Louis XIII, several armchairs from the Louis XIV period covered with sumptuous Aubusson tapestries.

The chapel, or oratory, is surprising for its small size, but also and above all for the originality of the flamboyant Gothic style chosen by the builder, a style far removed from the building which houses it with Louis XIII decorations). For the record, you should know that this oratory was only completed at the end of the 19C. The location had been reserved from the start, but only the vault had been executed, the columns which should have supported it not having been made. Characteristic of the flamboyant Gothic style, the main vault is made up of two bays with ribbed vaulting, with transverse beams, etc, The two main keystones are pendant on three floors , the pendent key was also called “cul de lampe”), another characteristic of the Flamboyant style which only appeared in the 15C

The Grand Salon on the ground floor is decorated according to the wishes of the Marquise de Montglas. The ceiling was restored in the 19C. You can admire several portraits, Above the doors, the portraits of Louis XIII (on the left) and of Anne-Marie-Louise d’Orléans, known as “la Grande Mademoiselle” (on the right), and on the other side, on the left, Gaston d’Orléans and, on the right, Anne of Austria. The furniture consists, among other things, of a Louis XVI style table, and a set of chests of drawers, armchairs and sofas from the 17-18C, covered with Aubusson tapestries.

The whole family will enjoy it as mine always has, It is still a private castle with a history going back to 1500, the current owner are  Constance and Charles-Antoine de Vibraye , Marquis de Vibraye same family from 1825. The castle was open to the public in 1922. I will put here pictures from the bedrooms, and reception room as well as the chair with a cross of Christ, and last the roman chimney. Gorgeous !!

The official Château de Cheverny: https://www.chateau-cheverny.fr/en/

There you go folks, another beautiful historical castle in the wonderful Loire Valley of my belle France. Always amazing things to see and Cheverny should be on the top list of any, Again, hope you enjoy the Château de Cheverny as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

And again, taking you down the Loire valley of my belle France. I am taking you down to the fairy tale castle of the ladies! The town and castle has a peculiarity of the name but that is just history (see post). The place of course visited often, and need to tell you a bit more on it,  Ahh, I am talking about the Château de Chenonceau interiors !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I 

This is a fairy tale castle in the castle rich Loire Valley area of France. It is most known for its connection to the many woman who nourish it,and improve it over the years.  I went to the area often as used to purchase my goodies there and helped the Lion Club International in the Touraine region. This is in the village of Chenonceaux, dept 37 of the Indre et Loire of the Centre Val de Loire region of my belle France.

The Château de Chenonceau  is here since the 12C, with a fortified windwill from 1230. It goes thru many changes of hands and a legal battle to gain title to the property by heirs of Thomas Bohier, he finally marries a one Catherine Briçonnet (the first lady of the story of the castle) , which does lots of work on the property until her death in 1526. Due to bad finances and no taxes paid, the king François I takes the property in 1535.  Later king Henri II gives it to his favorite lady Diane de Poitiers (see post on Anet) ,she ,also, does lots of work on the castle. After the death of Henri II in a duel in 1559, the crown finds a way again to take the property back, this time is Catherine de Medicis. You have a continuation history of woman relating to the castle such as  Louise de Lorraine wife of king Henri III where the bedroom in the 2nd floor shows on the door the deuil of her assassinated husband in 1589. She lived here until her death surrounded by religious sisters that took domicile at the castle, turning it into some form of convent after the death of Catherine. Not to forget the other women, Gabrielle d’Estrées.

Located on the first floor, you have an impressive gallery (see post) in the Château de Chenonceau. Built in 1576 on the bridge over the Cher, the gallery is 60 meters long, 6 wide, has 18 windows with a lovely panorama of the gardens and the Cher river, and is equipped with pretty chimneys at both ends. Note that the gallery served as an infirmary and a hospital during WWII, when the Cher river was the dividing line between the occupied zone and the free zone of France, More than 2,000 officers were treated here, I give you the beginning and the end of the gallery below.

The chambre César de Vendôme’s room surprises with the richness of its decor. Adorned with tapestries, the room features a window framed by two 17C wooden caryatids.

This room of the five queens is a tribute to the 2 daughters and 3 daughters-in-law of Catherine de Medici: Queen Margot, Elisabeth of France, Maire-Stuart, Elisabeth of Austria and Louise of Lorraine. The coats of ,arms of these 5 queens are embedded in the sumptuous 16C coffered ceiling.

The salle François I room pays homage to François I who was welcomed by Catherine Briçonnet, the owner of the premises. The curious can admire one of the most beautiful fireplaces of the Renaissance as well as a portrait of Diane de Poitiers, represented in the manner of the huntress goddess.

The Cabinet Vert was the study of Catherine de Medici, who became regent of the kingdom on the death of her husband Henry II. She governed France from this room. On the ceiling of the 16C in its original state, there are 2 intertwined Cs.

The Galerie Médicis gallery, located on the first floor of the castle, brings together a unique collection of paintings, tapestries, furniture and works of art: “Le château de Chenonceau“, oil painting by Pierre-Justin Ouvrié , “Le Cher“ Neuilly tapestry of 1883, Haute Époque two-part sideboard, original furniture from the Château de Chenonceau, the “Venus of the Medici“… Not forgetting a precious Cabinet of Curiosities. You will see Rubens, Primaticcio, Tintoretto, Correggio, Van Loo, Murillo, Clouet, Sassoferrato, Andrea del Sarto, Ribalta, Nattier, Veronese, Poussin, Van Dyck, Bassano, Zurbaran etc, as well as the 15C Florentine sculptor Mino da Fiesole… These masterpieces painted by the greatest European masters of the 16-18C echo the history of the castle and the leading role played by women there.

The kitchens of the castle are installed in a vaulted room on ribbed vaults. Between the sparkling brass, visitors admire the bread oven and the most imposing chimney in the building. Next to the kitchens are the butcher’s shop and the pantry. These pieces are set in the gallery’s hollow pillars built into the river bed.

The official Château de Chenonceau: https://www.chenonceau.com/en

The local Touraine Loire Valley tourist office on the castle : https://www.touraineloirevalley.co.uk/cultural-heritage/chateau-of-chenonceau-chenonceaux/

There you go folks, a dandy in the marvelous Loire Valley ,a must to see in my belle France. The castle of the ladies, Château de Chenonceau is awesome ! Again, hope you enjoy the post as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!