Nice Monday 8th Sept

 Friday 14th June Chinon to Montlouis-sur-Loire.

Another castle today, but not just any caatle, Chenonceau. Monty has been here too, so I knew a little bit about it, and who hasn’t seen pictures of the covered bridge across the river. the river Cher.

Interesting history, although I’d heard about Dianne de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici’s gardens, I didn’t realise that women paid a big role in the history of this castle.

16th century Katherine Briconnet, and her husband Thomas Bohier demolished the fortified castle and mill, leaving only the keep, which the restored in renaissance style. Their coats of arms are still on the doors Katherines I think is the one I got a photo of.

King Henri II gave it to Diane de Poitiers, his favourite lady friend, she built the bridge over the river so she could go riding in the forest on the other side, she also had built gardens that were very modern at the time.

Overlooking Diane’s gardens from the chateau

When Henri II died, Catherine de Medici, his wife, removed Diane, made more gardens, Italianate, and raised the height of the bridge into a two floored gallery so she could have glorious parties, As regent she governed France from here.

From the Gallery towards Medici gardens

Louise of Lorraine, Henri III widow withdrew to the chateau in 1589, devoted herself to reading charity and prayer her death in 1601 ended royal presence at Chenonceau.

In 18th century Louise Dupin, gave renewed splendour to the chateau, held salons with the likes of Rousseau and Voltaire, and managed to save it during the revolution.

19th century Marguerite Pelouze, Industrial Bourgeoisie, in 1864 spent a fortune in restoring the estate to resemble how it looked in the days of Diane de Poitiers.Bankrupted by a political affair (her brother)

Simone Menier transformed and equipped the two galleries during WWI into a hospital. Menier chocolate factory financed it and over 2000 wounded soldiers were looked after here. She also worked for resistance in WW1I. There is a mock up in one of the out buildings

Some fabulous flower arrangements and other rooms in the chateau

Dianes gardens 

From Diane’s garden looking back towards the chateau

Catherines gardens unfortunately every way you look it is a photograph! I took a photo for a young French lady and she reciprocated, I’m sure I got the whole Chateau in for her, 😀

Russell Page gardens, more contemporary, loved the sheep and the rose had a lovely perfume

Walked past a working farm, some ducks and things to the kitchen gardens, and I can’t resist the red of the poppies wherever I see them, rewinding/wildflowers seem to be a big thing in France, where they get the chance.

 

This is a bee hive, didn’t have much time to study it, but really liked it’s size, seen a lot of bees over here on the flowers

Donkey fields

Around the estate and the maze. I walked through the maze, which was under shoulder height, probably saves them having to rescue people, I took advantage of some kids that were running through and finding the dead ends. France is so green!!!

Then we travelled on to Amboise, a Loire castle actually on the Loire river, another amazing Chateau, this one viewed from the outside only, Firstly through some street Art.

But we had a couple of hours in Amboise, so an icecream to keep me going, blood orange, put together beautifully and off I walked up towards Clos de Luce where Leonardo spent his last years.

A museum to Leonardo is set up inside, with rooms decorated in the style of the day,

His studio 

And displays of his inventions.

And of course ther had to be some beautiful gardens, ther renaissance gardens 

And more natural gardens

A fountain designed by Max Ernst was by the bus parking area beside the river, It’s rather amusing.The little ones around the outside are turtles too. Imagine walking down the street and finding Max Ernst art !!

Then in the van again for our short journey to our home for the night, another Chateau. De la Bourdaisiere. We were invited in and were told the history by the manager, It was the castle of Philibert Babou and his wife Marie Gaudin. She was Francois I’s lover and pope Leo 10th Her Husband was treasurer to the King. Francois built the castle for her, 16th century. We all had notable or notorious people names for our rooms. I was Madame du Barry !

My room was in the pavilion looking back to the chateau, apparently the pavilion is the listed part of the estate as it hasn’t been altered as much over the centuries. So I settled into my very pink room up in the rafters, caught up on some of my blog whilst looking out my window at the chateau. How surreal it is to be here.

After resting up I had a wander around the gardens and park. The current owner is into gardening, well he has a gardener as you would, but they have the countries biggest collection of tomatoes, over 700 varieties, apparently there are many thousands, they also have the collection of dahlias over 400 varieties. It was suggested we should go back in late summer to see everything in bloom and fruit!!

The grounds were beautiful, that’s had this exhibition about anatomy and body parts, it was arranged as an educational thing for children, so there ere parts around the estate,including in the steps down to the dried up moat.

we dined at the chateau that night, quite simple food, gazpacho, rice, carrots and chicken with a cream sauce (of course this is France) and desert was raspberry floating islands on a vanilla custard.But before this I had a beer - from the estate, Tomato and basil beer that is - really nice.

Looking back to the chateau from my window as the sun dipped below the clouds 

I took some photos in the morning on the way to breakfast of the drawing room and entrance.

Slept really well, I think a chateau suits me!!