Loire Valley is located in southwest two hours from
Paris. It offers France’s greatest array of castle experiences. Wander through sumptuous
interiors, cared by noble families who’ve lived there for centuries and still
put bouquets fit for a countess. View packs of carefully – bred hounds yelping for red meat as they await
their next chance to hunt.
Standing
on a rooftop the size of Notre dame amid countless chimneys, imagine you’re
king’s mistress watching proudly as your man’s men flush the deer out of the
woods and your Louis of Henry or Charles proceeds to shot them deed. Paddle a
canoe along fairytale castle that lopes gracefully a top an arcade over the Cher River. The challenge
for any visitor how to choose among the countless castle thrills of the Loire
Valley.
Loire
Valley is carpeted with fertile fields crisscrossed by rivers and studded with
hundreds of castles in all shapes and sizes. Medieval castles are here because
the Loire was strategically important during the Hundred Years War ( the War between
England and France through 14th and 15th centuries).
During the renaissance fortified castles
were replaced by pleasure palaces as the Lore became fashionable among the
Parisian rich and royal.
The Valley
of Thousand castles is also the home to many good wines. As you travel through the
Loire look for tasting signs, inquire at tourist center for winery and tasting
information. The towns of Vouvray and Chinon have many proud and hospitable
family wineries. While less than a thousand, there seem to be countless castles
io choose from consider visiting the region’s three most interesting castles;
Chenonceau, Chambord and Cheverny. Don’t go
overboard on these three can be visited
in a day by a car or local minibus tour. Among the Parisian rich and royal the
toast of the Loire Chanonceau is a 15th century Renaissance palace
arching femininely over the Cher River. One look and you know it was designed
by woman Diane de Poitiers added the delightful arched bridge across the river.
Mistress of Henry II, Diane enjoyed her lovely retreat until henry died and his
vengeful wife Catherine de Medici unceremoniously kicked her out. Catherine added
a three – story structure a top Diane’s Bridge, giving the castle its unique
river ridge charm. She turned Chenonceau into the local aristocracy’s place to
see and be seen. Much later in the 20th century Chenonceau marked
the border between free and Nazi France in Second World War. Dramatic prisoner
swaps took place here. And now in the 21th century it is a delighted to
explore.
More like
a city than a castle, the Chambord castle is huge. Surrounded by a lush park
with deer and boar, it was originally built as a simple huntng lodge for bored
blue bloods.
Don’t
miss Chambord’s huge double – spiral staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci.
Leonardo spent years as apart of the French king’s court and lived nearby on
the Loire in Amboise. Other Chambord highlights include its second – floor vaulted
ceilings, enormous towers on all corners, a pincushion roof of spire and
chimneys and a 100 foot tall lantern supported by flying buttresses. To see
what happens when you put the 365 fireplaces in your house, wander through the
forest of chimney spires on the rooftop. Only 80of the 440 rooms are open to
the public. The most lavish furnishings of all the Loire Castle decorate the
stately hunting palace of Cheverny, those who complain that the Loire Castle
have stark and barren interiors missed this one. Today’s Castle was built in 1634
.