Les Chateaux de la Loire

Chateau de Chenonceau

A rich man sells his vast estate to a richer man as payment of debt. The richer man's philandering son gifts the estate to his mistress, much to the chagrin of his wife. On his death, the wife maneuvers the mistress into relinquishing the estate and then spends all her time throwing lavish parties and social gatherings to show off her status and wealth. The estate then passes to her favorite daughter-in-law whose husband is tragically killed by a madman and she enters into a state of depression, aimlessly wandering the halls of the mansion for the rest of her life. If this seems like the story of an afternoon soap-opera, think again. The estate in question is the Chateau de Chenonceau, the story is set in the 1500s and the characters are the kings and queens of France. Oh, but don't feel sorry for the mistress, Diane de Poitiers. She got another castle in exchange at Chaumont-sur-Loire, where earlier Catherine de Medici (the aforementioned wife) used to entertain a nutcase of astrologers (that's the official collective term, isn't it?) including the annoyingly famous Nostradamus.

Chateau de Chaumont

Chenonceau and Chaumont are only two of the many spectacular castles in the region. Le val de Loire. The banks of the river Loire are dotted with castles (or les chateaux in French), about seventy or so in total stretching from Orleans in the east to Nantes in the west. For an active tourist, the best way to see them would be to cycle down the Loire from Orleans to Angers and check off quite a few of the popular ones along the way. The ride is wonderfully pleasant in spring and summer with the track running alongside the river or its tributaries for several stretches. The well marked cycling trails make it all the more easier. There are of course trains that connect nearby towns and bus tours that organize trips from some of the bigger cities. And for those interested, the region produces some of the best wines in France and a lot of the wineries along the route offer the chance to grab a taste.

Of the many castles, some are big, some are small, some are palaces, some are forts, some were royal residencies, some of lesser nobles or poor businessmen who could not afford more than 50 rooms, but to the eyes of a common man the sight of each is quite spectacular. The insides of these castles are decked with a lot of the original finery. Delicately knitted tapestries adorn the walls of the chambers that are filled with intricately carved furniture. Glittering chandeliers hung from the roofs of the soiree halls whose walls are often lined with the portraits of the owners and their liege lords. The dining rooms retain a lot of the original gold and silver cutlery and the kitchens a lot of the copper utensils. The sight of some of the extravagances make the revolution of 1799 seem fated to occur. 

Chateau de Chambord is the biggest and most awe-inducing of the lot. Once upon a time, a summer retreat and hunting lodge of the kings, the magnificent castle is a palace, with more than 400 rooms, 80 staircases and 50 sq km of surrounding grounds.  And as has often been commented, the innumerable spires, towers, cupolas, chimneys seem to form a city skyline in themselves above the white stone structure of the palace. The chateaux of Chenonceau and Villandry are decked with expansive and the most pristine gardens in France. 

Chateau de Chambord

Each one of these castles comes with a tiny tale of it's own or a tiny piece of anecdotal information. Chateau d'Amboise is where Leonardo da Vinci is buried and nearby, Clos Lucé the house where he spent his final days is filled with reconstructed models of his paper designs. Chateau d'Ussé is the one that inspired Charles Perrault to write the Sleeping Beauty and Chateau Chaverny is the one that formed the basis for Marlinspike Hall of Tintin comics. Chateau de Blois is where Jean d'Arc started her campaign to free Orleans. Chateau de Langeais is where Anne of Brittany married Charles VIII unifying Brittany and France. A little part of history or a trinket of literature and culture is stored away in each of these chateaux for all ages to come. And hopefully, they will not be forgotten. 

Chateau d'Amboise

Clos Lucé

Gardens of Chateau de Chenonceau

Chateau de Langeais