Chateau de Chenonceau |
Chateau de Chaumont |
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 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 |
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