Chateaux of the Loire
Sunday–Wednesday May 18–21, 2003
Chenonceau was built around 1525. It is built over or across the River Cher. Catherine de’ Medici (she introduced the fork to the French) had a large park built adjacent to the chateau when she lived here.
Cheverny was built between 1604 and 1634. When the owners wanted fresh citrus, they could have fruit brought to them from the nearby orangerie, itself a very attractive building.
Our visit took place during a heavy rain.
Another rainy day, another chateau. This is Chambord. On a sunny day this would be even more beautiful.
Apparently Leonardo da Vinci put forward a plan for this chateau, but it was altered as time went on. The building was finished in 1537.
The owner, a French king, poured a lot of money into Chambord. But even the King had limits, and decided to not divert the Loire River to run in front of the house and instead settled on diverting a smaller river.
The Duke of Parma sold the chateau in 1932 to the Republic.
This is the hill town of Chinon, with the Vienne River running around the town. It is very Middle Ages in look and feel. Joan of Arc came through here in 1429 and met with the future Charles VII.
There is a lot of history in this part of France, which once was ruled by the English. This photograph was taken in the remote Fontevraud Abbey, consecrated by a pope in 1119. Eleanor of Aquitane and Richard the Lionheart are buried here.
The Abbey has been completely restored and is worth a visit.
The Loire Valley is a Unesco World Heritage site.
In the Dordogne area, we had one dinner of clams in cream and goat cheese and olive tapenade on toast; salmon in a pastry cup; sundried tomatoes on croutons; white asparagus with morel sauce; leeks, peas and carrots with oxtail juice; rack of lamb with curry and chick peas; beef filet in white wine wrapped with spinach leaves in chicken mousse; and green beans and green asparagus.
In Chinon we had coq au vin; crab and shrimp mousse; pigeon pan fried with prune and honey sauce; fried shoe string potatoes; and kale with cinnamon and butter. Dessert was chocolate walnut cake.
Another dinner in Chinon consisted of a (potato shell) tart of zucchini, red bell peppers, tomatoes and pesto; fresh water lobsters with avocado; and veal with morel sauce and mashed celery root and potato cake.
We drove in the scenic valley of the Loire River to see several chateaux and stayed for two days in the attractive town of Chinon.
Next—Mont–Saint–Michel in Normandy.
