The vacation in the year 2012 should be a "little flatter" - that means vacation in the flat country. We thought, the valley of the Loire in France would be just the right place.
We booked with Interchalet a reasonably priced summer cottage near Chinon. Near- that means a lonesome hamlet in La Roche-Clermault, 6 kilometers away from Chinon. The cottage was not a palace but absolutely sufficient for 4 persons. It's notable: the house was in the midst of the winery of Monsieur Bruno Préveaux.
There are a lot of palaces and castles in the surroundings. Many vineyards there look like small chateaux, and in the great and big castles was written a considerable part of the French history.
Chinon itself is located at the river Vienne, an affluent of the Loire,a picturesque, medieval town with a big castle high above the city and many small streets, lanes and squares.
The surroundings of the cottage is lovely and bicycle-friendly. You can easily bike on asphalted roads and farm tracks between vineyards and grainfields. You pass small hamlets, villages and lonesome farms. But it's only right at nice weather. We had'nt every day. Almost every day we had one rain shower, at least!
Monsieur Préveaux' excellent red and rosé wine took comfort in the bad weather. And the visits in the marvellous castles and abbeys were a good compensation for rain, wind and low temperatures.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
The surroundings
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| The wheat for the typical French baguettes is growing here. |
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| Old willow near La Roche Clermault |
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| The vineyard looks like a small "chateau". |
The first day was sunny. We were hoping for nice summer days. First we explored the immediate surroundings.
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| A nice summery landscape, isn't? |
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| The wine of Chinon is one of the best in the Loire region. |
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| The vineyards are very well maintained. |
Chinon
Our small hamlet is called Launay and is part of the village La Roche-Clermault.It is south of the river Vienne. The town Chinon is 6 kilometers away. The historic center is on the north side of the Vienne.
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| View of the bridge over the Vienne. |
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| The Vienne |
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| The old castle overlooking the picturesque town |
In the history of Chinon Jeanne d'Arc played a major role. Here she asked Charles VII, to chase away the English.
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| Riverside road Quai Jeanne d'Arc |
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| Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau |
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| View to the castle |
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| Former cave homes |
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| Above the roofs of the city |
We liked to visit Chinon. Here we could experience old history, had good opportunities for shopping (Super U, Intermarché, Leclerc ), on Thursdays strolling on the farmers market, eating in nice restaurants and fill up our tanks
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| On Thursdays is market day |
Azay-le-Rideau
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| Azay Castle |
Between Chinon and Tours you can find Azay-le-Rideau, upon the river Indre, an affluent of the Loire. The river here is dividing in some arms. The famous château is on a small island. Originally there was a medieval castle. Later, in 16th century after the old castle was slighted the new château was built as typical renaissance château.
Why the old castle was slighted?
In 1417 Burgundian soldiers were quartered in this castle.When 1418 the future king Charles VII had crossed Azay-le-Rideau, he was insulted by a soldier of the garrison. Charles had avanged so cruellly, that he had slighted the castle and the whole town. All soldiers were beheaded. About 100 years later they began to built the new castle. |
| A wonderful park around the château. |
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| View to a corner tower |
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| Typically for France: school classes visiting historic buildings |
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| Winding stairs to the bedroom of the former owner |
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| Parkside of the castle |
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| One of the beautiful stained glass windows |
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| The Rue Balzac leads to the castle |
Royal Palace Amboise
Only 25 km away from Chenonceau is located Amboise. We can easily visit this town on the same day even though we have already a certain tiredness of sightseeing.
At lasty, we can see the Loire at the first time. We are surprised how wide and natural the river is. Directly above the river the chateau of Amboise rises.
Contrary to Chenonceau - here was made state policy in the 14th and 15. centuries .Especially the kings Charlesl VIII and Francois I. have resided there and have left their marks. Mainly Charles is to owe the conversion of the old castle to its today's form. He had got Italian architects to Amboise to change the castle in the sense of the renaissance.
He could not see the finished building. He pushed his head against a low door beam so that he died short time later. He wanted just to show his wife Anne de Bretagne a new ball game!
Francois I finished Charles' lifework. His merit was also that Leonardo da Vinci came to Amboise. He had there his old-age residence and died here in this town.
At lasty, we can see the Loire at the first time. We are surprised how wide and natural the river is. Directly above the river the chateau of Amboise rises.
Contrary to Chenonceau - here was made state policy in the 14th and 15. centuries .Especially the kings Charlesl VIII and Francois I. have resided there and have left their marks. Mainly Charles is to owe the conversion of the old castle to its today's form. He had got Italian architects to Amboise to change the castle in the sense of the renaissance.
He could not see the finished building. He pushed his head against a low door beam so that he died short time later. He wanted just to show his wife Anne de Bretagne a new ball game!
Francois I finished Charles' lifework. His merit was also that Leonardo da Vinci came to Amboise. He had there his old-age residence and died here in this town.
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| The Loire in Amboise |
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| View of the castle |
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| Detail view |
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| Leonardo da Vinci's supposed tomb |
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| Typically Renaissance these frontispieces |
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| Rue Victor Hugo in Amboise |
Fontevraud l'Abbaye
Today no chateau! Therefore an Abbey. Actually a former Abbey, founded 1100. The French Revolution had finished the Abbey time, suddenly. Then the building was a prison until the late 1980ies. Now, the abbey is a museum and the French state is the owner.
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| The tickets |
Apart from that, visitations are not cheap in France.
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| Fontevraud l'Abbaye is the biggest European Abbey. Quelle: http://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Fontevraud-l'Abbaye |
The Plantagenêts
In 12th century the dynasty of the "Plantagenêts" governed there in this region. Their symbol was a branch of broom(French: planta genêt). Geoffrey I. married the daughter of the English King. His son Henry became as Henry II King of England. Big parts of France came to his empire, when he married Eleanor of Aquitaine.His son Richard the Lionheart, (actually Richard Plantagenêt) was elected as King Richard I. 1189 after a long time of conflicts. He was got famous by his attendance of the 3rd Crusade. Because his ruthless pugnacity he was called Richard the Lionheart.
While he was on the Crusade his brother John Lackland governed the empire. The problem was: He didn't want gave back the government to his brother. Thereupon Richard did a cease-fire with Sultan Saladin and hurried home. There they denied him a return.
After many adventures he took power back in France and died in 1199.
In the church of the Abbey of Fontevraud we saw the tombs of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lionheart and Isabella of Angoulême (2nd wife of his brother John Lackland).
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| In the minster are the tombs of the famous Plantagenêts. |
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| Tombs of Eleanor and Henry |
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Richard the Lionheart
and Isabella of Angoulême
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More pictures about the Abbey of Fontevraud:
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| The minster |
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| The chancel of the minster |
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| Cloister St Mary |
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| View to the kitchen building |
Friday, June 1, 2012
The Cardinal and his city: Richelieu
Who doesn't know him, the "bad" Cardinal Richelieu against him the brave three musketeers were fighting in Duma's novel or in one of the many films? He was the famous prime minister of the king Louis XIII. But he was not only a politician, he had built a city as well: an ideal city (cité ideale) , the city of Richelieu . It is arisen quasi on the drawing board. In a symmetric network of streets with the Grand Rue in the middle he erected magnificent houses, a church, a market hall and a park with a castle.
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| Aerial photo of Richelieu |
Richelieu is only about 20 km away from us. We park at the Place des Religieuses, one of the two big squares on both ends of the Grand Rue and walk alongside the stately main axis of the city. Magnifique buildings with big round-arch portales are right and left of the impressive street.
The Espace Richelieu, a museum, is in one of the houses. but we pass on visiting it. We reach the market place, the Place du Marché. Eye catcher here is the neo-classical church Notre Dame. Around the square we see small shops, the town hall, the post office and restaurants. The wooden market hall is just renovated. We can see it only from the outside and scaffolded.
We walk through one of the 4 considerable gates and come to the Place du Cardinal with a big marble statue of the famous cardinal. Behind it the palace garden begins. A long wide way lined with big, old trees along a small canal leads us to the place where the castle had been in former times. Unfortunately, the French revolutionary had destroyed the castle absolutely in 1789. Only 3 pavillons are left from the former chateau. But the park is well worth seeing with its old trees and the nice rose garden.
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| The Musketeers of Intermarché |
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| La Grand Rue |
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| Notre Dame |
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| The Cardinal |
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| Castle Park |
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| Place du Cardinal |
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| Rose in the rose garden |
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| Our evening meal |
Chateau Chambord
Our Longest trip is to Chambord . Almost 130 km we have to drive. But even the drive there is an experience for itself, especially the route from Tours. Tours itself is a little annoying because of the many construction sites. But after we have crossed the city, we always go along the Loire, on the right bank. The Loire is a really likable, wide river! It flows through green pastures. Small coves and sand bars offer a diverse picture. Sometimes small islands divide the river into several branches. The Loire is the longest and perhaps the most beautiful river in France.
On the opposite side we see the town and castle of Amboise . A few kilometers further a small village stretches along the river bank. Over the village stands a castle, Chaumont sur Loire , as we read it later. In this castle Catherine de Medici banished the maitresse of Henry II, Diane de Poitier, from Chenonceau after the king died. On our side of the river a bigger town emerges: Blois . There is also a known royal castle , which we will visit briefly on the way back.
Here we cross the river and turn towards Chambord , which we reach after a long and inconvenient detour. On a perfectly straight road through the forest of Chambord (Reserve National de Chasse de Chambord), we come to the castle or on the big parking lots in front of the castle. Before the visit we take a small snack with a Croque Monsieur
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| The Loire near Chaumont |
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| Amboise |
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| Chaumont-sur-Loire |
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| Blois |
Chambord Castle is probably the most magnificent chateau in France and certainly the largest of the Loire castles. Construction began in 1519. Builder was Francis I. It should primarily be a hunting and pleasure palace. But only under Louis XIV, the palace was really ready. Impressive is the general view of the castle with many turrets, gables and chimneys.
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| Aerial photo(this we haven't taken it!) |
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| The double helix staircase |
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| The axis for both staircases, |
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| On the roof terrace you can see this view: the entrances to both stairs |
A technical masterpiece is the famous double staircase in the center of the castle. Supposedly originated the design by Leonardo da Vinci. Two separate staircases lead adjacent to the three floors and the roof terrace.
On the ground floor we see a film - partially computer-animated- about the building history of the castle. On each floor there are four cross-shaped corridors. They lead to four huge halls and apartments. At the center of the cross are the two axes of the double helix staircase. In the 1st Floor is located in the North Tower the apartment Francis I. He could also be accessed via a separate staircase.
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| Everywhere you can find school classes in French monuments |
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| The Chambre Royal - bedroom Louis XIV |
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| Staircase to the apartment
of Francis I. |
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| The salamander and the letter F - the signs of Franzis I. |
In the west tower is the Museum of the Count of Chambord (Henri d'Artois) accommodated. This count was the last private owner of the castle. Only 5 days he lived in this castle, because he had to live in exile for many years. He was also the last of the Bourbons, who should be crowned after the Franco-German War as Henry V. As we know, it's not happened.
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| The roof line of Chambord |
The roof terrace is very impressive. A unique landscape of towers and chimneys greets us as we leave the staircase. Over the two staircases to the lantern, a cupola bulges exactly in the center of the castle. As everywhere in the castle we see here a class that is declared life in this castle. You can see far into the country from here. Endless forests are wide around the castle, formerly hunted in which, probably today.
Black clouds are approaching from the south. Previously, we had sun. Now we hurry and just before a thunderstorm we take refuge first in the East Wing, where the royal carriages are on display and then in the café.
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| A wide look at the landscape |
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| A look from the terrace |
All in all a great experience, this castle! More pompously is not possible. But, the castle is not suitable for living.
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