Monday, May 6, 2019

France Vacation - Chateaus

5/6/19

Our day started bright and early with a 7:00AM hotel pickup by our driver, Gigi.  Our plan was to visit chateaus in Chambord, Chenonceau, and Amboise before being dropped off at the train station in Tours to catch our ride to Bordeaux.



Our first stop, Chambord, is about a 2 hour drive from Paris, so we were able to get a quick nap in before the day officially began.  Construction on Chateau Chambord, commissioned by King Francis I, began in 1519 and once finished, it was the largest chateau in the entire Loire Valley.  I knew that it was big, but seeing it in person is just breathtaking.  It was originally built as a hunting lodge and is situated on a 13,000+ acres game reserve with almost 20 miles of exterior walls surrounding the property.  I also learned that it is strongly rumored that the chateau was designed by Leonardo Da Vinci, with some evidence being the double spiraled staircase in the center of the chateau.  I am choosing to 100% believe this because it makes my trip sound fancier.  We also found a wine tasting, but that's not surprising in the slightest.






After finishing up in Chambord, we traveled for another hour or so to our next stop, Chenonceau.  Construction on the Chateau de Chenonceau began in the early 1500s, with a bridge spanning the river being added in the middle part of that century.  Shortly after the construction of the chateau was completed, it was seized by King Francis I for "unpaid debts."  It's good to be king.  After Francis died, his successor, King Henry II, offered the chateau to his mistress.  Once King Henry died, his widow, Catherine de Medici (yes, those Medici), seized the chateau from the mistress and took it for herself.  Very complicated.  Moral of the story is don't give castles to your mistress if you don't plan to outlive your wife.








The chateau was used as a hospital during World War I and its bridge spanning the River Cher was one of the only bridges in the area not destroyed in World War II.  The girls also sniffed out another wine cellar for tastings and I found a gigantic duck.  Point, me.




Our final stop of the day was Amboise.  Construction on the fortifications surrounding Chateau Amboise began in the 9th century and was expanded over time until it was eventually seized by the crown after its owner was accused of treason and condemned to be executed (later pardoned).  That's nice and all, but there's only one reason I wanted to visit Amboise.  Da Vinci.  There is a chapel on the property that contains the remains of Leonardo Da Vinci.  If you recall, we saw the remains of Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo while we were on vacation in Italy, so Amboise has been on my list to complete my collection of Ninja Turtles.

We finished our tour by being dropped off at the train station in Tours for a 2 hour train ride to Bordeaux.  Finish the tour in Tours.  That was tough to explain with a slight language barrier.  












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