The Loire Valley is famous for its chateaus (and red wine!) and there are chaetaus at just about very turn. We visited a few of them and were amazed at how the wealthy lived!
Chateau de Chenonceau
This amazing chateau is built over a river and shows just how comfortable the wealthy lived and it had some very spectacular gardens. It also has some very interesting history. One of the owners of the chateaus was Henry II and he gave the chateau to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, as a gift. When Henry II died, his wife, Chaterine de Medici forced Diane to give it back in exchange for another chateau!
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| Walking up the impressive tree lined boulevard up to the castle |
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| Approaching the fairy tale like Chateau Chenonceau |
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| Pretty impressive chateau over the river! |
Inside, the Chateau was also pretty impressive.
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| Eloise was clearly impressed by something! |
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| The mistress to whom Henry II gifted the chateau |
The gardens were also spectacular and there was Diane's garden which was very grand and large and a more modest garden that was Catherine Medici's.
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| Diane's Garden |
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| Catherine Medici's Garden |
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| Walking up to Chinon Castle |
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| Chinon Castle |
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| View of Chinon from the Castle |
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| Chinon Castle |
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| Playing some medieval games |
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| Medieval version of Pick Up Sticks |
Another chateau we visited was Leonardo Da Vanci's chateau in Amboise. It was here that Leonardo spent his last three years. The chateau has exhibits of a number of his inventions and the kids found it fun trying them out.
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| Clos de Luce where Leonardo lived in his last 3 years |
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| Copies of Leonardo's work was on display everywhere in the gardens |
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| Playing in Leonardo's tank |
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| Another Leonardo invention |
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| Swinging on Leonardo's helicopter |
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| Leonardo's paddle boat |
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| Leonardo's lever and gear systems |
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| Leonardo's art on display in the trees |
The kids loved the playground at this chateau's garden
Also very intriguing for the kids were these nesting holes for pigeons. The girls would like one at home to display their beanie boos.!
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| Pigeon holes |
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| Pigeon holes are apparently perfect as a display for the beanie boos |
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| Troglodyte dwellings |
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| Streets of Amboise |
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| Amboise |
Best known for its gardens and we were not disappointed. The gardens were very symmetrical and there was not a blade of grass out of place.
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| Chateau Villandry |
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| Chateau Villandry |
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| The owners of Chateau Villandry still live in parts of it |
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| Chateau Villandry |
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| Would love to have these floors! |
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| View of the gardens and the local church from one of the chateau bedrooms |
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| Wish I had a herb garden that looked like this! |
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The Love Heart Garden |
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| The Chateau has its own woods! |
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| The vast grounds of the Villandry's gardens |
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| Chateau Villandry |
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| Chateau Villandry |
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| Peek a boo ! |
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