Day 3 & 4: Châteaux de la Loire

With a few days of immersion in Paris behind us, we felt the need to escape the city and explore the Valée de la Loire, a side of France both of us have admired but never seen.

Our first stop on our châteaux tour was Château de Chambord, the royal palace of Francois I. The largest and grandest château we visited, Chambord towers over the plains surrounding it, exuding the power and importance of French royalty.

After Chambord, we made a stop in Amboise, dating all the way back to the 10th Century and where Leonardo da Vinci was a guest of the King during his final days.

The third château we came across was also one of our favorites: Château de Chenonceau.

Chenonceau, also known as the Ladies Château, was tranquil and colorful. The château was transformed in the 16th Century from an original 12th century keep, and served as the home to Catherine de’ Medici as well as Louise of Lorraine, Henry III’s widow. This was our first exposure to classical french gardens, but it also featured a lush cutting garden with a rich and colorful array of flowers.

To cap off our first châteaux filled day, we decided to take a break from it all by checking into our hotel… another château! Domaine de la Tortinière outside of Tours turned Blair’s fairy tale dream into a reality.

After a short walk in the Tortinière forest on the morning of our second day in the valley, we kept with the theme by driving to Château de Villandry.

This château is where the peace treaty ending the 100 Year War was signed, but that fact is now overshadowed by the expansive gardens. Arguably the most beautiful gardens in France, the grounds are neatly organized according to the themes of Love, Water, Sun, Herb, and Vegetable.

The jaw dropping gardens at Villandry required a quick stop for lunch in a quaint 17th century farm house to recharge, before continuing on to Château d’Ussé.

Château d’Ussé is widely regarded as the castle Charles Perrault had in mind when he wrote Sleeping Beauty. Although famous as a fairytale castle, it was clearly designed for battle, sporting an impressive defensive system complete with wall battlements and eerie underground passages.