The Loire Valley; Vacationland for the Rich and Mighty

 

We could have spent more time in Provence; there was certainly lots more to see and do. However, it was time to move on. So we left the scent of lavender and sun-kissed fields and headed North to the Loire Valley. When we think of the Loire Valley, we think of sumptuous châteaux and there is no shortage of them. Chenonceau is a particularly picturesque castle spanning the Cher River. It is known as the "Ladies' Château" since much of its history is tied to the women connected with it.

The châteaux of the Loire valley provide a lesson in French history. King Francis I seized the château as settlement for an unpaid debt. Upon his death, his son, Henry II gave it, not to his queen, Catherine de Medici, but to his mistress Diane de Poitiers. It was Diane who commissioned the construction of the arched bridge to connect both banks of the river.

Henry II died as the result of a jousting accident. It seems that the lance of his jousting opponent pierced his head gear and he suffered a massive wound and died 11 days later. After his death, Catherine de Medici ousted Diane and made the castle her favorite residence. During WWI the château was used as a military hospital. During WWII it was the point of entry to Free France from Occupied France. The family that owned the castle smuggled many people from Nazi Occupied France to Free France. Free France wasn't really free since it was under control of Pétain's Vichy government. Eventually, the structure was occupied by the Germans. 

We visited Chambord, the largest of all the châteaux. It was built for Francis I as a hunting lodge. There are 200 some odd chimneys for 365 fireplaces.

Although the exact identity of the architect is unknown the influence of Leonardo da Vinci is apparent throughout the castle and especially in the famous double helix staircase. It’s possible for two people to use the staircase at the same time and never meet each other. Francis I admired the work of da Vinci and invited him to the French court as “premier painter, architect and engineer of the king.” One of the things we noted about Chambord was how sparsely appointed it was. This was partly due to the losses brought by the passing of time. However, the sparseness was very much in keeping with the history of the château. Since the building was impractical as a full-time dwelling, it was sparsely furnished and the king and his court, as many as 2000 people, would bring the necessary furnishing for a hunting trip. Still the rooms were lavish.  Ornamentation is found throughout, even to the downspouts.

A nightly “son et lumière” show tells the history of the castle with sound and light.