What a day! A visit to Chenonceau ended our tour on a high note.
My traveling companion and long-lost and found friend from grade school, Julie, and I put some serious miles behind us. We drove over four hours straight from Sarlat to Tours. I’m dropping Julie off at the train station in Tours tomorrow and heading back toward Uzes. Julie’s going to Paris for a few days before returning to Colorado.
Before we ended our “reunion” tour, we gave ourselves the last “treat” of our journey. As you may remember, we planned two special treats for the trip. One was an overnight stay and dinner in a chateau. The last we scheduled for today. We ventured into the Loire Valley to see one of France’s most magical royal chateaus. More than that, we experienced the chateau from every angle possible.
A Visit to Chenonceau
The Château at Chenonceau
Known as the “Ladies Château,” Chenonceau was built in the 16th century on the remains of a 14th-century castle and mill belonging to the Marquay family. Some writings, however, mention the castle and mill as early as the 11th century. Still intact from the Marquay era are the chateau’s well and the Marques Tower, restored in the Renaissance style.
The property is in the Loire Valley and has been inhabited throughout history by the mistress of a King, Queens, heiresses, and business tycoons. It is currently owned by a member of the Menier family, famous for their chocolates.
I’ll leave the history and stories of the château for a later post. Today will be a photo tour. A most unusual one, too. I was particularly interested in the “crooks and crannies” of the place since everything else is in hundreds of books.
Step Into the Loire for a Visit to Chenonceau
