July 10, 2017

July 10, 2017

This morning we drove a short distance away to Chateau de Chenonceau. It is probably the most beautiful and most photographed of the Loire Castles. It rained overnight and it is cloudy this morning, so I am having my doubts on getting a good photo. We take our raincoats with us because it invariably rains on our vacations.

After paying the entrance fee, we head to the vista points. We are the first there. We get really lucky and I get some nice photos of the Chateau and its reflection in the Cher River it spans. I am amazed how often my lucky wife comes through for me.

We then start our tour of the interior. Unlike Chambord, it is mostly furnished with period furniture. Almost every room has Belgian tapestries covering the walls. Aimee loves it that there are wonderful arrangements of fresh flowers everywhere. We also learn a lot about the history of the Chateau. It started out just being a normal riverside castle. Eventually one queen, Catherine of Medici, in an affair of royal intrigue, took ownership of the chateau, poured money into it, built the bridge and extended a ballroom gallery over the river.

It rained heavily while we were inside. Afterwards, we toured the grounds dodging raindrops almost perfectly. We visited the wine cellar, carriage house, and flower and vegetable gardens. There was also an exhibit on its war history. During WWI, the ballroom was used as a hospital. During WWII, the Cher River was the border between divided France. The Chateau was used to smuggle Resistance Fighters from one side to the other.

We stop in the nearby town of Amboise for lunch. We then head to the supermarket where we find a spot to do laundry. We have run out of clean clothes.