Château, château, et plus châteaux!

Château de CHAMBORD

Is the biggest castle in the Loire region and was built so that king Francois I will have a place to stay when he go hunting! The place is really grand that you can easily get lost from 1 room to the next and you see nothing for miles from the château. More rooms are available for viewing than the Blois and you see more extravagant bedrooms of the royalties. They are really big on tapesties as you see them everywhere! Huge floor to floor height tapestries with intricate designs, amazing, though I wouldn’t want them in my bedroom. :) Remarkable in this castle is the helix staircase at the center and the room of the king showcasing his hunting trophies.

Château de CHAMBORD

Château de CHAMBORD Hunting Trophy Room

Where is Wanderlass?

For your Royal Ass

Château de CHEVERNY

Is a privately owned castle and never had lived-in by any royalty. It was owned by the king’s financial minister and the family probably still owns it. Although it was built in the 16th century, I think (feel) that continuous renovation was done as the place looks fresh. Well, they gave me handouts to read but I was busy taking pictures. The place is “small” so you have people all over at the same place which makes it hard to take photos with no distractions. So have to make do of photos with other people in it. The exploration route is fixed in one direction, and so you wont miss a room or wander about on your own. The rooms were all richly furnished but it’s like visiting a grand hotel with no nostalgic feel to it. So, I don’t really like it.

Château de CHEVERNY

Golden Fireplace

Children’s Bedroom – love these horsey bike

The garden at the back with a cute little benches

Château de CHENONCEAU

Is the one I like the most, maybe because of it’s intriguing history. One of the castle’s highlight is the bedroom of Diana de Pointer, who is King Henry II’s mistress, who received this castle as a gift from the king, who was later chased away by the queen when the king died. Hehe.

Actually, the queen gave the mistress another chateau in exchange – like monopoly game. I wonder if the beds inside the bedrooms are the actual beds the queen have slept in. I wonder if I can read that in the handout which I tucked inside my carry-on bag. It has 2 beautiful BIG gardens, one at each side, which I wonder again if it has been faithful to the original design. I mean, there have been wars.