Day 9 -- Loire Valley,
France – Tuesday, July 26, 2016 … It’s almost a five-hour drive
from where we were staying in Brittany to the Loire Valley. The terrain is that
of rolling hills, patchwork fields, large and small French villages and towns –
each with the iconic tall church steeple in the center of town. The Loire Valley is no different.
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| Cathedral in Tours |
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| Side Alter in Cathedral in Tours |
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St. Joan of Arc
Chapel |
Cathedrale Saint-Gatien de Tours … The first stop in the Loire
Valley is the Cathedral in Tours. A number
of other churches were built on the site, each, in turn were damaged by fire.
The church was completed in 1547 designed in the typical cross layout and was
deemed a historic monument in 1862. A
new patron saint of the cathedral, Saint Gatien, was chosen in the 14
th
Century. The beautiful detailed stained glass windows of the choir are from the
13
th century, plus there are remarkable rose windows in the transept
from that century as well. There are
several tombs including the children of Charles VIII, Anna de Bretagne and
Archibald Douglas and his son, Sir James Douglas. One of the many chapels is
dedicated to the local hero, Joan of Arc.
Joan met here in Tours with Charles VII during her campaign to rid
France of the English. The outside is
just as impressive with its two Gothic towers and windows, its exquisite detail
as well as the flying buttresses. If you
are a student of architecture, you can see Romanesque buttresses, Gothic
ornamentation and Renaissance tops of the towers all in this one building. They
have been restoring this Cathedral since the 1990s … a beautiful sight to
behold!
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| Chateau of Ambroise |
Chateau of Ambroise … Next stop, the Chateau of Ambroise with
its massive structure perched high along the Loire River that can be seen from
several miles away. It was seized by Charles VII in the mid-1400s after its
owner, Louise d’Ambroise, was thought to be involved in a plot against the
monarchy. He was pardoned later, but the Chateau remained in government hands.
Joan of Arc did pass through the town on her way to defeat the English at
Orleans. The view from the Chateau is
breathtaking. The glory days of the Chateau were during the 15
th and
16
th centuries as a favorite place for the French kings to house
their wives and children while they sought the company of their mistresses
elsewhere. It is also said that Leonardo da Vinci stayed in town at the request
of Francois I; and because of their friendship, da Vinci is buried on the
grounds of the Chateau.
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| The Chateau |
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One of the many tapestries in
the Chateau of Ambroise |
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One of the many
fireplaces |
The history of the Chateau involves three famous ladies, each
of whom has a different room named after them … Joan of Arc, Annie of Brittany
and Agnes Sorel (said to be Charles VII’s favorite mistress). Because of its thick walls, the safety of the
royal family was ensured. The chateau became a palace, a symbol of the king’s
power, where numerous political events took place. By the beginning of the 17
th
century, the Chateau was abandoned, then turned into a prison for a period of
time; but restoration began again in 1848.
While it was sparsely furnished and we could view only about a fifth of
the rooms used by royalty, it is still fascinating to see how royalty lived in
those days. The grounds are quite
beautiful, and sitting under the trees eating an ice cream cone was very relaxing!
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| View from the Chateau of Ambroise |
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Walkway to the
Chateau De Chenoncean |
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| Chateau De Chenoncean |
Chateau De Chenonceau … A mere 20 miles away is another Chateau,
one of the most famous because it is built over the River Cher with five large
curved arches. It also has quite the history, known as the Ladies’ Chateau,
because six women were very influential in its design and use. To get to the
Chateau, we walked up a very wide, very long tree-lined roadway that also had
gardens, a maze, and a 16
th-century farm on either side. It was
built in the 16
th century.
The Guards’ Room, the Chapel, the Green Study, the Library, the Gallery
(which is basically built above the river itself and was the last addition to
the Chateau), the kitchens, drawing room, stairway and halls, many bedrooms and
the exhibition room … so much, so many details, so much history … too much to
even begin describing. But all reflect
life in days past … opulence. Many of
the rooms had massive tapestries on the walls; many other rooms had very large masterpieces
on the walls; and most of the fireplaces were huge and very ornate.
Another 20 miles along the river brought us to Blois where
we spent the night. After walking down
to a little sidewalk café for yet another scrumptious French dinner, we’re
totally exhausted and sleep came suddenly and easily this evening!! Another wonderful day in France.
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