I shouldn’t have been surprised to see Molière in Chambord because he was a favourite of Louis XIV. In 1670, the Sun King invited France’s most popular playright of all times to stay in Chambord with his troup where he wrote the ballet comedy, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme known in English as The Bourgeois Gentleman). Je n’aurais pas …
Category Archives: Châteaux de la Loire
Ile d'Or in Winter – Ile d'Or en hiver
There is an island opposite the Royal Castle of Amboise called Ile d’Or or the Golden Island. Today it shone under the combined effect of sun and frost. Juste en face du château royal d’Amboise il y a l’île d’Or. Aujourd’hui, l’île brillait sous l’effet du soleil et du givre.
A lake in Sologne – Un lac en Sologne
Sologne is a vast area of about 5,000 square kilometers that starts slightly south east of Blois and is bound on the north by the Loire River and on the south by one of its affluents, the Cher. It includes château de Chambord and is known for its many lakes, ponds, marshes and forests. Its …
Looking out at Chambord – Regard sur Chambord
Looking out at Château de Chambord from the Saint Michel restaurant where we had lunch. Vue du château de Chambord depuis le restaurant Saint Michel où nous avons déjeuné.
Double spiral staircase in Chambord – Escalier double révolution à Chambord
This magnificent most famous staircase is believed to have been designed for François I by Leonardo da Vinci. It consists of two spirals which cross over each other and lead up to the roof terrace. The double ramp supported by eight square pillars seems to be a single ramp yet the two ramps never cross. …
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Corner of the courtyard at Blois Castle – Coin de cour au château de Blois
This leafy corner with its bench is on one side of the courtyard of Blois Castle. You can see the different architectural periods in the background. Ce petit coin arboré avec son banc se trouve sur un côté dans la cour du château de Blois. On aperçoit les différentes périodes d’architecture.
Fireplace at Chambord – Cheminée à Chambord
Château de Chambord, designed as a hunting lodge by François I in 1519, has more than 300 fireplaces which are much less decorative than those of Blois Castle. Despite their dimensions, they were hard put to heat the enormous rooms Le château de Chambord, conçu comme résidence de chasse par François I à partir de …
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Renaissance staircase at Blois castle – Escalier renaissance au château de Blois
This beautiful stone monumental staircase, of the octogonal turret type, with its finely sculpted newel, embrasures and capitals, graces the François I wing of the Royal Castle of Blois. Ce bel escalier monumental en pierre de type vis hors-oeuvre, octogonal, avec son fût central, embrasures et chapiteaux finement sculptés se trouve dans l’aile François I du …
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Mist over the Loire near Chaumont – Brume sur la Loire près de Chaumont
I’m not an early bird but was rewarded by this view as we drove along the Loire past Château de Chaumont at 7.30 am. Je ne suis pas une lève-tôt mais j’ai été récompensée par cette jolie vue de la Loire lors de notre passage en voiture à 7h30 devant le château de Chaumont.