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Château de Chenonceau
16th century door leading into Salle des gardes, saying: "S'il vient à point, me souviendra". Basically - if I ever finish building this castle, I will be remembered. But I forgot who wrote it :-) -
Château de Chenonceau
Lions on a 16th century Flemish tapestry. Their faces seem somewhat off. -
Château de Chenonceau
The butchery. Of course the castle had its own butchery, right above the water and separated from the rest of the kitchen. -
Château de Chenonceau
Every room had its own fireplace, making the castle rather cosy. This is a detail on the fireplace in Chambre de François Ier. -
Château de Chenonceau
The classical view of the castle. Built in 1514-1522 on the foundations of an old mill, the bridge was added in 1556-1559 and the gallery in 1570-1576. -
Château de Chenonceau
Royal pharmacy -
Château de Chambord
A very symmetric Renaissance castle. Sorry, hunting lodge. -
Château de Chambord
Royal oratory of François Ier has a wonderful vaulted ceiling. There is the letter F (for François Ier) and the salamanders extinguishing "bad" fire. -
Château de Chambord
The vaulted ceilings in the 2nd floor: F as the initials of François Ier and plenty of salamanders, some eating the good fire and others putting out the bad fire. Just don't know which are which. -
Château de Chambord
Lapidary deposit. Some original carvings of F, with a crown and plenty of ropes. Now imagine a gigantic castle full of such beauty! Sorry, hunting lodge. -
Château de Chambord
My kids were fascinated by the 'minecraft trees'. -
Château de Chambord
View of the castle from the road. -
Château de Chenonceau
Chambre de Diane de Poitiers. -
Château de Chenonceau
One of the many chandeliers in the Gallery across the river. -
Château de Chenonceau
One part of the castle kitchen, with modern equipment. -
Château de Chenonceau
Another magninficent fireplace, this one is in the Salon Louis XIV. The salamander and the ermine are the symbols of Francis I and his wife Claude of France. -
Château de Chenonceau
La tour des Marques The only remaining (and renovated) part of the medieval castle owned by the Marques family. -
Château de Chenonceau
La chambre de Catherine de Médicis A typical renaissance baldachin bed. -
Château de Chenonceau
Chambre de Louise de Lorraine, the black room. She was mourning the death of her husband Henri III. -
Château de Chenonceau
View of the castle from the gardens of Catherine de Médicis. -
Château de Chenonceau
A 16th century farm in the castle gardens. Here all the flowers used for the castle decoration are grown. -
Château de Chambord
Chambord is the largest château in the Loire Valley. Built in 1519–1547 as a hunting lodge for François Ier. A hunting lodge! -
Château de Chambord
The double-spiral staircase in the centre of the castle. The castle is so wonderfully symmetric, it's quite easy to lose orientation. -
Château de Chambord
The 18th century castle kitchen. -
Château de Chambord
The centre of the spiral staircase has a lantern at the top. -
Château de Chambord
One of the famous Flemish tapestries commissioned by Francis I in 1532. It depicts the story of Scipio Africanus, the Roman General who defeated Carthage. The oxen are taken to the temple of Jupiter to be sacrificed, while the elephants and camels carry the wealth brought back from Africa. -
Château de Chambord
The almost perfectly symmetric castle. -
Château de Chambord
Laurel bedchamber was refurbished in the 18th century. Parquet floor was added and the walls covered with wallpaper. I love love love this pattern. -
Château de Chambord
Ah, the castle terraces. The lantern tower is topped by a royal crown with a fleur-de-lys. -
Château de Chambord
All the details of the castle become visible from the terraces. -
Château de Chambord
The view of the French gardens. Louis XIV had a similar view from his bedroom. Not bad. -
Château de Chambord
Am I repetitive with these pictures? Maybe. But the castle, pardon, the hunting lodge, is splendid. -
Château de Chambord
The NE facade of the keep. It was here that we realised that we 'lost' our younger son somewhere in the castle. It's just the largest castle in France, no biggie. -
Château de Chambord
Lapidary deposit. This is a part of the original lantern tower. Obviously showing more salamanders. -
Château de Chambord
Chambord in all its beauty. The keep was finished under François Ier in 1519, the wings were added later on. The castle was first open to visitors in 1821.