Keywords France + castle + old + July + 2023

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Home / Keywords France + castle + old + July + 2023 76

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
Diane de Poitiers as Diana the Huntress by Le Primatice from 1556. Diana was the mistress of King Henry II and, among other things, expanded the castle across the river and built some gardens.
Château de Chenonceau
What a wonderfully morbid room. Morticia would like it here :-)
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 residences of François Ier include a large wardrobe and closet. They surely dressed ... royally.
Château de Chambord
A bronze bust of Maréchal Turenne, a 19th century copy of a 1695 Jérôme Derbais statue. What a man.
Château de Chambord
Wallpaper in the 18th century apartments.
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
Chambre des Cinq Reines Room of the daughters and daughters-in-law of Catherine de Médicis: La Reine Margot, Elisabeth of France, Maria Stuart (wife of François II), Elisabeth of Austria (wife of Charles IX), and Louise of Lorraine (wife of Henri III).
Château de Chenonceau
La chambre de Catherine de Médicis A typical renaissance baldachin bed.
Château de Chenonceau
La chambre de Catherine de Médicis The rooms were quite cosy with fireplaces, wooden ceilings and the walls covered with Flemish tapestries.
Château de Chenonceau
Chambre de Louise de Lorraine, the black room. She was mourning the death of her husband Henri III.
Château de Chenonceau
What a wonderful black room. And matching white flowers.
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 Chenonceau
The vegetable garden with all sorts of plants. I love the tiny apple trees forming the borders. Yes, those are 40 cm tall trees :-)
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 residence of François Ier, built between 1539 and 1545. This is how the rooms looked like when the king came to stay. Super cosy.
Château de Chambord
The queen's bedchamber is furnished as a 17th century bedroom.
Château de Chambord
Louis XIV's ceremonial apartment. While Francoise's bedroom looked cosy, this one is too grand for my liking.
Château de Chambord
The chandelier in the royal ceremonial apartment.
Château de Chambord
Governor's bedchamber. Charming.
Château de Chambord
The castle chapel. Started under François Ier, continued under Henry II and finished under Louis XIV. It is quite uncommonly oriented towards west.
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
The magnificent stairs go all the way up to the castle roof.
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
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.
Château de Falaise
From the Loire valley - via Le Mans - towards Normandy. First stop was Falaise, where William the Conqueror was born. The construction of this castle started in 1123 by Henry I of England.
Fougères
What a picturesque castle this is!
Fougères
Now THIS is a castle. Built from 12th to 15th century, it occupies an area of two hectares.
Fougères
Fougères castle. The original wooden one was destroyed and a new one built in 1176. The Gobelin tower is from the 13th century.
Le Fort du Guesclin
As everything in Brittany, this place is also full of history. Romans, destroyed, fortress in 800s, destroyed, fortified castle built by Bertrand du Guesclin in 1100, destroyed in 1598, this one built in 1756...
Château de Montfort
There are numerous castles along Dordogne. The Montfort castle was first destroyed in 1214. And three more times. So far.
Château de Beynac
The castle was built in the 12th century by the barons of Beynac, and later remodelled and enlarged.
Château de Beynac
The oldest part of the castle is a large keep on the right. Unfortunately, I could not convince other members of the family to visit yet another castle...
La Roque-Gageac
Oh, another spectacular village.
La Roque-Gageac
A truly spectacular village.
Le fort de la Roque-Gageac
The ancient medieval fortification dates from the 12th century. It does have a spectacular location.
La Roque-Gageac
La Roque-Gageac
Yes, it's right up there. A troglodyte fort. The wall's been occupied since the prehistoric times and the fort built in the 12th century.
La Roque-Gageac
Le manoir de Tarde from the 15th century.
Dordogne river
Climbing the exposed stairs might be scary for some. For me it was just insanely hot. But the views are rewarding.
Dordogne river
Le fort de la Roque-Gageac
Unfortunately, I have very little information about the castle...
Dordogne river
Le fort de la Roque-Gageac
Occupied since prehistoric times, the fort was built in the 12th century.
Le fort de la Roque-Gageac
What an interesting curtain. And one of the modern pillars, keeping the fort stable. There were way too many collapses in recent past.
Le fort de la Roque-Gageac
This are the stairs I was talking about. Hot hot hot.
Le fort de la Roque-Gageac
I mean... how cool is that entrance?
Château de Montfort
Rocamadour
Another fascinating place: Rocamadour.
Rocamadour
One could go down the stairs. And up the stairs again. Or not.
Rocamadour
Spectacular place. Already inhabited in the Paleolithic. The town peaked in the 12th century. 12th century!

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