On our last trip to France, we managed to visit one chateau in the Loire Valley, Lengeais, and it's really more of a medieval castle, repurposed as a chateau. Chenonceaux is a whole other matter. It may be the most famous of all the chateau, certainly the most visited, and has earned the title 'the ladies' chateau'. The reason: since its construction in the early 1500's, it's been ladies who've dictated its design, laid out its gorgeous gardens, and, with one notable exception, given it its cozy, livable character.
You could say it started in the mid-1500's with Henry II who gave Chenonceaux to Diane de Poitiers, his favorite mistress. She loved the chateau and personalized it for their not-so-secret hideaway. Upon his death, Henry's wife, Catherine de Medici, tossed Diane out (into another chateau) and installed herself as the grande dame. She, too, continued to improve and personalize it, including the addition of 'self-sustaining' gardens and a vineyard. Her plans to radically expand the chateau never materialized. She died and Chenonceaux went to her daughter-in-law who, upon hearing of her husband's assassination just months after moving in, spent her remaining years at Chenonceaux in mourning and prayer. Her bedroom is painted dark grey and looks like the inside of a tomb.
It's about a 10" walk from the parking lot to the chateau; the trees that line the walkway (and many of the roads in France) are gorgeous. They're called plane trees and go back to the 15th century, the result of an accidental English hybridization. Now they're considered a hazard for drivers (the trees always win in an accident) and there's a move to cut down every one of them . . .
Our first glimpse . . .
The chateau is on the River Cher, an offshoot of the Loire; together they formed the dividing line between Vichy and 'Free France'; smuggling resistance fighters and supplies through Chenonceaux was common during WWII.
One of the most amazing - and unexpected - things was the abundance of tapestries. The reception/pick up your audio guide room (formerly the guard room) was lined with them.
The very next room was Diane's boudoir - gorgeous!
The flowers are all fresh, grown in the greenhouse established by Catherine de Medici. She was not what one would call a 'looker' and legend has it that Diane (who definitely was) installed this very unflattering portrait of Catherine before taking her leave.
Diane extended the original chateau to the opposite bank of the Cher, and Catherine embellished the corridor and gave grand parties while in residence.
You know we can't visit any place that has a kitchen and not inspect it very carefully. Tim is puzzling over this ingenious device for turning the rotisserie spits.
And the oven, which was a marvel.
According to the guide, the chateau was used as a hospital during WWI and up to 200 patients were cared for and fed every day for years. The chateau was also bombed by both sides during WWII (the Germans actually occupied it for a while), and much of it was badly damaged.
The staff dining room and a view of the grand corridor on the first (our second) floor. . .
One of the more interesting aspects of this chateau is the tremendous influence of the Italian Renaissance. Catherine was responsible for importing many artists, and their influence is obvious in the architecture and paintings.
Catherine's bedroom with tapestries that were breathtaking. She was also known as the Mother of five Queens, one of which included Mary Queen of Scots (technically not her daughter) who married one of Catherine's sons.
This fabulous inlaid chest was a wedding present to her son and Mary.
And finally the sad, dreary boudoir of the last royal occupant, Queen Louise, wife of Henri III.
One of the last things Henry asked before dying was that his wife never leave Chenonceaux. She took him literally, roamed the chateau dressed in black, and mourned him until her death years later.
You could say it started in the mid-1500's with Henry II who gave Chenonceaux to Diane de Poitiers, his favorite mistress. She loved the chateau and personalized it for their not-so-secret hideaway. Upon his death, Henry's wife, Catherine de Medici, tossed Diane out (into another chateau) and installed herself as the grande dame. She, too, continued to improve and personalize it, including the addition of 'self-sustaining' gardens and a vineyard. Her plans to radically expand the chateau never materialized. She died and Chenonceaux went to her daughter-in-law who, upon hearing of her husband's assassination just months after moving in, spent her remaining years at Chenonceaux in mourning and prayer. Her bedroom is painted dark grey and looks like the inside of a tomb.
It's about a 10" walk from the parking lot to the chateau; the trees that line the walkway (and many of the roads in France) are gorgeous. They're called plane trees and go back to the 15th century, the result of an accidental English hybridization. Now they're considered a hazard for drivers (the trees always win in an accident) and there's a move to cut down every one of them . . .
Our first glimpse . . .
The chateau is on the River Cher, an offshoot of the Loire; together they formed the dividing line between Vichy and 'Free France'; smuggling resistance fighters and supplies through Chenonceaux was common during WWII.
One of the most amazing - and unexpected - things was the abundance of tapestries. The reception/pick up your audio guide room (formerly the guard room) was lined with them.
The very next room was Diane's boudoir - gorgeous!
The flowers are all fresh, grown in the greenhouse established by Catherine de Medici. She was not what one would call a 'looker' and legend has it that Diane (who definitely was) installed this very unflattering portrait of Catherine before taking her leave.
Diane extended the original chateau to the opposite bank of the Cher, and Catherine embellished the corridor and gave grand parties while in residence.
You know we can't visit any place that has a kitchen and not inspect it very carefully. Tim is puzzling over this ingenious device for turning the rotisserie spits.
And the oven, which was a marvel.
The butchery overseen by a stuffed boar's head on the far wall.
According to the guide, the chateau was used as a hospital during WWI and up to 200 patients were cared for and fed every day for years. The chateau was also bombed by both sides during WWII (the Germans actually occupied it for a while), and much of it was badly damaged.
The staff dining room and a view of the grand corridor on the first (our second) floor. . .
One of the more interesting aspects of this chateau is the tremendous influence of the Italian Renaissance. Catherine was responsible for importing many artists, and their influence is obvious in the architecture and paintings.
Catherine's bedroom with tapestries that were breathtaking. She was also known as the Mother of five Queens, one of which included Mary Queen of Scots (technically not her daughter) who married one of Catherine's sons.
This fabulous inlaid chest was a wedding present to her son and Mary.
And finally the sad, dreary boudoir of the last royal occupant, Queen Louise, wife of Henri III.
One of the last things Henry asked before dying was that his wife never leave Chenonceaux. She took him literally, roamed the chateau dressed in black, and mourned him until her death years later.
Like so many architectural wonders in this country, Chenonceaux went through a succession of owners over the centuries (many of them women) until the mid-1700's when it became the property of Madame Louise Dupin. Perhaps the best known saloniste of her time, Madame Dupin was the darling of Paris as well as the great thinkers of the French Enlightenment. She was smart, witty, kind, and beautiful. On first meeting her, Rousseau fell hopelessly, madly in love. She is credited with saving Chenonceaux from destruction during the Revolution as even the locals held her in high esteem. She lived to be 93.
It went through another long line of owners (including a Cuban millionaire in the late 1800's), until it was purchased by the Menier family (French chocolatiers) in the 1950's and they funded its restoration to its former glory. Hooray for all of us who love chocolate and gorgeous chateaus!
Another iconic view of the chateau . . . can you tell how cold it was??? Not another tourist in sight!
At Caroline and Julie's suggestion, we're off to LaRochelle tomorrow. It's one of France's major seaports - maybe it'll be warmer??
