Châteaux de la Loire 3: Chambord

Chambord was our final destination and it was by far the most impressive building I have ever seen. It is 156 meters long (512 ft), 56 meters high (184 ft), and has 426 rooms, 282 chimneys and 77 staircases—over one room for each day of the year—and its park and game reserve are surrounded by France’s longest wall (30 kilometers or 18.5 miles).

Chambord’s exterior and double helix staircase were jaw-droppingly stunning. Some people believe that Leonardo da Vinci is responsible for designing the staircase, though it has never been confirmed. But I have to say the most marvelous feature was the roof. Walking around the roof was like stepping into another city. As you can see from the skyline of the château, the roof really does resemble a small village placed on top of a building.

The interior was also impressive and many of the fireplaces were actually lit. (Thank goodness! It would have been absolutely freezing without those fires because it had just gotten colder on account of the rain.) My favorite room here was the Apartment de Parade. The furnishings were sumptuous and the gold ornamentation emblazoned on the white walls was spectacular.

The carriage rooms displayed five or six different carriages as well as a gargantuan clock that used to be on the façade of the building. There was also a special exhibit on Chambord as a hostage of war from 1939-1945. It was during World War II that art collections from the Louvre and other museums were stored at Chambord.

When I say this castle was incredible, it was. And the most incredible thing is that it was only a hunting lodge. A hunting lodge?! You’ve got to be kidding me. Seriously, this architectural monster was definitely not my idea of a quaint hunting lodge, but then, I’m not King Francis I. In 1519, Francis I decided he wanted something in the Italian Renaissance style and decided to convert Chambord from the medieval fortress it was, into what it is now. He never saw his project completed (and during his 32 year reign, he stayed at Chambord a grand total of 72 days), but his son King Henry II, who was an equally passionate hunter, transformed it into what it is today. I also thought it was neat that the exiled King of Poland, Stanislaus Leszczynski lived here from 1725 to 1733, but that’s mostly because he’s Polish and so am I.

Even though I thought Chambord was the most beautiful architecturally, I have to say that my favorite of the three châteaux was definitely Chenonceau. It would absolutely be my first recommendation to anyone wondering which castle they should visit. My second pick would be Chambord because it was beautiful, but I felt it lacked a soul, if that makes sense. We took a vote on the bus and one person liked Azay-le-Rideau best, about 15 liked Chenonceau and the rest, about 44, liked Chambord.

At this point, it’s possible you may be wondering what I think of the Château d’Angers now that I’ve seen some truly exquisite castles. I can happily tell you that the Château d’Angers still remains one of my favorites. Of course, it was my first castle sighting and I still think it’s beautiful for the raw power its walls suggest. And unlike the other castles, it best served its intended purpose which was to keep invaders out. (I still can’t get over the fact that Chambord was intended to be a hunting lodge.)

These were truly chouettes châteaux.

Heidi

P.S. Chouette means cool, great or neat.

Châteaux de la Loire 1: Azay-le-Rideau

Today I learned that the Châteaux of the Loire are famous for good reason. And hopefully by the end of this three part blog, you’ll have discovered that too.

Around eight this morning we set off down the longest river in France, the Loire—the scenic route to our three destinations: Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceau and Chambord. Monsieur Melin was once again our commentator and he pointed out to us the many features of the Loire. We went through Saumur which is home to lots of mushrooms and one of the world’s finest cavalry training centers.

As we continued along, we saw the troglodytes (houses built into the cliffside), the place where Rabelais was born (near Chinon, where in 1429, Joan of Arc convinced the Dauphin to claim his throne. The Royal Fortress of Chinon was also the home of Cardinal Richelieu.) and Balzac’s house. I learned that whenever Balzac wanted peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of Paris, he had to take a train to Tours and then walk three hours to get home. I learned that the banks of the Loire, like the tides at Mont St Michel, are very dangerous because of the quicksand. Apparently, when the river bank collapses it forms a whirlpool which sucks the swimmer inside. We were told that in a single afternoon, seventeen children died. Ok, so that isn’t very nice to hear, but it is interesting and it should warn you never to swim in the Loire.

We traversed the roads with some minor difficulties (coach buses were not meant for country roads and narrow French streets). We saw the château de Menars (Madame Pompadour’s favorite castle) and an enormous stone bridge, across from the city La Chaussée de Saint-Victor, which had not been repaired since being bombed during World War I. All total, I saw at least 9 castles: Saumur, Montsoreau, Chinon, Azay-le-Rideau, Artigny, Chenonceau, Cheverny, Chambord, and Menars.

Le Château d’Azay-le-Rideau was first on our list. It was the smallest castle of the day (the only one I could actually walk around) and most of it was inaccessible to the public. It was once a fort, but was turned into a castle in 1510. Unlike Chenonceau and Chambord, it is not a royal residence because it was never owned by the crown, though King Louis XIII once stayed there. Even though we couldn’t see a lot of the castle, my favorite room of the entire day was located at Azay-le-Rideau. It was the billiard and card room and it immediately reminded me of the board game Clue.