Loire Valley France

The lush Loire Valley was on our itinerary in July 2006 as we crisscrossed through France.  Often referred to as the Garden of France, the valley is a  terre  of vineyards and chateaux.  A few days were spent exploring the region from our base in the historic town of Blois.  Situated on the banks of the Loire River, ancient building with elaborate stone facades are reflective of the royal prominence it once enjoyed.   Joan of Arc was blessed here before undertaking her fight in neighboring Orleans.  Visitors flock to this region to visit two of the finest examples of what were once the prestigious symbol of royal rule: the Renaissance chateaux.
We bicycled the 18 mile round trip, on the winding river route, through medieval towns and past precise rows of vineyards, to our first stop.  Chateau de Chambord the largest of the Loire Valley castles, with over 400 rooms and built during the 16th century at the behest of King Francois 1, whose desire was for it to resemble the skyline of Constantinople.  We passed on the lengthy castle tour, opting instead to pedal through a part of the massive gardens, once the royal hunting grounds.

Chateaux de Chenonceau, the second "must see" castle was particularly high on my list as I had recently read a biography of Catherine de Medici.   This magnificent retreat was gifted by her husband King Henri II to his mistress Diane de Poitiers.  However, Catherines best revenge was to outlive Henri. The arched bridge, mirrored in the River Cher, was added by Catherine who ousted her former rival after Henri's untimely death in a friendly jousting match.

I hope to post a few more travel logs and images from this region, where we lingered a while, enjoying its' rich abundance.  A beautiful place to overindulge, n'est pas?