Castle Gardens

Sunday 20th July: These gardens are extensive! There are 100 acres to explore, there are golf buggies for hire, but we decided to exercise to counter the long plane trip effect. Its exhausting! There is 1.5km from top to bottom.! There is a hidden canal at the end, which creates about another 1km walk circuit! André Le Nôtre went on to become the most famous landscape gardener in Europe, commissioned also to do Versailles, Tuileries, Chantilly, Fontainebleu, St James Park, Windsor Castle, to name a few. ***** We left here to go direct to Charles de Gaulle airport and catch our plane back to Australia.

Chateau Interior

Sunday 20th July: This chateau is in good condition, but is still under restoration, however, the interior has been very well preserved, and portrays extravagance and an idea of life in the 17th century for royalty in France. We learned that this was one of the first dining rooms ever built as the French typically ate on occasional tables in living rooms. An example of a menu back then included Pigeon Soup! Every inch of the wall and ceilings were covered in art, such as this huge ceiling painting by Le Brun. Louis XIV played backgammon here, agruably! Apparently the kitchen was still operational until the late 1950s! There are candles everywhere, which are lit for evening openings in the summer, and sometimes classical music is played. Next time we'll go in the evening. Very interesting.

Vaux-le-Vicomte

Sunday 20th July: Not far away is this magnificent chateau, which was opened in 1661. It was built by Fouquet before the Palace of Versailles, and many of the ideas and the talent used to build the Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte were used to build Versailles, notably the architect Le Vau, the landscape gardener Le Nôtre, and the artist Le Brun. Trouble was, it was more luxurious and magical than any of Louis XIV palaces and Fouquet was eventually arrested and imprisoned for his extravagance!

Chambord Chateau

Friday 27th June: Chambord Chateau is huge! This was once one of the most important chateaux in France. The woodland around the palace is expansive and a very beautiful setting. Today was a hot summer day, very enjoyable for strolling around the balconies and seeing the royal rooms with art and tapestries on the huge walls. Not too much vertigo was felt from the balconies! We also heard a choir from America sing inside! A nice ice cream and tea afterward under the trees at the café with the view of the chateau was also wonderful.