Chateau shopping in the Loire

Chateau de Chenonceau

Photo courtesy of chenonceau.com

This photo is kind of a bait-and-switch tactic.  We didn't actually go there, but I knew you'd all like it.  Read on to see the great places we did go!

We had a nice breakfast of yogurt, muesli, croissants and baguettes, and once again got to chat with the other guests at the B&B.  One couple was from Britain, one from Canada and one from Minnesota.  All had different sightseeing plans for the day. 

This is the area of chateaux, since it's not that far from Paris, but also has good wineries, which some of the other B&B guests were visiting.  As much time as we spent planning our sightseeing at home, before the trip, once we got here and had the advantage of talking to our B&B hosts, we followed their recommendations almost to the letter.  We were interested in seeing some castles, but we were staying on the west side of the castle area.  Our possible choices would have meant driving back and forth across the whole area, and through some congestion in the town of Tours.  I had been to the Loire before, and thought Chenonceau would be a great place for our group.  It's one of the most picturesque castles from the outside (see above).  When I mentioned Chenonceau to our hosts, in addition to Azay-le-Rideau, a chateau I hadn't seen, they suggested Azay-le-Rideau.  It was closer, and both had the added attraction of a water element.  They said if you want to spend a day seeing castles why not choose castles with different features?

Based on the info we got from our hosts, our plan for the day was to see Azay-le-Rideau inside and out, Chateau Villandry just outside - for the fabulous gardens, Chateau de Langeais for its fort-like atmosphere, and to do a drive-by of Chateau d'Ussé  to take a few pictures of its fairy-tale towers and turrets.

Marcel recommended we stop in Chinon for a drink on the way home, and voilà, that would be our day!  (See how I just plunk a french word into an english sentence?  That's how I talk here too!  I can't believe we haven't been asked politely to leave the country!)

Azay-le-Rideau

The entrance to Azay-le-Rideau

Linda took this great picture of Azay-le-Rideau from across the pond

The stream flowing by was dammed up specifically to slow the water down and create this mirror effect of the castle. 

We couldn't take photos inside, but enjoyed the tour of several furnished rooms, and saw some huge and elaborate tapestries, ornate paintings, and a great timbered attic.

Chateau Villandry

Ornamental gardens with Chateau Villandry in the background

More of the ornamental gardens

Vegetable gardens in the background

Vegetable garden

The gardens are the attraction here.   There are different areas for different themes: the vegetable garden, the herb garden, the sun garden, the maze, the ornamental garden.  It's amazing and beautiful.  We read that they're now using organic methods throughout the gardens with great results, though it costs more to maintain them that way.   

My fellow travellers in the maze

Chateau de Langeais

This chateau was built as a fortress in the 15th century.  The inside is furnished with huge tapestries, heavy wooden furniture & immense fireplaces.

Langeais from the back

Steps built up to the top of the 10th-century fort ruins provide a great view of the new fortress

Cute village below the fortress

Chateau d'Ussé

Fairy tale towers and turrets at Chateau d'Ussé

We elected to have dinner at the B&B again, since we'd had such a great time last night.  Dinner started again with wine and hors d'oeuvres in the cave.  The weather outside was cool and windy, but the temperature in the cave was very pleasant.  It was too cool for dinner on the terrace, so we were inside at the dining table. 

We had another great dinner.  This time spaetzle (a german pasta) with a turkey sauce for the main course, and a great salad with garden fresh ingredients and pharmacist-approved mushrooms (see yesterday's post).  A nice local wine was served throughout the meal.  Dessert was a flourless chocolate cake.