Exploring the Château de Chambord
and the Château de Cheverny (France) – Visiting Loire Valley Gems with Savvy Mom
Ruth Paget
On
a French National Patrimony Day, Laurent and I drove to the Loire Valley to
visit two lesser-known châteaux: Chambord and Cheverny.
Chambord
was first and foremost a royal hunting lodge.
Women sat on a terrace and watched men go off hunting and played cards
until they returned. They ate together.
This
Château was built in 1519 on the orders of François 1 (House of Valois). The famous double staircase allowed people to
go up and down without seeing one another – good for servants and lovers.
The
other architectural feature that makes Chambord stand out is its terrace. The terrace is more of an Italian invention
than a French one.
The
lawn and terrace both offer seating for the Château’s sound and light
show. Chambord has a liqueur of its own
that is used in the Phoenix Cocktail of the University of Chicago.
I
thought Chambord was a little touristy with its souvenir shops, a hotel restaurant,
and several cafés. I wanted to learn
about châteaux gardens, history, and architecture. I wished there were books out about those
topics for sale.
I
liked the small town of Cheverny next to Chambord, which is only 6 kilometers
away from Chambord. The garden was in
full bloom there.
The
Town of Cheverny had well-cared for hotels.
Red geraniums tumbled down out of window boxes and tables of umbrellas
fluttered in the breeze outside lobbies and outdoor cafés abounded.
By
Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
Click here for: Ruth Paget's Amazon Books
Click here for: Ruth Paget's Amazon Books
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