Amboise - More Chateaux and Hunting Dogs

Cheverny Chateau * Chenonceau Chateau

It was a double Chateau day.  We first saw Cheverny.  Cheverny is unique because it has been held by the same family since it was built in the 1500s.  The current family lives on the 3rd floor in the right wing.  We saw pictures of the family in the home - 3 children probably between the ages 8 - 15.  If fact, as we approached the chateau for our tour we heard someone playing/practicing the drums from the top floor.  This Chateau is also unique because the furnishings are all original to the chateau for the above reason and also that during the French Revolution this family was liked and spared some of the destruction that befell the other nobles.

The most exciting part of our visit was seeing the kennels where more than 70 dogs are kept.  Each day at 11:30 their handler comes to feed them raw hamburger.  When he enters the dogs all run upstairs to a lookout while he cleans the kennel and lays out the meat.  Then he lets them back in, controlling them all the time with a whip (not whipping them, but letting them know he was in charge).  On the right signal, he sends them literally diving into the meat to eat.  I am amazed there is not a dog fight for dinner.  When it was over, the cement was licked clean.  It was fun to watch.

After lunch, a card game, and a walk through the gardens we were off to the next Chateau - the one everyone has seen in pictures, Chenonceau.  It straddles the river and is called the Lady's castle as most of it's owners/occupants were the woman of the French nobility.  I really liked all the original flooring throughout and the beautiful wood painted ceilings.  The kitchen was also impressive.  

As a treat we went out to eat tonight - galettes (savory crepes), thin strips of steak we cooked at the table on a hot stone, salmon salad with warm goat cheese, and sweet crepes for dessert - chocolate and butter and sugar.

Cheverny Chateau

Dog pile

Cheverny Interior

Chenonceau entrance

Chenonceau

Amboise - Chateaux and Light Shows

Chambord Chateau * Light and Sound at Amboise Chateau

Today we tackled our first chateau - the largest one in the Loire Valley, 440 rooms with over 200 fireplaces.  It was a hunting lodge for King Francois I (more about him later). It was impressive to look at the architecture and the rooms were huge, but bare.  In the middle there is a double helix staircase so the royalty could go up and down one side and the servants the other without ever needing to pass each other.  Speculation is that the entire chateau was designed by Leonard DaVinci because of it's mathematical layout and the double helix staircase, but there is no proof.  We enjoyed the chateau and picnicked on the front lawn.  We came home to relax and nap because in the evening we were going to the Light and Sound Spectacular at the Amboise Castle.

We had our concerns about the Light and Sound show after our experience at Notre Dame (basically a projected movie on a screen about the story of the saints) - but we read and heard good things about this spectacular and heard there were even fireworks after.  It gets dark LATE here and it didn't start until 10:30 p.m.  The Light part was amazing.  They used the castle as a backdrop and screen for the many scenes of the show and the coloring and images were impressive.  There were horses, soldiers, and 400 locals dressed in amazing costumes all telling the story of the rise of Francois I to the king of France.  The only problem was it was a 90 minute narrative all in French.  No songs, no music, no dancing - and the story was complicated.  (Eric sat next to a French woman who learned English as a summer exchange student with a Mormon family in New Mexico - and she would give Eric bits and pieces of the story line).

All I figured was that there were some battles, close calls with death, a cameo appearance by Leonard DaVinci, and everyone lived happily ever after.  The kids are not going to let me take them to any more light and sound shows for sure this summer!

Chambord Chateau

Double Helix Stair Case

Amboise Castle

Normandy to Amboise

Arromanches Beaches * Clos-Luce Chateau

We traveled from Normandy to Amboise today.  First we stopped at Arromanches Beach very near our home.  This bay was turned into a deep water port for the Allies after D-day.  You can still see the concrete blocks ringing the bay and a few of the metal blocks that helped to support the floating roads to the beach.  It was an eerie reminder that a war was fought here.

We arrived in Amboise about 3:00.  Each time we arrive somewhere new there is some anxiety not knowing what our accommodations will be like.  Most of our accommodations are private homes we've rented through VRBO or AirBnB.  Some are better than others.  But, just image showing up at someone's cabin and trying to figure out where everyone will sleep.  How to work the locks, stove, washing machine, etc.  Where are the plates, silverware, cups.  Is there dish washing soap, T.P., etc?   Most places have been pretty well equipped, but we are still carrying around extra TP, dish soap, and laundry detergent.  Today we arrived with random food and extra snacks we've collected - everything from powdered sugar to cucumbers to Nutella.  It's a little like camping and the cooking and eating become very interesting.  Green salads with no salad dressings, peeling a carrot with a bread knife, using a salad spinner as a colander.  

(Our current accommodations are built right up against a steep cliff.  I'm pretty sure there wasn't running water originally.  The toilet is nestled under the spiral staircase  and the shower is in a room next to it.  We have a sink in the master bedroom upstairs, but no bathroom.  The spare bedroom downstairs was added later and built right into the soft stone of the Mountain - apparently something that is common around here.  It has finished walls, but the ceiling is the stone itself).                                                                    

The kids are getting pretty good at living out of a suitcase and keeping track of their things.  Even Charlie (most times) can pack up his suit case and get it ready to move to the next location.  As far as we know, we haven't left anything behind - but we are missing Maren's cardigan sweater, we think she left it somewhere in Florence while we were out site seeing.  I'd better knock on wood right now!

This afternoon we visited a small Chateau that was the home of Leonardo Da Vinci when he moved to France at the end of his life to be the chief engineer for the King.  We liked the house and the period furniture from the time (none was actually Leonardo's).  We got to the master bedroom and there was a cat sleeping right in the middle of the bed.  I guess he just wandered into the home and at some point decided that this was the best place for nap.

In the gardens of the home many of Leonardo's crazy machines have been built, life size, for kids to experiment with - the kids played in a tank, and twirled a helicopter type machine.  We looked at water wheels and crossed swivel bridges. We pulled a treadmill designed like a huge pulley.  The gardens were nice and relaxing and a good way to spend a couple of hours.

After dinner we learned how to play Canasta - kind of, we've got a lot of practicing to do on that one.

Arromanches Beach

Clos-Luce Chateau

Leonardo DaVinci's Inventions