For starters we'll have some of the wonderful chateaus that we visited in the Loire Valley. First up is Ussé which was a bit over priced so we didn't go in. You can get a wonderful view from across the road though!
Next we have Villandry, with its magical gardens. It was pouring with rain that day, which meant we had to buy an 8 euro umbrella, but also meant we had the whole place pretty much to ourselves. The maze was fun and Michelle has a wee little video that she might upload later.
Next is the Disney-esque Chaumont, which was a real disappointment inside. You get the best views from the (free) gardens.
Next up is my favourite, Chambord. It is set in the middle of a huge wild game park (it was a hunting lodge) and it is simple amazing from any angle. It features a double-helix spiral staircase inspired by Leonardo da Vinci and has apartments/chambers set up in different styles to reflect the different centuries. It has over 400 rooms and 220 chimneys!
Finally is Cheverny, which has one of the best preserved interiors. The same family who built it still live there! They were nice enough to the locals that when the revolution came (as they always do in France) they were spared the guillotine and pitchforks that other lords got. Cheverny is also a hunting lodge and has a huge pack of hunting hounds that you can visit.
We also visited Chenonceaux (which was fantastic) and stopped to photograph several other chateaus on the roadsides, but unfortunately I can only do 5 photos at a time! So that's it for the chateaus... there are so many other photos to choose from! Where to next?
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