In Nantes, bounce from one effervescence to the other. You'll also love the Saint-Gatien Cathedral, built in the 12th century, and its superb 13th century stained glass windows. Old Tours is paradise for lovers of heritage-and terraced cafés! Go to Plumereau square (Plum' for those in the know), bordered by 15th century half-timbered houses, where the numerous cafés-bars are lively at all hours. Through its royal apartments and Museum of Fine Arts, housed in one of its wings, the Château de Blois stores untold secrets of 400 years of French history. No less than 17 kings and queens inhabited the château between the 13th and 17th centuries. Today, the living room of the Marquis of Biencourt has regained its splendor, with more than 80 pieces of typically 19th century furniture and art. īuilt in the 16th century, the Renaissance château of tufa stone sits on an island in the middle of the Indre like a toy castle placed on a mirror. In addition to the interior decoration, the beautiful themed gardens, including a green maze and a decorative vegetable garden, will amaze you. The castle was built in 1532 on the site of a fortress, which a Spanish-American couple rennovated in the 20th century. An underground gallery then connected the castle to the Château Clos-Lucé, a nearby pleasure palace where the Italian genius lived for three years, leaving behind his workshop, sketches, models and inventions when he passed. The first one transformed it into a Gothic palace the second one graced it with an Italian air, inviting Leonardo da Vinci (who is buried there) to be the artist-in-residence. Le château royal d’Amboise and Clos-LucéĬharles VIII and François Ist both took up residence in this medieval fortress above the Loire.Beloved by the women who reigned as mistress here, like Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de Medicis, Louise de Lorraine and Louise Dupin, each of which brought their own touch to the layout of the building, the furniture and the gardens. Perhaps the most delicately beautiful of the Renaissance châteaux, the graceful galleries of Chenonceau span the Cher, home to a priceless art collection. Whether they have been inhabited by sovereigns or nobles, these castles are majestic and awe-inspiring, hiding treasures and hoarding a sense of history. Many were built during the Renaissance, in the 15th and 16th century, when the court of the kings of France settled in the Loire Valley, a territory now inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These 22 castles, scattered along the Loire and its tributaries, tell a significant chunk of the history of France. The 5,000 hectare (12355 acres) forest encircling Chambord is a hunting reserve populated by deer and wild boar. Inside, one can visit 60 rooms that house a rich collection of 4500 art items. As early as 1519, Francis Ist transitioned this hunting palace into the symbol of his power, much like Louis XIV would do with Versailles.The monumental châteaux is designed around the famous staircase with double revolutions, influenced by Leonardo da Vinci. If the Loire Valley castles are a meal, Chambord is the main course.
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