Friends J and C at Chambord. J and I were at graduate school together back in the last century.Our friends are in France for three weeks and they're staying in the Paris region. They took the train down to see us on Tuesday and on the way back from the station I was able to drive them by a few of our neighboring castles.
We parked at Chambord and walked around for a while, but we didn't go inside the building. You can walk the grounds without paying an entrance fee (there is a small parking fee). Otherwise, you could spend an entire day at this place, visiting it inside and out, renting pedal carts to ride around inside the park, or hiring a row boat to ply the moat and the rather impressive water course east of the castle.
But we didn't have that much time. In all I whisked my friends past five châteaux on the ride from the station to our house: Blois, Chambord, Cheverny, Fougères-sur-Bièvre, and Saint-Aignan. Quite a whirlwind!
I hope that arriving at our modest house wasn't too much of a disappointment after all that...
I was under the impression that Chenonceaux was the 3rd most visited site in France, after Versailles and Mont St Michel. (Paris is not included in these stats.)
ReplyDeleteSuch great sites to see!
ReplyDelete"back in the last century" sounds so unimaginably long ago!
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who sometimes begins a story with, "when I was young..shortly after the earth cooled,"......... It makes me laugh as your lines under the photo did.
Trying to decide if it is not too depressing to realize I've known people who lived two centuries ago.
I'm sure your modest house is much more warm and welcoming.
ReplyDeleteLucky guests! What fun to have a tour guide to 'whisk' you around and see so much without much cost!
ReplyDeleteLots of pics, I bet!
I've never been in a real live castle. Maybe someday. Just another unchecked item on my bucket list.
ReplyDeletewait, I thought that was your house!
ReplyDeletesusan, I'm sure you're right. I was referring to the Loire Valley sights.
ReplyDeletejudy, they're always impressive!
kristi, I like that one! I may have to start using it...
mitch, well, we do have satellite DSL.
mary, there's just so much to see that it can't all be done in one trip!
ron, we have some great ones around here, but also all over Europe.
michael, I can understand how you would think so. We don't have as many chimneys.
susan, I see that I misread your comment! That would make Chenonceaux more visited than Chambord. Good to know!
ReplyDeleteMmmmmm... Chambord!
ReplyDelete