Let's change seasons

Still at Chenonceau, but now it's May of 2007. Friends from California were visiting and we spent a little time at the château. There were certainly a lot more visitors there than there were in March the year before, but it wasn't as crowded as it gets in high summer.

Le jardin de Diane de Poitiers is a lot greener in spring than in winter. May 2007.

This is the garden of Diane de Poitiers, the bigger of the two main formal gardens on the grounds. The other was created by Catherine de Médicis in the second half of the 16th century. When Catherine's husband, King Henry II, died, she became regent, kicked Diane (the king's mistress) out of Chenonceau, and took over management. Thus the château reverted to royal hands. In exchange, Catherine gave Diane the Château de Chaumont up on the Loire.