Castles

Last weekend (October 15-16) was the IES trip to see the chateaux de la Loire and it wasn't just like one or two. No, in two days we saw FIVE different castles! It was one of those trips where I was really glad that I went but it was still super exhausting to do that much touring in a weekend.

The first castle was Montgeoffroy. The weather was perfect and sunny and just a little bit cold so that I was perfectly comfortable in my jacket. The castle is actually still a private residence! The family also has property in Paris and Morocco but they still spend time living in the caste in the Loire Valley. The fact that the family still used to property made it seem so much more Pride and Prejudices; I kept expecting Mr. Darcy or Mr. Bingley to walk around the corner. The whole weekend of castles was a lot to process and put in perspective because, for instance, Montgeoffroy has been in their family for longer than the United States has been a country.

Stable!

The next stop was Azay-le-Rideau. It was gorgeous, just like a fairy tale. We were left to our own devices to explore the castle, whereas Montgeoffroy was a guided tour. I enjoyed Azay-le-Rideau but not as much as the first castle. One big factor was that Montgeoffroy was a guided visit so I felt like I had a better grip on the history and use of the castle than at Azay-le-Rideau, but that didn't stop me from throughly enjoying my little siesta on the lawn in front of Azay-le-Rideau. I just had this perfect moment of bliss sitting on the grounds of a castle in France and absorbing the sun.

The next stop on Saturday was Villandry. It is famous for its beautifully constructed gardens but it also has a pretty cute story. The couple who eventually bought it and redid the gardens were a Spanish man and an American woman who had been childhood sweethearts. When they bought it the previous owners had "modernized" the house and gardens. So, the husband set about doing a bunch of research on tradition French gardens and completely reconstructed the gardens based on both his research and traces of the original layout that they found on the grounds. 

We spent the night in Tours and then Sunday morning we visited Amboise, the first royal castle of the trip. It is also where Leonardo di Vinci lived his last several years and he was buried on the grounds in the old church. 

And finallllllly, Chenonceau! It is known as the castle of women because there have been several women that have constructed parts of the castle and the grounds. Chenonceau has a pretty cool history outside of just being gorgeous. During WWI it was used as a hospital and as a bridge or passage way for the Resistance during WWII. The main entrance was in the occupied zone whereas the exit on the other side of the river was in the zone libre.