Day 6 & 7: Chateaux

So this morning, I figured out I needed to be up fairly early, estimating that with possible misdirection and travel issues, I need to be out the door by 5:45 AM. Now anyone that knows me, also knows I am not a morning person. On top of this, I had gotten home fairly late from the bike tour. So in order to not miss my train, my body refused to let me sleep. This is what happens when you get paranoid, you think on it so much that not only does your brain not stop, but your body doesn’t either.

Before I knew it, it was 5 AM and I needed to pack up and go. After downing some coffee and packing my backpack for two days I left my home, already running several minutes late. Even though I factored in the possibility of being lost, I did not factor in that morning Metro trains do not run as often. So my paranoid self started toe tapping all the way to Montparnasse where I then practically sprinted out and followed the signs to the train station. I kept looking for car 14, but couldn’t find it, thinking it was very odd that all the trains were considered cars 1&2. It wasn’t till I got to the end that I realized, that it was not the cars labeled 1&2 but the class of car! I forgave myself my own stupidity assuming it was due to the early start!

The trip went by fast as I typed up some missing trip reports and watched the misty countryside go by. When we arrived at St.Pierre, I was still a little muddled and unsure as to how I was going to get to the Tours Tourism Office. Fortunately for me, the line waiting by the taxi stand gave it away. Now, I think this is cool so bear with me but my taxi ended up being a snazzy new BMW station wagon. I am much more used to my plain old car in the US, so this was a treat for me. A short ride later, I was at the office, the still closed office. So with nothing better to do, I took a walk around the neighborhood. Tours resembles Paris in many ways, same type of buildings, same cobblestones, etc. I did notice the abundance of lovely parks early on, and even sat down for a bit to appreciate the early morning peace. The office then opened and I went to inquire about getting on a tour of the chateaux. Unfortunately, Acco-Dispo had filled up and I wasn’t pre-booked. So I wound up going with a different company showing the same things. The driver wasn’t very talkative and my companions were a Japanese mother and daughter pair.

I actually think the funniest part of the day was when the two women saw the minivan. The tour company’s brochure shows an option that allows you to rent an antique car for the day, such as a Rolls Royce. However, this option is not typical and a special inquiry and price are required. The two women had not understood all of the brochure and thought they would be traveling in such a car! Now imagine their disappointment when they got a very plain minivan!

The van left the tourism office soon, and away we went for our first stop at Chenonceau.. The main reason I opted for a tour was because of the amount of chateaux it enables you to see. If I had rented a car, I would not have been able to get as many chateau in the same amount of time. You really have to be a crazy French driver to make it that quick! So away we hurtled to Chenonceau with our crazy French driver and our stick shift van.

We were dropped off at the castle for two hours and left to our own devices. I think Chenonceau became my favorite castle very quickly. I found it’s interior and exterior very beautiful and well maintained. On the inside, you viewed beautiful rooms with tapestry covered walls and old furniture. The kitchen was in a very old Medieval style and definitely roomy enough to service the entire castle. The rest of the rooms were quite comfy despite the grandeur, and it was easy to see a family residing there. The exterior of the castle looked very picturesque, especially the portion above the river. The gardens were beautiful, and created in the typical organized French style. I loved the geometry and organization of it all!

Soon we were back in the van, hurtling to Amboise. The countryside reminded me of Poland in some ways. The little houses with gardens and farmland, all so quaint and beautiful.

When we arrived in the town of Amboise, we had the option of touring both Clos Luce as well as the main Amboise chateau. I was curious to see where Da Vinci once called home so I opted for both chateaux. Da Vinci’s home was very small compared to the rest if the chateaux, but just as opulent. The furniture and tapestries were not lacking in richness. The view of the main castle from the windows gave me something to anticipate while looking over the small garden.

After finishing the visit there, I walked over and then up to Amboise. The chateaux is built very much like a fortress up above the entire town. I personally did not find the interior of Amboise striking. The exterior of the castle was pretty, and the views from the various towers and terraces were amazing!

Back down in the village I had a savory crepe at a little efficient restaurant with with very friendly servers/cashiers. I then walked over to the river, near the meeting point but since I had time I sat down on a bench with a view of the castle, bridge, and river. The bus was a little late since it picked up five more tourists, this time from China and Paris, and the drive changed to much friendlier Frank.

However, Frank was still our crazy French driver, so away we sped to Cheverny. I was exited about this chateaux, specifically to see the kennel. I missed my pup Tarzan, so I couldn’t wait to get a canine fix. Before that, I dutifully explored the castle and learned it was still partly inhabited by new owners. The rest of the castle is open to the public and filled with very pretty rooms, and some amazing furniture. Outside I headed over to the dogs. Now I do realize hounds often stay in packs, but not one hundred twenty dogs in one place!! I did enjoy seeing the dogs, who like most French dogs are very well behaved with no aggression. As I walked back to the van, I saw the gardeners mowing the lawn into gold course perfection. Seriously, the property is very clean and well maintained.

Our last stop was Chambord, with its 440 rooms and 365 fireplaces! The castle is impressive in architecture, very complex with an interesting double staircase in the center. The furniture is not as interesting as in Cheverny but there is a large quantity of it. Also based on photos and trophies, it looked like the past tenants had been fond of hunting. I didn’t find the interior as impressive as the exterior, it was just all too dreary and disorganized to me. It’s a gorgeous chateau, but not my choice in to live in!

Leaving the chateau, we headed back to Tours, and I actually fell asleep in the car in the one hour it took us to get back. Once back at the Tourism office, I started walking to the Hotel L’Adresse, backpack and all. The hotel is in the old district, with timber frame buildings. The walk wasn’t long, and soon I was at the very modern hotel. The receptionist was very friendly and helpful, the room was *tiny* but very clean, and the bathroom was very modern with a somewhat Asian influence. I dropped off my things and found a creperie for dinner. At the Lys d’Or, I tasted a Crepe Normande, with cheese, chicken, and mushrooms made into a delicious and hearty meal! I was too tired to do much else so I went back to my room and to sleep.

The next day I woke up and packed up, and went down to breakfast. It was your typical hotel breakfast, but the croissants were Delicious! I left my bag at the desk and checked out, and then headed back to the tourist office for my next tour. This time I did get Acco-Dispo and it became clear why they come so highly recommended. The driver, Pascal, gave us lots of information on the area of Tours, each chateau, and France in general. He even gave us tips on how best to tackle the chateaux. My companions this time were the same Chinese tourist from the day before and a friendly Brazilian couple. We chatted a bit on the ride, and it made it much quicker.

Our first stop was Villandry. If anyone is a fan of the French garden, Villandry is a must! Pascal recommended we only pay to visit the garden, and that was more than enough to keep us busy for the allotted time. When we first entered, it was up at the top of a terrace and we had a view of all three gardens. They are simply amazing and being anything I have ever seen! One garden is a water garden, one is a kitchen garden, one is a scent/medicinal garden, and the last is purely ornamental. All combined create a beautiful pattern when looked at from above. Inside the actual garden, it is equally beautiful even in the rows of lettuce and tomato. I think the color organization and the patterns make for a beautiful view no matter where you stand!

Sadly, the visit was short and we were soon on our way to Azay-le-Rideau. The village surrounding this chateau is very picturesque. Actually when we got out, I noticed a little black cat playing with a mouse in the garden of a home. I don’t think the poor mouse made it, but it was interesting seeing the cat toss it up since I only thought this happened in Tom & Jerry! I also found it weird that black cats have been following me, since I also saw one in Montmartre.

This chateau was quite small, but beautifully decorated. I think the interior was the best I have seen. I found out from Pascal that Chenonceau and Azay are both designed by women, hence they are more cozy and better organized. He pointed out the kitchens, which are more noticeable than in any other castle. In truth, I don’t recall kitchens in Cheverny or Chambord! All the rooms in Azay are very rich with many tapestries and paintings, but they look livable! My favorite room was the family drawing room, where I wish I could have curled up in a chair with a good book! The property and building itself are very cute! The chateau looks like it is floating on water due to the large moat surrounding it.

The van then took us back to Tours where I had time to wander about before my train back to Paris. I ended up finding several picturesque gardens, where I just sat down for a bit and watched people or wrote in my notebook. After one of the gardens, I saw a cathedral and decided to pay a visit. It ended up being beautiful! It was built in the same style as Notre Dame, but like St. Eustache it was much more airy and light. In fact, it had the best stained glass windows I have seen. Each set of windows told some kind of story and there were notes explaining it. The church was very empty and definitely felt like a church, so I made my way around to see the windows before taking some time at one of the altars devoted to Mary and saying a prayer.

After leaving the church, I headed over to the Grand Passage in search of lunch. I found a little café and followed my rule for the plat du jour. The entrée was good, a tomato and mozzarella dish. But the main course…. It was a steak type meat, but very pink..as in my sauce was going from brown to reddish brown when I sliced a piece off. It didn’t look appealing, so it didn’t taste amazing. Also people that know me, know I don’t like vein-y meat. This piece of meet was vein-y and at one point it had me gagging as I tried to eat it. I think my stomach is still not over the mean thing I did to it. So I think, next time I will drop my plat du jour scheme and go for chicken!

After lunch I wound up walking to the river walk and just sitting in the sun for a while. I had nothing to do and my toes deserved a rest, so I sat down and watched the people. Young couples strolling, a group of what I consider punk/goth youths with several dogs, and then families enjoying the day. After an hour or so, I decided I needed a caffeine boost so I went back to the town center to a café and ordered my café crème and watched the busy shoppers. There was a Printemps department store nearby, not too mention several smaller stores so shopping seemed to be very popular. After my coffee I walked back to the hotel to pick up my bag, and then walked to the train station to catch a taxi to the TGV station, where I had some time to kill. I found a good book at the magazine shop, A Year in Merde, so I sat down to read a bit. The book is hilarious, and about a man who comes to France from England and all his mis-adventures. I was glad I could understand so much of it! Once the train arrived, it was a short ride to Paris and then home!

PS I will post more pictures when Blogger fixes the problem with uploading pics.