#19: Chateaux In The Loire Valley….And Paris
The Loire Valley….valley of the Kings…..has the most amazing architecture in France. There are countless chateaux to visit and stay in. While I had been here just 4 months earlier, this time the trip was with Laurie and the piece-de-resistance would be a hot air balloon ride overlooking the Loire and its many chateaux!
During our trip to this region we visited:
- Chateau Valmer-had it’s own fruit and herb garden
- Chateau Beauregard-large estate with interesting “portraits” throughout.
- Chaumont-Sur-Loire-Catherine de Medici forced her husband’s mistress, Diane de Poitiers, to exchange this chateau for Chateau de Chenonceau after Henry II died in 1559
- Château d’Amboise-overlooks the river Loire and rises above the town of Amboise
- Chateau de Saumur- we watched a jousting match
- Chateau Chinon-Many leaders of the Knights Templer were imprisoned here in the 13th c.
Finally returning to Paris, Laurie and I did what we always do: drink wine, walk, eat great dinners and shop. We particularly enjoyed sitting in Luxembourg gardens near the pond where children would rent toy sail boats ………and going to Restaurant Perraudin near the Pantheon for dinner. The Boeuf Bourguignon with potatoes and the nougat in a raspberry coulis were delish!
