Bléré, Château de Villandry Gardens, Château d'Amboise, Château de Chenonceau, Amboise

August 6

The temperature reached 35 C today - ouch - 29 C at 2230!

Mom was pretty bushed from the continuous schedule and heat, and elected to waive our morning trip in favour of rest, and Kim decided to stay with her. We got off a little after 9:00, headed for the Château de Villandry Gardens. This was in the area of our inbound trip yesterday, when we didn’t have the time. And is about a ½ hour drive. Along the way, we stopped for photo ops of a huge field of sunflowers, just west of Bléré; the Loire river at Véretz (mirrored reflections in the Loire); and Savonnieres (mirrored reflection of bridge), which is just east of Villandry; and the north side of the River Cher, as we approached Bléré.

At Villandry, we were tight on time, but made our way quickly through most of the gardens, which featured geometric designs, a maze, large herb gardens, and a moat with huge and numerous carp. The gardens at Villandry are considered by many to be very special. We’ve been spoiled previously with the geometric gardens of Versailles and the very beautiful Luxembourg Gardens, a clear favourite.

We next headed to Château d'Amboise, within 10 km of where we’ve been staying. The Château Royal D'Amboise is a royal castle that was built during the 15th and 16th centuries on the orders of Charles VIII, Louis XII and Francois 1. In the Middle Ages, Amboise was in a strategic position looking over one of the few bridges that allowed people to cross the Loire. It has a lovely scale to its château and gardens, and its ramp and circular gang walk and stairways are particularly attractive, as well as the wonderful views from its ramparts. It is probably my favourite. The gardens of the Château reportedly offer one of the most splendid views of the Loire Valley.

Francis I, King of France in the early 15th century, became Leonardo da Vinci's patron and convinced him to move to Amboise where Leonardo spent the remainder of his life. The Clos-Lucé is where Leonardo da Vinci lived out his last days. The Lower Floor of Clos-Lucé has recreations of many of Leonardo's inventions (which we did not see). It is said that he carried the painting of the Mona Lisa in his belongings when he rode to Amboise from Italy, on his donkey. We saw where he is reportedly buried in the Chapel of St. Hubert (the tower illuminated at night and seen from the square below where the restaurants and shops are located).

Charles VII stayed here, as did the unfortunate Charles VIII, best remembered for banging his head on a low doorway lintel and dying as a result. The gigantic Tour des Minimes drops down the side of the cliff, enclosing a massive circular ramp designed to lead horses and carriages up the steep hillside. François I, whose long nose appears in so many château paintings, based his court here. The castle was also the stage for the Amboise Conspiracy, an ill-fated Protestant plot against François II; corpses of 1,200 conspirators dangled from the castle walls.

We returned to join up with Kim and Mom at 1330, who had already had lunch. We went to an outdoor table of the brasserie opposite our hotel. It was scorching hot. I characteristically do not perspire much; however, at this stage, the front of my shirt already had residual salt deposits! Mon bleu.

I only wanted something light, so I got some advice and went up the street to a boulangerie (name on wrapping given to Lynda for safekeeping and future ID, now claims absolutely positive never received), one of only 1 or 2 in Bléré that produces baguettes. There, I got a ham and gruyère baguette for 3 € and a high apricot flan slice for 1.5 €. In the course of our discussion, I learned that this boulangerie and the tea shop in Amboise where we’d eaten last night are the 2 in the region considered to make the best pastries. In addition, she said it was also noted f its chocolates, and had introduced coloured chocolates to France 25 years ago. She also said that, although she and her husband had 4 children, none had an interest in working in such a business, finances being a challenge, and they’d recently sold the business. The business had been founded in 1900.

She also told a story of how here father had taken in a lost Canadian couple that was wondering through Europe. He took them home; they stayed 3 months; and recently returned.

After wolfing this grand lunch, I rejoined the group to have a white wine and a couple of carafes of water to prepare for our last trip - Château de Chenonceau, about 15 minutes away.

It has been said that the Chenonceau Château is unquestionably the most beautiful of France's many Loire Valley châteaus. Despite the incorporation (probably by Michelangelo) of feudal trappings in its layout, this château was built for pleasure. Achingly beautiful, the Château de Chenonceau has long been considered the "most romantic" of all the Loire châteaux, thanks in part to its showpiece - a breathtaking galerie de bal that spans the River Cher like a bridge. The gallery was used as an escape point for French Resistance fighters during World War II, since all other crossings had been bombed.

The building itself is the main attraction here. Built between 1513 and 1521 and resting on a series of graceful arches, the Château de Chenonceau is constructed over the River Cher, and appears a magical place. The building and the river exist in harmony, one complementing the other. It is nicknamed the "Château of the Ladies" because it was owned and enhanced by a succession of women of the royal court, including the queen Catherine de Medici. Henri II gave the palace to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers. After the king's death, his widow, Catherine de Médicis, humiliated Diane by forcing her to move to a less prestigious château in nearby Chaumont.

Both gardens were originally designed by women of historical importance; one by Diane De Poitiers and the other by Catherine De Medici.

Only after we were walking away did we notice that we had toured the main floor and its lower level (kitchens), but missed its 2 upper floors; however, no one had the motivation or energy to return. Included in what we saw were the furnished Louis XIV sitting room, the Francois I bedroom, and the kitchens. We also exited from the gangway to the other side of the river for photo ops.

We finished the day by respectively downing our beverages of choice after Lynda and I had cooled off in the hotel’s outdoor pool, which is located across the street and behind its parking compound. Gerald and I revisited my now favourite boulangerie to buy some desserts for the evening. We then headed to Amboise, about 10 km distant, where Lynda and I had had supper last evening and quite enjoyed the scene, the square having the entry ramp of the Château d'Amboise in its immediate background. We sat at an outdoor table of the restaurant, Anne de Bretagne. Excepting Kim, we all had onion soup. Kim and I had a fresh salad of baby shrimp and palm hearts. Gerald had a ham and cheese gallette. Lynda had spaghetti Bolognese.

Our day done, we returned to the hotel to prepare for an early departure tomorrow.