FranceClos Lucé47°24’37” N 0°59’32” E
29 août 2023, France ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
We visited the last home of Leonardo da Vinci in Amboise. He came here at the invitation of the king, Francis I, to study anatomy. In Italy he was prohibited from working on cadavers so was limited inEn savoir plus
FranceClos Lucé47°24’37” N 0°59’31” E
29 août 2023, France ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
We had a private winetasting with a sommelier. For this event, he took us down to the tunnels that connected Clos Luce with the king's castle. Leonardo da Vinci and Francis I used to meet down here.En savoir plus
VoyageurUncle Dan, how did you find all of these sites and tours to do? Did someone recommend them or did you research on your own?
VoyageurKimberly, we are very happy with them and would recommend them if you ever want to do a driving tour of France. By the way, France is one of the easiest foreign countries to drive in as long as 1) you can handle roundabouts (they are easy) 2) you never, ever speed. There are automatic speed traps everywhere. People have returned to the States and received thousands of dollars of tickets without ever knowing they were speeding. Charged against the credit card they used to rent the car. But drivers are actually very patient. After 4 days of driving I have yet to hear a horn blow.
VoyageurDan told me I should answer this question while he researches restaurants. He found an agency called "France Just For You". They custom design trips for people visiting France based on their interests. It's great because they make all the arrangements so you can just sit back and enjoy the experiences.
FranceChâteau d'Amboise47°24’46” N 0°59’7” E
29 août 2023, France ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
This chateau has been owned by 7 women. Kathy decided to make it 8 and purchased it today. It has been recently updated so we don't have to worry about decorating.
FranceLa Chaussée-Saint-Victor47°36’20” N 1°22’24” E
30 août 2023, France ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
So, the plan for today was to drive to Blois, pick up some bikes and ride to Le Chateau de Chambord stopping for a picnic lunch at a scenic spot in the Loire Valley along the way. Included in the bikeEn savoir plus
VoyageurOh, no! You were so excited about this experience! Good pivot though. Luckily, France is fun no matter what you do!
FranceChâteau de Chambord47°36’59” N 1°31’1” E
30 août 2023, France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
This is the king's bedroom. It is not is his actual bed, but one representative of the period. Because the royal court moved around so much their furniture was made to be portable. The bed is heldEn savoir plus
FranceChâteau de Chambord47°36’58” N 1°31’1” E
30 août 2023, France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Whew!!! She decided that at 440 rooms it was just a "little" too big. What a relief. (Chambord Castle by the way.)
VoyageurSeriously, what did they DO with all those rooms? I thought only Mad King Ludwig had that big a castle!
VoyageurI thought Ludwig's tended to be on the smaller side. This castle was actually very seldomly occupied. It was designed more to show the power of Francis I, started when he came to power in his early twenties. Francis moved about a lot, from castle to castle. I'll post something about his furniture next.
FranceChâteau d'Amboise47°24’41” N 0°59’2” E
31 août 2023, France ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
Today is our 26th wedding anniversary. At the B&B where we are staying in the Loire Valley, they served fruit to us for breakfast in the shape of a wedding cake!
VoyageurThanks, Little Ski Buddy. Opening your card this morning made me feel like you were with us just like you were 26 years ago!
FranceChâteau d'Amboise47°24’41” N 0°59’2” E
31 août 2023, France ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
One of my favorite things about Chambord Castle was the rooftop. It was like a little fairy tale village up there.
FranceChâteau d'Amboise47°24’41” N 0°59’2” E 31 août 2023, France ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Dan mentioned that Francis I started the construction of Chambord. When he died, his son Henry II inherited it. Henry's mistress, Diane de Poiters, and his wife, Catherine de Medici, both preferredEn savoir plus
FranceChâteau de Loches47°7’31” N 0°59’50” E
31 août 2023, France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
A fortress was built here by the Count of Anjou Foulques III Nerra between 1013 and 1035. Lots of modifications were made over the years with it becoming a prison from the 15th to 18th century forEn savoir plus
