October 20, 2014

This past weekend I went on an IES group trip visiting four castles of the Loire Valley. It was fun and certainly exhausting from how much walking we did. Our first trip was to the Château Azay-le Rideau, which included a cool audio tour. There was even a huge attic that now holds a huge bat colony. Can't say I saw any though. Every time I visit a castle in France I just want my mom there to enjoy it with me since she has a love for them too. I hope to take her sometime to a few of our favorites.

 Melissa and I after the tour

The next was the Château Villandry on Saturday, which I chose not to visit the interior, but to explore the gardens instead. They were very aesthetically pleasing to the eye, symmetrical and reminded me a lot of The Secret Garden. We had perfect weather for our two trips. It's always really neat to go down a long path of overhanging trees, turn a corner, and there's the château with a story of its own. 

 Azelia and I visiting the gardens 

 Morgan striking a pose

Later that evening at our hotel in Tours, I had a fun time exploring with Christine and Victoria. We visited the cathedral St. Getien, which had an incredible gothic archietectural design. I will never tire of visiting the interior of cathedrals. They never cease to amaze me. 

On Sunday we visited the Château d'Amboise where Anne of Bretagne lived in residence. Her husband, the king, also had his own personal chapelle near the castle as well. This castle is also where Leonardo da Vinci requested to be buried. After taking a tour of the castle, it was pleasant exploring the gardens alone and enjoying the sunlight and the view of the town. 

 La Chapelle & photos of the interior

 Leonardo da Vinci's tomb 

 Inside the château

 Bust of Leonardo da Vinci 

Exploring the ramparts of the château

Finally, we visited one of my favorite castles, Chenonceau, the women's castle. It was where Diane de Poitier lived, King Henri II's mistress, and when he died, Diane was kicked out by the queen, Catherine de Medici. Multiple noblewomen lived there over time. I had a chance to visit it during 2011, my first trip, so it was wonderful to see it again. I didn't visit the inside like before, but instead explored the gardens and the forests. After finishing a pleasant walk in the woods, I found Melissa alone and she asked me where I'd been. "Oh, I just got lost in the woods." There is so much to see of this castle, the grounds, the forests, it's enchanting. I would love to take my mom here since the train does have a stop here. It makes me for a lovely day trip and I got plenty of walking in. 

 I loved the labyrinth maze on the grounds