We chose this view of Chenonceau Castle as our background photo. Back in that first French class (again), this is the castle that captured my imagination. It's not as grandiose as Chambord, but I simply couldn't imagine a castle built over a river. This was something I had to see!
Castles of the Loire Valley
Castle of Selles sur Cher
And we're off to start touring castles in the Loire Valley! Our first stop was the castle in the small town of Selles sur Cher. It has a long history - the first medieval towers were built in the 10th century, and then it was added to, ransacked, added to, ransacked, etc. It was recently purchased with an eye toward restoration. They make really nice wine and goat cheese here, and we got to sample both before we ate our picnic lunches purchased in Bourges prior to departing.
The restoration is underway and it was fun to see the progress.
Chambord Castle
You can't say you've seen the Loire Valley castles without seeing Chambord, the royal "hunting lodge." What an enormous castle - it is the largest in the valley! Imagine building something like this simply for the occasional hunting trip. Francois I began building in the early 16th century, but died before it's completion. You could easily get lost - there are 426 rooms!
The castle exterior with its many spires. It was meant to impress, and it certainly does!
Chenonceau Castle
My favorite. Somehow, it simply "speaks" to me. It is also known as the "ladies' castle," a name derived from the many illustrious women who lived there and were instrumental in its construction.
Isn't it gorgeous? It looks like it's straight out of a fairy tale!
Hint: Comfortable shoes are an absolute must! You could be on your feet for long periods of time. We both had "tried and true" shoes that we trusted would not cause issues.