It seems uncanny that Armistice Day falls halfway through our trip. November 11, 1918 was the day on which WWI hostilities ceased: a bittersweet occasion marking a four-year period of terrible, bloody destruction but simultaneously representing great hope for a peaceful future. With similar ambivalence we glumly recognize that half of our adventure is behind us, while excitedly awaiting the other half that lies ahead, packed with unfulfilled escapades.
After the usual breakfast loaded with simple carbohydrates and invigorating cups of coffee or hot chocolate, we boarded a charter bus and headed toward the Château de Chenonceau (about a 45 minute drive). To provide a little context- we stayed at a hotel in Blois, southwest of Paris. Chenonceaux, a small village further southwest of Blois, has 300 inhabitants, the chateau, and that’s about it.
Construction on the chateau itself began in 1515. In 1547, King Henry II gave the residence as a gift to his mistress Diane de Poitiers upon the death of King Francis I. This made Henry II’s wife, Catherine de’Medici, rather unhappy. When Henry died, Catherine demanded that Diane move out and installed her at a gloomy chateau in central France. Remnants of the dramatic exchange of inhabitants at Chenonceau can be seen most noticeably in the wallpaper: an intertwined ‘C’ for Catherine and ‘H’ for Henry forms a not-so-subtle ‘D’ for Diane. The building, decorated lavishly as one would expect, contained a variety of enormous tapestries, paintings, stained glass windows, beds and sofas, etc. The gardens provide more evidence of the conflict between the two women: one half of the chateau’s grounds was designed in the vein of French landscaping by Diane, and the other half was designed in the Italian style by Catherine.
After a stop in the village of Amboise for lunch, we continued to the Château de Chambord, a fantastic, breathtaking palace, famous for its beauty as well as its interesting architecture, which combines medieval and Renaissance elements. Commissioned by King Francis I, the château took 20 years to build – which seems like a short amount of time when one sees its style and stature. One of its most significant aspects is a double-helix staircase, believed to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci and requested by the king so he could avoid unwanted encounters: as he used one staircase, the possible offender could use the parallel one and remain separated. Chambord, while stunning from the outside, seemed empty and impersonal on the inside.