Next Chateaux - Chenonceau and Villandry

Chenonceau, also known as "Chateau des Dames", was designed by 5 French women who understood  comfort. Just look at this place. Steve and  Liz have decided to have portraits of themselves done when they get home and hang them forever in their  Chateau Le Barr Crescent Brampton. 

As Elizabeth Bennett said "I cannot think of a more happily situated house".

The kitchen was to die for, although I am I prefer the electricity, microwave oven and automatic dishwasher far greater than the Rennaissance furnishings and fireplaces if the past. Greg was in awe of this fireplace fit for a King. It certainly rocks!



After a morning of fantasizing what it must have been like to live in the luxury of this "Lady's Masterpiece", we made out way back into the town of Amboise to explore the local Sunday  market and to browse the downtown area of this gorgeous town with old timber homes and cave-like homes built directly into the Loire Valley cliff rock.....a trendy weekend home for rich Parisians.

After a quick bite sandwich and Breton dessert sugar crepe, we made our our way beyond Tours deeper into the Loire Valley so Lisa could enjoy the last of the great Rennaisance Chateaux and gardens of Villandry. We skipped the visit to  the chateau to wander through the gloriously manicured gardens which are maintained by some thousands of gardeners. Some of the plant varieties date back to the original species planted by the monks which were used for culinary and medicinal purposes in medievil times.

Many of the themed gardens are a testament to love, water, sun and culinary arts.

Don't you wish you could get your garden to look this good????

We enjoyed our stay with the delightful, friendly and hospitable Annick and her 2 cats, 2 dogs and 2 horses..... B & B Le Manoir de la Maison Blanche http://www.lamaisonblanche-fr.com/index_en.html

One must be cautious of Annick's friendly horses though. This guy tried to join us for breakfast.  He had one hoof in the door trying to get at the apples in the fruit bowl but luckily Steve stopped him.