A pretty chateaux with stunning flower arrangements

We've already walked around both of the formal gardens at Chenonceau with their similarities and differences and today finally, we're popping into the chateau. But not without a look at the outside and how it bridges the River Cher. 

Isn't it stunning?  And like our homes today the bridge across the river was built in stages. It was first built by Diane de Poitiers who was gifted the chateau by King Henri II in 1547. When Catherine de Medici, Henri II's widow, removed Diane she added the two storey gallery, to hold glamorous parties - and I bet they were just that.

On the way in I spotted another gargoyle, this one looking a lot more menacing than the ones in Blois.

And what a front door. It dates back to François I and is made of sculpted wood and painted. It bears the arms of the builders of Chenonceau along with the salamander of François I and a Latin inscription. A grand chateau needs a grand front door, and this is certainly that.

As well as the grandeur which you'd expect from a chateau, what struck me about Chenonceau was their stunning flower arrangements. Throughout the chateau their modern take on the arrangements left me in awe. I'm annoyed with myself though as my photos aren't as sharp as they could be. As usual I used my iPhone but I suspect I had a smear on the lens. 

I couldn't wait to get into the Gallery, and when we did I was pleased that we'd managed to get there before the large group we seemed to be following about, so it meant it was almost empty. And in real life it's even more stunning than in the photo.

It's sixty metres long and six metres wide. Daylight floods in through the eighteen windows and you can just imagine the grand balls that would have taken place here. During the First World War it had a change of use when Dr Gaston Menier (of chocolate fame) paid to set up a hospital in the chateau. And as a crossing over the river it played its part with the Resistance too. I'm always totally amazed at the heroics of people at that time in readiness to save people.

There were as many flowers, plainer of course, below stairs. The greenery and hydrangeas below were in the kitchen areas. And while they are less fancy, I don't think you can say the same for that handrail, can you?

Back upstairs the flower arrangements continued to amaze. I loved this one, comprised of many square and oblong glass vases and full of flowers, which were also repeated across the mantelpiece in the library, where Catherine de Medici had her desk.

The last arrangement I'm sharing today is in one of the darkest rooms of the chateau, so along with a smudge on my lens I'm grateful I could rescue even a part of this photo. The shading helps though I think.  It's from Louise of Lorraine's bedroom, which is dark and moody and you'll not be surprised to learn that she retired to Chenonceau to meditate and pray after the assassination of her husband King Henri III.

I found this one of the most moving rooms in the chateau, and while the room was dark decorated in blacks, greys and silvers she always dressed in white, following the protocol for royal mourning and was given the name the White Queen.  The room is decorated with motifs of feathers, which represent sorrow and silver tears. This simple, but stunning flower arrangement was totally appropriate.

Quite a different take on flower arrangements aren't they?  

Log piles, great views and a bit of a wrong turn

After our wet and windy cycle to Amboise the next day it was still wet, but thankfully not raining and there was no rest for us. We only had two nights in Amboise and the plan was to cycle to the Château de Chenonceau, we'd seen a sign the day before so roughly knew our route. And if you remember I said that it was all downhill into the centre of Amboise, so our route out of the town was all uphill. And it was hard going.

I managed to cycle enough uphill to get approving glances from the locals out for a chat, as you do. Well I think it was approving glances, maybe it was the usual madness of the English look. Who knows! We retraced our route which was thankfully less wet and windy than the day before. 

We turned right and followed the Loire a Velo signs towards Chenonceau eagerly anticipating what the new part of the route would bring. It wasn't long before I spied a log pile in the distance. And it's amazing what can make me pedal harder but, sadly, a photogenic log pile is one of them. And this reminded me of our trip cycling in Bavaria, but as I found out bigger!

I told you they were bigger!

Having left the bike I was patrolling up and down in awe of the log pile, when I spotted a lone foxglove. I told you they were photogenic didn't I?

As I was heading back to where I'd left MOH and the bikes I realised the field behind me - although log pile free - was equally as pretty.

Before long we were back on our bikes, we'd passed through a small village and got slightly confused with the signs. We headed off confidently, but after four or so kilometres and no more signs MOH agreed we might have gone wrong. So back we went. That was eight kilometres we weren't expecting.

By now, despite having a large breakfast I was starting to fade. So it was time for a stop. Back in the village where we went wrong. I was hoping for some of our packed lunch, but MOH whipped out some gel bars and gels. 

Ah well, they did the job and I amused myself at why there was a picnic bench and some bike racks in a random field in the French countryside. But I was oh so glad there was. The bench, like the bike racks were concrete and the lichen patterns were fantastic.

After a much needed break, and a much longer cycle than we'd expected - it was 23 or so miles there - Chenonceau was in our sights. I'll admit I wasn't looking forward to the journey back. As we parked and secured our bikes, the rain that had been threatening throughout our cycle made its presence known so it was a quick scramble to don our waterproofs and for me to cover my saddle with a plastic bag!

And then we headed into Chenonceau, only to be refused entry because we had a picnic. We could either leave it in a locker or go out and eat it, so that's what we did. I understand why they wouldn't want the place littered but it seemed a bit OTT to me. Later on we discovered the prices inside the chateau grounds were way higher than those by the entry points, and that just felt a little too mercenary. 

Before I finish this post I'll leave you with our first glimpse of Cháteau de Chenonceau, which from this angle doesn't look quite as special as I'd expected, but don't worry more was to be revealed. I'll also tell you that our cycle back was a lot shorter than getting there, at closer to fifteen miles. It turned out we'd been on a circular route and had gone the scenic way first, which I think on reflection was the right way round!

More soon on the gardens at Chenonceau - there are three - and of some more usual shots and a look at the sumptuous interiors. It really was a great chateau to visit, and I'm glad I'd arranged the trip to include this one.

Have you been, did it live up to your expectations?

A wet and windy cycle to Amboise

After spending a good few days in Blois looking around the Chateaux de Blois, de Chambord (twice) and de Cheverny and much more beside, it was time to pack up our panniers and head back along the Loire à Velo and onto Amboise. But with the car in the car park at Blois, it made sense to leave the clothes we knew we wouldn't need, as sadly the weather had changed.

So leaving flip flops, vest tops, some clean clothes for the last day or so of our trip along with the wine we bought at Chambord, we left Blois in our waterproofs. And typically this was our longest cycle. I wasn't looking forward to the next 43km.

After a good breakfast - well a girl needs fuel - we cycled over the river and turned right cycling along the banks of the Loire until we reached this.

Yes, that was the path. It looks quite wet, doesn't it?  While we were contemplating our next move, I was distracted momentarily by the poppies. Realising that wasn't going to help us progress we turned back to the path, and the map to see what our next move should be. In the distance we could see people approaching from the other direction, getting so far, turning back and heading along what looked to be the road on our map we'd identified. We had a plan, so we were off again.

After about 20km we were approaching Chaumont-sur-Loire, which our guide book told us was "well worth the effort required to climb the outcrop on which it is perched" and originally it had been on my list of chateaus to visit. But as it coincided with a long cycle we'd decided against it, and with the weather on the day we were cycling past I was pleased. And it was up the top of a hill, so while it looked pretty with blue skies in the book, our reality was much greyer.

I was keen though to try and get some decent photos, so I parked my bike under a tree - I didn't want a wet saddle - and went off in search of some photos. It wasn't long though before I was back and keen to get going again, it was just too misty and bleurgh to capture the postcard shots.

The path was directing us back down towards the river. I didn't like the look of the path down, and hesitated. That's before we realised that too was flooded. So we stayed on the quiet road and cycled parallel to the path instead.

It was slow going that day. And actually the rain wasn't that bad, it was warm - or warm enough at this stage of the ride and there was plenty still to see. Another stop had me wondering about this forest. It had clearly been planted, as each tree was equal distance apart. I was fascinated because whichever angle I stood, there were lines...

But there was still more cycling to be done. The guidebook warned us that the next section would be "almost completely deserted" and "exposed to the wind and the sun."  Sadly there was no sun, but it was right on the rest of it. This section was wet and windy, and now I just wanted to be in Amboise. There were hills too, mostly but not always up. 

But we got there and arrived in Amboise above the town, so the good news was that it was all downhill from here.  For most of that I had my brakes on though as there were a few sharp bends. The Loire à Velo path led us into the car park in the town and we opted to head towards the pretty town centre. 

Having seen the main street and the Chateau d'Amboise it was time to locate our hotel. There was a handy hotel locator map outside the chateau, and it was then we realised we still had some cycling to do. Out of town, uphill. Up three of them to be precise, but by the end of our stay in Amboise I was mostly cycling up them. Slowly, but cycling nonetheless.

We walked back into the town that evening, and it took us twenty minutes, so we were quite a way out of town. But it was a pretty town - just look at the charm of those gates and that wall -  and well worth that walk, even in the rain. And I even spotted a passionflower. I really must get one for my garden, they are the strangest looking flowers, but still beautiful. 

So after our five hours on the road, with a moving time of just under four hours, I was pleased to be in the warm and dry. And pleased to have secured the ok from MOH to introduce some tactical pannier packing for our next "with luggage" cycle. But first I needed to recover as next up was our trip to Chenonceau. And yes, another chateau. But more on that next time.