Europe 2011

Loches: Châteaux

Loches is in the heart of the Loire Valley château area, so obviously we visited a number of châteaux.
		Chambord is possibly the most insane folly we have ever seen. It was never completed, and seldom lived in. *
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		The roofline is extraordinary. †
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		Cheverny was the inspiration for Marlinspike Hall, the home of Captain Haddock in the Tintin books. †
		Ceiling inside the château. *
		An early chest of drawers, one of the first to replace trunks for the storage of clothes. *
		The hunting hounds of Cheverny. *
		Cheverny milks the Tintin connection, with a special Tintin display. We declined to pay the extra entry charge for this, but liked the decorations on the building housing the display. *
		Rear view of Cheverny from its gardens. *
		And the yard goes on forever.... *
		Montpoupon is an elegant château from outside, but we did not go in. It has extensive displays on hunting, which did not interest us much. *
		We revisited Azay-le-Rideau, but found that this time the water in the moat was low and scummy. And, as it was a French public holiday (Ascension Day), the place was packed and we could not get an audio guide. *
		We enjoyed Montrésor, which has old fortifications that are largely ruinous and a newer part that was restored during the Second Empire period and is still occuplied. This is the old part, with the town church spire in the background. *
		Inside the newer part is this extraordinary mahogany stair. *
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		On the outside, there was this statue of Madonna and child. †
		And this one of a child hugging a dog. †
		Family tomb in Montrésor church. *

We also went to Villandry and Le Chatonnière, but they were visited for their gardens.