In the Kings' Valley

In May me, my husband and another family decided to take a trip to France to attend the annual music festival Hellfest which takes place in Clisson, approximately 30 km of Nantes. We had also planned to visit some of the castles of Loire, the city of Rennes, Le Mont-Saint-Michel and on our way back to see Paris. From all of us, I was the only one who hadn’t been to this country before. That was the reason for my great excitement for the trip. So, the middle of June came and we landed in Paris, from where we took a rental car and set out southwest to Bretagne. At that time I had no idea that the next few days will become some of the most exciting days of my life. Apart from the already mentioned places, we visited others too, but now I want to share with you what impressed me most – THE CASTLES OF LOIRE. I was sitting in the car, gazing at the beautiful fields outside without noticing that I’m travelling. I was immersed in my own thoughts. For the first time in my life I was going to enter a castle – something I had been dreaming of since my teenage years while reading Maurice Druon’s sequel “The Accursed Kings” and Alexander Dumas’ novels. I was looking forward to seeing some of the spectacular castles in the valley of Loire (the longest river in France – 1012 km), also known as the Kings’ Valley, because of the numerous preserved medieval fortresses, royal palaces, Renaissance residences, cathedrals, abbeys. We arrived at Chambord – the largest and distinguishable castle of Loire. An impressive landscape that surpassed all my expectations burst upon us.

I couldn’t stop watching it. I thought it was just a dream. The castle was so majestic!

When I turned around I saw the huge park.

I wanted to stay there for a long time. I expected to see something striking but I hadn’t imagined it would actually be so imposing. The construction started in 1519 by order of Francis I. The architecture style combines French and Classical Renaissance. An interesting historical fact is that during the World War II in Chambord were kept art masterpieces, including Leonardo’s painting “Mona Lisa” and the statue of Venus de Milo. Filled with great admiration, we headed to our next destination – the castle Chenonceau. On our way, we decided to go first to Blois and see Louis XII royal palace.

Apart from it, we also saw The House of Magic. “Monsters” were showing their heads from the windows in an attempt to lure us inside.

Before we continued, we tasted the delicious French cuisine in a small cozy restaurant. We didn’t stay long there because it was getting late and we had to reach Chenonceau, also known as the Lady’s Castle.

Built in 1513 by Katherine Briconnet and beautified by Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici – the mistress and the wife of Henry II, this castle is remarkable not only for its architecture and history but also for its rich collection of furniture in Renaissance style.

Here we saw the two noble ladies’ bedrooms, the priceless paintings and tapestries as well as Poitiers’ and Medici’s gardens in the mansion. We were astonished by the beautiful view of terraces, cascades and fountains.

Chenonceau is the most visited castle in France after Versailles probably because it’s considered the most beautiful one around Loire.

Furthermore, it’s the only castle in the valley where you can get a video guide in 11 different languages. Although Chambord and Chanonceau are situated in the valley of Loire, they aren’t built directly on the shore. Chambord is close to the river Cosson and Chenonceau above the river Cher with its foundations resembling a bridge.

We would have stayed longer in the magnificent Chenonceau but we had to be in Nantes in the evening. I wasn’t tired at all, although we were on the go all day. Silently sitting in the car I couldn’t stop dreaming. My imagination was carrying me away centuries ago, in those days of castles with knights, love, diplomacy and chicaneries. Staring at the endless tranquil fields I was intoxicated from the incredible day. From time to time I brightened up at the sight of the big white cows I hadn’t seen before. I was admiring the beautiful, rich and luxuriant land - “The Kings’ Valley”. We arrived on time in our hotel in Nantes after that outstanding experience. We were happy that for only one day we were able to “touch” that much culture, history and beauty. I have lots of things I can tell you about my first trip to France, but I’ll do it later.