Page 194 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

The Drive » Follow D952 5 p193 Haddock’s ancestral
northeast along the Loire’s The Drive » Cross the Loire home, Marlinspike Hall.
northern bank, enjoying 35km of and head 16km southeast into
beautiful river views en route to 4 p193
Blois. The town of Chaumont-sur- Cheverny via the D765 and D102. The Drive » Take the D102
Loire makes a pleasant stop for its 10km northeast into Bracieux,
imposing château and gardens. then turn north on the D112
8 Cheverny for the final 8km run through
Perhaps the Loire’s most forested Domaine National de
7 Blois elegantly proportioned Chambord, the largest walled
Seven French kings lived château, Cheverny (www. park in Europe. Catch your first
in Château Royal de Blois chateau-cheverny.fr; av du Châ- dramatic glimpse of France’s
most famous château on the
(www.chateaudeblois.fr; place teau; château & gardens adult/ right as you arrive in Chambord.
du Château; adult/child €10/5, child €10.50/7.50; h9.15am-
audioguide €4/3; h9am-6pm 7pm Apr-Sep, 10am-5.30pm
or 7pm Apr-Oct, 9am-noon Oct-Mar) represents the TRIP HIGHLIGHT
& 1.30-5.30pm Nov-Mar), zenith of French classical 9 Chambord
whose four grand wings architecture: the perfect A crowning achievement
were built during four blend of symmetry, of French Renaissance
distinct periods in French geometry and aesthetic architecture, Château de
architecture: Gothic (13th order. Inside are some of Chambord (www.chambord.
century), Flamboyant the most sumptuous and org; adult/child €11/9, parking
Gothic (1498–1501), early elegantly furnished rooms €4-6; h9am-5pm or 6pm;
FRANCE 14 CHâTEAux OF THE LOIRE
Renaissance (1515–20) anywhere in the Loire Val- c) – with 440 rooms,
and classical (1630s). You ley. Highlights include the 365 fireplaces and 84
can easily spend half a formal Dining Room, with staircases – is by far the
day immersing yourself panels depicting the story largest, grandest and most
in the château’s dramatic of Don Quixote; the King’s visited château in the
and bloody history and ex- Bedchamber, with ceiling Loire Valley. Begun in 1519
traordinary architecture. murals and tapestries by François I (r 1515–47)
In the Renaissance illustrating stories from as a weekend hunting
wing, the most remarkable Greek mythology; and a lodge, it quickly grew into
feature is the spiral log- children’s playroom com- one of the most ambitious
gia staircase, decorated plete with toys from the and expensive architectur-
with fierce salamanders time of Napoléon III. al projects ever attempted
and curly Fs, heraldic Cheverny’s kennels by a French monarch.
symbols of François I. The house pedigreed hunting Rising through the
King’s Bedchamber was dogs; feeding time, known centre of the structure, the
the setting for one of the as Soupe des Chiens, world-famous double-
bloodiest episodes in the takes place most days helix staircase – reputedly
château’s history. In 1588 at 11.30am. Behind the designed by Leonardo
Henri III had his arch- château, the 18th-century da Vinci – ascends to the
rival, Duke Henri I de Orangerie, which shel- great lantern tower and
Guise, murdered by royal tered priceless artworks, rooftop, where you can
bodyguards (the king is including the Mona Lisa, marvel at a skyline of
said to have hidden be- during WWII, is now a cupolas, domes, turrets,
hind a tapestry while the warm-season tearoom. chimneys and lightning
deed was done). Dramatic Tintin fans may recog- rods and gaze out across
and graphic oil paintings nise the château’s façade the vast grounds.
illustrate these events next as the model for Captain
door in the Council Room.

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