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Altar and Coir of St.-Gattien
Tours - Chateau de Tours
Musée Goüin, Tours
MUSEE DU COMPAGNONNAGEChâteau de Chenonceau
I would have to admit that it's quite a while since I studied French at high school. One of our books was called 'La Belle France' and one of the few things I can recall from it was a photo of Chenonceau. I'm not sure if it was the lilting name or the fairy-tale appearance, but for some reason it stuck with me over the years. In early February 1997, Pauline and I finally visited and, despite the bleak wintery conditions, we were delighted to find that the chateau was as stylish as my schoolbook had suggested.
The general story of the chateau is well known. It was owned and developed by a series of notable women, starting with Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of King Henri II. She developed the garden you see in the first photo. After Henri II died, Catherine de Medici sent Diane to Chaumont (see previous tip) and took over, creating her own garden on the other side of the chateau (second photo) and adding the famous wing of the chateau on the bridge (third photo).
You won't read much about it in the guidebooks, but the room which impressed us most was the one used by a subsequent owner, following the death of her husband. She apparently went into deep mourning for some years, wandering around in white outfits (the funeral colour in those days) and sitting in this room which was painted matt black with stencilled white funeral motifs on the walls. One of the spookiest places I have ever seen!
