Val de Loire Hotel

POITIERS-Futuroscope

by Hosell

Another nice place to go if you are travelling on the area is the beautiful city of Poitiers,is located in an area called La Vienne,just south of Tours.It has a nice old town and nice places to see.I suggest you to visit here FUTUROSCOPE PARK,is the European Images Theme park .

Exploring the Cloister

by Sharrie

PSALETTE CLOISTER was where the canons worked in the middle ages. It was also their assembly that formed the chapter of Saint Gatien Cathedral.

The name Psalette derives from the singing of psalms.

At the Center of the Loire Action

by hquittner

"Our Visit to Tours"

Although we were staying only a few miles outside of Tours, we only spent time in the city visiting the Cathedral of St. -Gattien. When we emerged from it, there was a heavy downpour, so we could not walk the town. By the time it had stopped our schedule was leading us on to Loches (and later Villandry). Our lodging at the Cedres also provided a first-rate restaurant and so we did not return.

Like a fairy tale

by catnapper

"Ancient map of the Loire Valley"

This is an old map of the region around Tours where most of the famopus castles are listed. When enlarging the map you can read city and castle names (in French). Enjoy your little trip on this map!
ALL MY PICTURES CAN BE ENLARGED!!!

"François Ier"

François Ier (1494-1547) became King of France after the death of Louis XII who had had no sons in his three weddings! He was a friend of art and he was the one who let become the Renaissancestyle in France the mirror of kinghood. His first construction was the castle of Chambord, but the most known is Blois!

"Castles in Art"

Here you see a picture of a miniature from the "Très Riches Heures" belonging to the Limburg brothers. On the painting you can see the castle of Saumur.

"Azay-le-Rideau"

This castle was built( from 1518 - 1527 by 110 -120 workers) on the fundaments of an medieval castle and the old tower was included in the construction. In the middle of the 19th century the Marquis de Biencourt was responsible for a renovation of the castle.

"Blois"

This castle is concidered being the turning point in French architecture. He began the construction in 1515 (nearly the same time as he was crowned and the beginning of the construction in Amboise). The architect was surely Jacques Sourdeau (known by manuscripts from 1516 - 1518: " Maistre-maçon des ouvraiges et réparacions du chastel Bloys". After 1519, with the beginning of the construction of Chambord, there were several interruptions, til 1524 when his compaign to Italy made the construction completely stop. The finishing was only made in the 19th century.

"The house of Jacques Coeur in Bourges"

Jacques Coeur was a great international marketdealer. The basement which is used here will be the outgoing point for all the renaissance castles in France.

"Chambord"

This castles replaced a little huntingcastle inside the forest. This architecture became the outing of François Ier utopic vision of an architecture.

"Chenonceau"

This castle belonged to Thomas Bohier, Baron de Saint-Cierge, seigneur de la Tour Bohier de Nazelles et Couldray and his wife Catherine Briçonnet. This castle is situated completely in the river Cher.

"Villandry"

Situated in the Indre/Loire valley and in the west of Tours, this castle was bought by Jean Le Breton, the president of François Ier's"Chambres des comptes". Til 1639 this castle had the medieval name of Colombières. The castle was built from 1532 to 1536. A renovation during the 18th century transformated the whole castle so that the original renaissance building disappeared, but at the begin of the 20th all was retransformated in the original renaissance castle. So when visiting you must be conscient that most of the details on the castle do not date of the 16th but of the 20th century.