Tourist by chance or travel enthusiast, a visit to a castle is mandatory. They are fascinating, impressive, with stories about events that changed the world. So I arrived in the stunning Val de Loire and its castles, a UNESCO world heritage region. I have rented a car, armed myself with patience and drove to the first on the list. From the star let me tell that by the end of the trip you’ll be happy, tired and confused about what room belonged to which castle. The fortresses are simply impressive, with surroundings that blow your mind. Obviously, the program I had made at home was not matching the reality. To see the castle and gardens of Val de Loire took me a few hours, it was unbelievable. The next day we went to Chenonceau Castle. If you start from Paris it is a 2 hours drive. We arrived on site around 11.00. I thought that no matter how long it will take to see it all, I am having lunch in the area. The interior is exceptional and his story is related to some famous women and destinies that have marked the history. 7 days later I managed to see them all. A masochistic way to recover all that missing hours at the gym. After hundreds of climbed stairs, dozens of rooms seen step by step and countless gardens visits, I gave up in the end and sat down for a glass of wine.
MUST on your touring list
The Royal Castle of Amboise was the playground for kings Charles VIII and Francis I. It is also the place where Leonardo da Vinci is buried. Play around, pay attention to the beautiful architecture. Further on I reached his last house – Clos Luce castle. Works, sketches and glimpses from the life of the Tuscan genius parade in front of my eyes. The ideal is to see a castle or two a day, so to calmly assimilate everything around. You will need it at the royal castle of Blois where the architecture overwhelms you. This was the favorite residence of the Kings of France during the Renaissance and Blois, with its four wings, will take you from the Middle Ages to the Classical era. In the end, we visited Chaumont-sur-Loire. The property is composed of 20 ha comprising the castle (sec. XV-XIX), the International Festival of Gardens and the Arts& Nature Center.
So here’s how you can spend a week traveling from a castle to another. Val de Loire is a world of fortresses, with unique nature and an atmosphere hard to forget. As long as you have super comfortable shoes, you’ll survive just fine. And ignore the cramps on your body. It’s a small price to pay for the wonders you have seen.
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