After chocolate croissants and cafes, we were off to check out Chateau du Chambord, the largest of the Loire Valley castles.
Chateau du Chambord, built by King Francoise I as his hunting lodge, has over 400 rooms, 396 fireplaces, and is surrounded by 2,500 acres (about the size of inner Paris) of wild forest. Our jaws dropped when we first laid eyes on the sheer size and splendor of the castle.
It was the first castle to incorporate French medieval structure with classical Italian influences. Its unique double helix staircase, believed to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci, prevented those going up the stairs to see those going down (giving its noble visitors much-needed privacy).
I felt like a child lost in a candy store—there was so much to see in its 90 rooms and gorgeous terraced rooftop, so much history to absorb. I relished being surrounded by such amazing architecture, each square inch with a story to tell and nothing overlooked in its design.
After spending five hours at the chateau, we grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading off to Chateau de Cheverny, the most luxuriously furnished chateau in the Loire Valley. The castle is known for inventing the French style of architecture from 1630-1640, and is privately owned by the Hurault family, whose ancestor Henri Hurault (count of Cheverny and a lieutenant general and military treasurer for King Louis X) originally purchased the land.
We were blown away by the richness of the decor and artwork in this castle—attention was paid to every single detail, from the beautiful painted wood panels in the walls, to the 16th century vivid tapestries, to the intricately carved staircases. It also boasts a brilliant garden, with a variety of purple-hued flowers creating a palette that delighted our eyes. Also on the grounds is a kennel with about 70 hunting hounds, which are taken out for hunts twice a week.
As evening fell upon us, we drove back to Blois and strolled around the medieval city, taking in the cobblestone streets, the stately Chateau du Bois, perched atop the city, with fantastic views of the Loire Valley. We had our best meal of our trip thus far at Le Castelet, a cozy restaurant serving traditional French regional cuisine. We savored roasted pork over salad, pike fish cooked in a perfectly seasoned red wine sauce, halibut fillet cooked with a sweet, caramelized onion sauce, and apricot crumble and a vanilla ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce and fresh Chantilly cream. What an amazing way to end a perfect day!
