Oct 11, 2013

Sue Mackay visits Chateaux

In June I fulfilled a life long dream - to visit some of the chateaux in the Loire Valley. The hardest part was choosing which ones to see and which to leave out. Finally with my list of four preferences in hand we headed out into the stunning French countryside.

First stop Chateau of Azay-le-Rideaux. This was the smallest we saw but very elegant and filled with amazing paintings and tapestries.

















Next stop - Chateau Villandry which is famous for the amazing gardens. I have never seen anything like it in my life and spent a long time gazing down on the perfectly aligned flower and vegetable beds. It's like art. and constantly attended by a small army of gardeners. Inside this enormous chateau the halls went on and on with rooms everywhere, filled with beautiful furniture and furnishings. I admit to touching walls and trying to imagine how old everything was. Impossible really.




























Chambord was massive and took a lot of time to explore with so many twists and turns I reckon it would possible to stay lost for months if you wanted to.






















Our final stop was at Chateau de Chenonceau which is surrounded by water. How this was built in the 16th century without modern technology amazes me. Inside is a very long gallery with windows overlooking the river surrounding the castle. The kitchen, the bedrooms, the guards' room, Louis XIV's drawing room - just breath taking. This was my favourite on the day.




































Realising a life long dream couldn't have been better. All my expectations were met and more. Only problem is now I've got a taste for chateaux and want to see more! Oh, and my small house has now become miniscule. at least the housework doesn't take long around here.

Have you got a life long dream you want to achieve? Or have you already done so, and what was it?










17 comments:

  1. Oh, Sue - between you and Michelle, you're making me envious! I really want to travel to see some of these places. :)

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  2. There's nothing quite like it, is there, Rachel. I'm saving for the next trip - a long way away though.

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  3. Gorgeous pics, Sue. It sounds as if you had a ball. The travel bug has bitten me hard again, I'm afraid, and I definitely want to see more of Europe. Maybe I'll catch you over there some time. :-)

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  4. Sue

    WOW they are beautiful I have not travelled much at all I have been on 2 cruises and loved them and plan on another one next year, one place I would dearly love to go is The Scottish Highlands and explore some of the old castles (or remains) and of course maybe men in kilts LOL

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  5. Wouldn't that be wonderful, Michelle. Yes, travel definitely gets to you.

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  6. Helen, those kilts are intriguing. I could go there too, as they've got castles to keep me happy.

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  7. Maybe hubby could build you a turret or two and you can sit up there and write and look out at the view of the water.

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  8. I have just come back from fulfilling lifelong dreams too - I went island-hopping in Greece, then explored Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia. Had the time of my life!

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    1. Charlotte, isn't it wonderful when you do this? I'm going to have to find another life long dream now so I can go have more fun.

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  9. Thanks, Rowena, I'll pass that message on. I think you can imagine the answer! Besides, I'd never do any work.

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  10. I'm so jealous of all these lovely holiday photos! Like you, Sue I fell in love with these chateaux when I visited them (back in the Dark Ages)- I'd love to go and see them again. We're just about to start planning our next adventure- not sure where that will take us!

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    1. I wonder where you'll go, knowing how there's next to nowhere that doesn't interest you. Enjoy the planning, it's as much fun as the trip.

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  11. Sue, those pictures are gorgeous! I've visited a number of chateaux - mostly in Champagne and they are stunning.

    My greatest dream which hubby and I are aiming for is to live in Greece for 5 months of the year when the kids are all in university. We have the village picked out, now we just need to work our little butts off for the next 10 years so we can afford it!

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  12. Barb, that's sounds wonderful. I'm booking the spare room already!!

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  13. What an incredible holiday, Sue.

    My dream is to own a French chateaux and sit gazing out the enormous window across the lake and freshly mown park while incredible stories flash into my mind and then onto the screen with easy and clarity. Not there yet, but I'm learning French just in case.

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  14. Love it, Jennifer. Keep working at it, dreams can come true.

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  15. Sue, fab photos! Those buildings look like something straight out of a fairy tale! It's hard to choose but I think my favourite is the one of the garden. The different greens and the splashes of red - imagine the hours of planning to layout something like that and then to keep it looking so uniform and beautiful. Wow!

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