Chenonceau, Loire Valley

What fun to build a castle over the water, on top of a bridge.

What this castle is famous for is the women who maintained it, changed the decorations and made it what it is today.

Marques Tower, built before the rest of the castle and separate from it
The classic looking castle is known for its gardens and hunting grounds.
It is protected by statues reminiscent of ancient Egypt.
We wandered the hallways, reading about the five powerful women who influenced the designs of the castle, some queens, some mistresses.
The kitchens were well stocked with tools from many eras and stocked with fresh herbs. Note the many fancy molds for desserts.
The designs on furniture in many of the rooms was intricate and beautifully kept.

This is Joëlle’s favorite castle because of how many fresh flowers are placed in many rooms and hallways. These are chosen from the gardens daily. I suppose that makes sense because the castle is nick-named the Women’s Castle!

Lucky for the castle, the Le Cher River is calm here.
Fountain outside the castle
Joëlle’s hat is barely visible in the labyrinth outside the castle.

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