Tag15: Chenonceau, Amboise, Chambord

The children sleep until 9 o'clock, so we can have breakfast together in peace and then the children join us. To get to the first destination, we only have to cross to the other side of the river. We want to see the Chenonceau Castle from the water. So we rent an electric motorboat and go to the nearby Chateau, which was built in the riverbed. This nearly 800-year-old water castle impresses us. We get a beautiful view and the children enjoy sitting at the helm of the boat. The journey takes one hour and then we need 20 minutes to Amboise. There we visit the castle. For the tour, we use a tablet that illustrates the past very well. This way, we are transported to the 16th and 17th centuries. The children follow each room with excitement. The Chateau Amboise is located above the city with its castle wall. Some buildings of the castle complex were practically at the beginning of the Italian Renaissance architecture in France. The young King Charles VIII commissioned the construction in 1490. After the capture of Naples, the work was continued in 1495 with the involvement of Italian artists. In 1516, Francis I invited the genius Leonardo da Vinci to his court, where he spent the rest of his life from spring 1516 until May 2, 1519. Leonardo da Vinci lived in the manor house Clos Lucé, located southeast of the castle in a small park. The house was connected to the castle by a 500-meter-long underground passage. His tomb is located in a chapel on the keep. Then we see a portrait of Helene zu Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the Duchess of Orleans. After visiting the gardens, we take a short walk through the city and eat crepes. Then the children each beg for a wooden sword with a shield and are happy. We stop for a photo in Blois, 20 kilometers along the Loire. Here, too, a royal castle towers above the city. We reach Chambord after another 30 minutes drive. We hesitate because of the 6 euro parking fee for a stop, but then fortunately decide to do it anyway. We don't want to go into the Chateau, because we don't have enough time and don't want to spend more entrance fees. We get a nice view of the castle. We can move around the grounds and take a walk along the moat. The Renaissance castle, built between 1519 and 1539, is remarkable and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1981. The Chambord Castle was built as a hunting lodge under King Francis I in the 16th century and is surrounded by a 5,440 hectare hunting area. This castle is considered an inspiration for the Schwerin Castle and we recognize similarities. Around half past 6, we finally reach our campsite in Olivet. It is late and there is a snack bar with fresh pizza at the site, so we spontaneously decide not to cook. Our site is quiet by the river and occasionally the sounds of the city can be heard.