Cathedral St-Gatien in Tours

The conclusion of our trip and the highlight of our brief sightseeing in the city of Tours was the Cathedral St-Gatien, a majestic gothic structure that was lit up when we visited it late one night to walk off the rich regional cuisine we enjoyed at Chez Jean-Michel.

Saumur

In a departure from looking at chateaux, we visited Fontrevraud, the largest abbey in France. The Abbey Church is impressive, but my favorite part was the cloisters which reminded me of Westminster Abbey.

One of the highlights of our trip was the visit to Bouvey-Ladubay, a wine producer in Saumur, where we toured the tufa-cut caves which were converted into wine cellars. On the tour, we learned about the fermentation process behind producing the specialty sparkling red wine.

Chateau de Chambord

After visiting the Chateau de Amboise, we explored the Chateau de Chambord, a 440-room “hunting lodge”. We all agreed that the double staircase was one of the chateau’s most interesting attributes. From there, we visited the Chateau de Blois and Chatea de Cheverney, two chateaus that further demonstrated the diversity and range of architectural style among the royal residences in the Loire Valley. Even the Samaur and Tours chateaus, only some thirty-odd miles away from one another, expressed completely different aesthetic qualities.

Chateau de Chenonceau

We started the day at Chateau de Chenonceau, a royal home that spans the width of the River Cher. The chateau is unique for its river location and historical significance. However, most striking for me were the chapel’s modern stained-glass windows. The images depict Biblical scenes in geometric designs, replicating the gardens outside. From the gardens we could view the chateau in its entirety.

Chateau hopping

Ironically, our introduction to Loire Valley dining was pizza; thank goodness it was served with chevre cheese, my sole consolation for having a typically-American fast food lunch in France. Our first day in the region we chateau hopped. First we visited the Azay-le-Rideau, a rundown chateau surrounded by thin, symmetrically-arranged trees, where I realized the Royal National Theater’s inspiration for their “Saint Joan” sets. Later that day we visited the Chateau de Chinon where Joan of Arc convinced the Dauphin to lead his troops against the British. We also saw the Cathedral de Usse, the castle that inspired the Sleeping Beauty myth, before exploring the Villandry Gardens whose English topiary designs dazzled us with their precision and symmetry. It was early evening and even though the sun had not yet set, we had the quiet gardens to ourselves, the benefit of traveling off-peak season. The Loire Valley in mid April has a pastoral beauty; the roaming livestock (cows, sheep, and horses) were a welcome change in scenery for four urban dwellers.