Chambord and Chinon (4/9)

Unfortunately it was just a little chilly to take breakfast outside when it was time so we had to forego that pleasure. We want to make up some distance so that we don't have far to travel tomorrow to Puy du Fou and we wanted to visit Chambord chateau.

Chambord

Chambord is miles from anywhere situated on the flood plain of the Loire, which is why it took centuries to build and why it was rarely used. It is the largest chateau in the Loire, with and estate which is enclosed by 30 kim of wall. It was started in 1519 by the then 25 year old Francis I who had been fighting wars in Italy and had been greatly influenced by the Renaissance architecture he saw there. There is absolutely no record of who the architect was, all the papers pertaining to it having been list over the centuries. Some authorities believe that Leonardo da Vinci may have had a hand in its design because he came to France on the invitation of Francis I and spent several years there before he died. There are desings amongst his papers which are reminiscent of the staircase of the staircase of the chateau, but there is no reference in them to his having designed any buildings for Francis.

The famous double helix staircase

Chambord's original floor plan was symmetrical and based on the double-helix staircase around which all the main rooms are situated. The main structure is essentially a square keep with the staircase in the centre and a circular tower on each corner. There are four huge entrance halls which divide the square floor plan into a huge cross, and these are served by the staircase. Off each of these halls is a large room and a suite of smaller rooms which also give access to the rooms in the round towers. Each of the towers has a large main room to full height, and the remaining area is divided up with rooms on the same floor level, but with a mezzanine floor as well so that the ceiling height of these two levels is half that of the main room. These were obviously the more functional rooms and servants quarters. This pattern is repeated on each of three levels, and then there is the roof terrace above. Francis wanted the roofscape to resemble that of Constantinople and the builders almost achieved this. There are eleven towers and three chimneys, all of which are quite different but it is really only when you get close to them that you realise that there is no symmetry in them at all.

Turrets and towers all over Chambord

Chamford was only ever intended to be a hunting lodge, but is was a very extravagant one. Francis reigned for 32 years, but only spent 72 days at the chateau. His son continued the work because it was unfinished when Francis I died, but it was Louis XIV who finished the work. He also only used it as a hunting lodge and in 25 years only stayed there nine times, probably because it was a very uncomfortable place to live in. In winter it would have been freezing cold as it was very difficult to heat, and in summer it was invaded by mosquitoes from the surrounding swamps. Because its intended use was as a hunting lodge and not a permanent residence it was never furnished, and there was no nearby village so all the food would have had to be brought in each time a hunting party arrived. The estate itself was undeveloped as the land was given over to forest to provide a haven for the wildlife which was to be hunted.

The swamp was later "tamed" into a canal

Apparently the exiled King of Poland was allowed to live there for eight years and was only too happy to leave when the political situation changed. It was sacked during the Revolution, the Duke of Bordeaux received it by public subscription in 1821 and it was finally bought by the French government in 1930. The Duke did much to restore the chateau and carried out extensive drainage works on the swamp in order to make it more habitable. Over the centuries, those who did have to live in it for any length of time made alterations to the interior to reduce the size of the rooms both in floor plan and height in and effort to make it easier to heat. It is a testament to their resilience that the chateau still exists. In some cases it lay abandoned for many years. It did have its uses though as during WWII works of art and priceless objects from many of France's museums and art galleries were moved here in transit to safer places to avoid both allied bombs and German acquisitiveness. It is architecturally a very interesting place and well worth the visit.

Inside our hotel in Chinon

We decided to spend the night in Chinon which Jill had no memory of, even though we had visited it (albeit briefly) last time. She obviously lives for the moment rather than the memories. Tourist Information helped us again with accommodation and we found ourselves in Hotel Diderot (of philosopher fame). It was a wonderful boutique hotel and the landlady was lovely and could talk the leg off an iron pot, which was great for Allan practising his French. We found out that the ground and first floors were built in the 13^th century and the second floor was added in the 18^th century. This sort of history still is a wonder to us.

We set off to explore the medieval section of town with its half-timbered houses and narrow streets, then up to the ramparts of the castle (which was closed y the time we got there. The castle was the favourite residence of Henry II, Cont of Anjou and King of England, crowned in 1154. It was also here in 1429 that Joan of Arc acknowledged Charles VII when the castle was at the height of it power. It was during that period that most of the medieval town was built. We eventually found a restaurant for dinner and another conversation in French and English.