Excellent piece! :) I didn't know about Chambord's role during the war in keeping all of that artwork safe. In a way, we should be grateful for Francis' excessive tastes!
I always enjoy your posts, Jodi! I feel like I am touring these places myself, and in such a calm and peaceful way. Maybe I'll actually get to see them myself some time, but for now, your posts are a wonderful substitute. :)
The story of Chateau of Chenoneau is fascinating! I love these kind of stories. They give me so much fodder for writing my own stories.
And the spiraling staircase is fantastic! Thanks for taking me sightseeing. :)
The work of Henry James whose words have informed so much of my reading life, your quotes of his words as he travels and your words here build like musical sonnet.
I really enjoyed this, Jodi! You paint such an immersive picture—and write and illustrate it so beautifully—that I feel like I’m visiting these fairytale French castles too! It would be great to go for real someday.
Beautiful Jodi, just beautiful! Gorgeous photos and as a fan of Henry James it was wonderful to read his comment: "“as impressive as it is, the Chateau of Chambord seems to have altogether a little of that quality of stupidity.” What an elegant putdown.
Thanks for this lovely tour. I can supply some details about the post-Francis I career of Chambord. Louis XIV ordered renovations to the royal apartments, which, as we read in the journal of the Marquis de Dangeau, he came to inspect in the summer of 1685. He never went back again. Louis XV later gave Chambord to his parents-in-law, Stanislas Leczinski and Catherine Opalinska, after his marriage to their daughter Marie in 1725. They stayed for nearly a decade, but didn't seem sad to leave it. It was then home to the Maréchal de Saxe, a son of Augustus III of Saxony and Poland, who was given it for the victories he won for Louis XV during the War of the Austrian Succession. It's his decor that we see in the royal apartments today, for example in the King's bedchamber. Saxe died in the chateau in 1750. The last royal residents were members of the Parma branch of the Bourbon family, who inherited the place in 1883 and sold it to the state in 1930, as you note. I have't yet visited Chambord myself -- Versailles and Paris seem to suck up all my time and energy when I'm in France -- but you've convinced me that when I do go to Chambord I should go on May Day. Cheers!
Ah, wonderful - thank you so much! The thing I love about visiting Europe is there is just SO much to learn. May Day is the day to go, for the cookies if nothing else. ;)
This was such an enjoyable read! And the pictures! The exterior staircase is a marvel of not only engineering but beauty, which I feel is a rare pairing to find. Your travel stories are just wonderful. I could imagine being at the enormous European "swap meet!"
Excellent piece! :) I didn't know about Chambord's role during the war in keeping all of that artwork safe. In a way, we should be grateful for Francis' excessive tastes!
I always enjoy your posts, Jodi! I feel like I am touring these places myself, and in such a calm and peaceful way. Maybe I'll actually get to see them myself some time, but for now, your posts are a wonderful substitute. :)
The story of Chateau of Chenoneau is fascinating! I love these kind of stories. They give me so much fodder for writing my own stories.
And the spiraling staircase is fantastic! Thanks for taking me sightseeing. :)
The work of Henry James whose words have informed so much of my reading life, your quotes of his words as he travels and your words here build like musical sonnet.
So thorough and mind-opening ... Ah Henry James! xx ~ M.
I really enjoyed this, Jodi! You paint such an immersive picture—and write and illustrate it so beautifully—that I feel like I’m visiting these fairytale French castles too! It would be great to go for real someday.
Thank you so much, Ruth!
Beautiful Jodi, just beautiful! Gorgeous photos and as a fan of Henry James it was wonderful to read his comment: "“as impressive as it is, the Chateau of Chambord seems to have altogether a little of that quality of stupidity.” What an elegant putdown.
Thank you, Jeffrey! He always gets to the heart of the matter in such a dignified way, doesn’t he?
He does indeed!
A lovely memory jog for me as I did this same circuit on my gap year
I always love hearing that one of my posts brings back fond memories!
Thank you for taking me on your fairytale walk
Thanks for coming along!
Thanks for this lovely tour. I can supply some details about the post-Francis I career of Chambord. Louis XIV ordered renovations to the royal apartments, which, as we read in the journal of the Marquis de Dangeau, he came to inspect in the summer of 1685. He never went back again. Louis XV later gave Chambord to his parents-in-law, Stanislas Leczinski and Catherine Opalinska, after his marriage to their daughter Marie in 1725. They stayed for nearly a decade, but didn't seem sad to leave it. It was then home to the Maréchal de Saxe, a son of Augustus III of Saxony and Poland, who was given it for the victories he won for Louis XV during the War of the Austrian Succession. It's his decor that we see in the royal apartments today, for example in the King's bedchamber. Saxe died in the chateau in 1750. The last royal residents were members of the Parma branch of the Bourbon family, who inherited the place in 1883 and sold it to the state in 1930, as you note. I have't yet visited Chambord myself -- Versailles and Paris seem to suck up all my time and energy when I'm in France -- but you've convinced me that when I do go to Chambord I should go on May Day. Cheers!
Ah, wonderful - thank you so much! The thing I love about visiting Europe is there is just SO much to learn. May Day is the day to go, for the cookies if nothing else. ;)
A lovely tour mingling history, literature and gorgeous images, Jodi - really makes me want to follow in Henry James's (and your) footsteps, Jodi!
Thank you, Ann! I kind of want to follow the rest of his route. :)
This was such an enjoyable read! And the pictures! The exterior staircase is a marvel of not only engineering but beauty, which I feel is a rare pairing to find. Your travel stories are just wonderful. I could imagine being at the enormous European "swap meet!"
Thanks, Jim!! How I would love to be back at that flea market again this year! ❤️