Happy Birthday in Tours..

My birthday was on 15th July.....and I had a lovely birthday surprise from hubby....an overnight stop in Tours. Tours is about 1hr 3/4 hrs away from us, so not far, but we have never been, so as I had no idea of our destination, it made it a bit more exciting.....

On arrival I was greeted by the most impressive Château...Château de Chenonceau.

Such a beautiful place, spectacular gardens overlooking the River Cher..

Property of the Crown, then royal residence, Chenonceau Castle is an exceptional site not only because of its original design, the richness of its collections, its furniture and its decorations, but also because of its destiny, since it was loved, administrated and protected by women, who were all extraordinary and who, for the most part have marked history. For the historical background, the “Château des Dames” was built in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet, and successively embellished by Diane de Poitiers then Catherine de Medici. Chenonceau was protected from the hardship of the revolution by Madame Dupin. The iron, but very feminine, fist in the velvet glove has always preserved Chenonceau during times of conflict and war in order to make it forever a place of peace. Chenonceau Castle has an exceptional museum collection of the Old Masters’ paintings: Murillo, Le Tintoret, Nicolas Poussin, Le Corrège, Rubens, Le Primatice, Van Loo... as well as an extremely rare selection of Flanders Tapestries from the 16thcentury.

Throughout its history, this emblematic Castle has always attracted talent and inspired great artists. Conveying beauty and combining the elegance of architecture with that of the spirit is also sharing an elegant way of life. At Chenonceau Castle, the flower display in every sumptuously furnished room adds to its elegance. The room of Five Queens, the living room of Louis XIV, the grand gallery overlooking the River Cher, fabulous kitchens constructed in the piers of the bridge, the Green Cabinet of Catherine de Medici...Step by step, Chenonceau takes you back in time to share its dreams and reveal its secrets. A visionary castle, from the Renaissance up until the Age of Enlightenment, Chenonceau has always benefited from innovation, heir of the greatest thinkers and philosophers of the time. Today, its guests, who come from all over the world.

The well manicured gardens are so pretty this time of year, in full bloom and a delightful scent. We walked around Catherine's Garden.....simply beautiful..this garden giving you the beautiful view of the Château.

I will let my photos do the talking, as they will describe how amazing this place is and give you a taste of what life was like within the Château.

Catherine's Garden

Louis XIV

Catherine's Garden

Catherine's Garden

Kitchens

Kitchens

Kitchens

Kitchens

Kitchens

Kitchens

One of my lasting memories of this beautiful place will be: ...well my Birthday, but the delightful smell of fresh lilies everywhere you walked around the Château.....well worth a visit...

Thank you hubby for a superb 2 days away....