The ‘Ladies’ Château’: Château de Chenonceau
Epoch Times,
by
Phil Butler
Original Article
Posted By: earlybird,
7/17/2021 2:07:18 PM
If there was ever a monument of architecture dedicated to the feminine soul, Château de Chenonceau should be that testament. The medieval castle that dominates the right bank of the Cher River in France’s Loire Valley exists only because of the women who loved this regal residence.
Built upon the ruins of a 12th-century medieval structure, Château de Chenonceau is now a far cry from the dark bastion it was once. Instead, today’s visitors see the evolution of a shimmering masterwork built by France’s royal treasurer Thomas Bohier, between 1513 and 1576. However, the grand vision that spans the river today is that of his wife, Catherine Briçonnet, and a succession
Reply 1 - Posted by:
earlybird 7/17/2021 2:08:55 PM (No. 848788)
The photos are wonderful...
6 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
earlybird 7/17/2021 2:16:02 PM (No. 848792)
OP comment PS: I missed the commentary/history in the photo captions, which were probably done by Butler along with the main article.
2 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
marbles 7/17/2021 2:26:31 PM (No. 848800)
I've been, it IS beautiful, and just the right size. For a Chateau. One spring we visited the chateaus of the Loire Valley....this one was quite special. I'm glad we went then, would never do it now.
6 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Jesuslover54 7/17/2021 2:33:19 PM (No. 848804)
I heard Trump put in a bid as a present for Melania.
5 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
fourpmfox 7/17/2021 3:02:06 PM (No. 848815)
I have FANTASIES about having a kitchen like that !!! I do wish they had shown us the stables and carriage houses !!!
2 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
earlybird 7/17/2021 3:06:22 PM (No. 848819)
Re #5, I don’t recall seeing stables and a carriage house at Chenonceau, but the stables at Chambord, Francis I’s chateau, which is a very masculine hunting lodge. He was said to have sometimes ridden his horse inside. I visited there by myself very early one morning. I could here them shoeing horses in the stable area. This is the chateau that has the unusual double stairway.
5 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Vaquero45 7/17/2021 3:21:23 PM (No. 848831)
I went there in 2015. It’s a beautiful place; the gardens alone are worth the trip.
2 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
DVC 7/17/2021 3:46:57 PM (No. 848855)
I visited this chateau in the early 1970s when we lived in Italy, and I was a college student on summer vacation. One of the more memorable of the Chateaux of the Loire valley, and that is saying something. Beautiful formal gardens, too. And the river gallery.....must have been a wonderful place for a party or formal dinner, literally ON the river.
If you ever have the chance to visit the Loire valley, this should be high on your list. And don't miss Chambord, either. We revisited Chambord a few years ago, after a very short visit during the '72 trip, when it was under renovation, largely closed to tourists. A lot of lovely places to visit in the Loire valley. Even small town tiny 'cathedrals' were just beautiful architectural gems.
Too bad I can't see the whole article because I am not a subscriber, and don't want to give my email.
If you don't plan to visit France....spend some time visiting some of the great mansions along the cliffs at Newport, RI. Some of them are open for tours, and the aren't quite as grand, but some of their interior finishings, fireplaces and such are in the same class, and FAR more accessible to Americans. Rosecliff and The Breakers are both pretty spectacular, and there are a number of others, all close together. I got to spend many days exploring them because of a technical seminar that was held there every year, with some receptions and dinners in these mansions. Memorable, and accessible.
3 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Corndoggies 7/17/2021 4:29:30 PM (No. 848903)
I did their free app then forgot to cancel. I thought about cancelling but I figure if we can pay $11.99 for Netflix, I can pay $7.99 for something that actually puts out good content.
2 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
udanja99 7/17/2021 7:16:00 PM (No. 849073)
I visited in 1974 - spectacular!
2 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
earlybird 7/17/2021 7:50:06 PM (No. 849103)
I have always been leery of signing up for anything that required my email. The quality of Epoch News, and their apparent ethics, caused me to go ahead and sign up for free content, which comes in the form of a daily newsletter. After several months, I purchased an annual subscription on sale. No regrets. And no spam. An excellent news site. They get reports up quickly and their reports are fakery-free and contain detail the others never do. Fox is the worst for skimming the surface. ET’s reporters dig deep. No regrets.
2 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
NorthernDog 7/17/2021 9:27:38 PM (No. 849182)
I have heard they decorate the chateau for Christmas which is a special treat to see.
2 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
LadyHen 7/17/2021 11:49:40 PM (No. 849254)
How lovely. We hope to make a journey to the Loire Valley in the near future. This lovely chateau is on the list of must visit sites.
0 people like this.
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Comments:
The Epoch Times is a wonderful fake-news-free Conservative publication. Along with its excellent news reporting and opinion pieces, it includes articles on cultural treasures. Call this “dessert”. Chenonceau is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It also has a fascinating history that even Butler did not complete. During WWI, its owner, Menier, turned the chateau into a military hospital, including a surgery and even an x-ray machine. Over 2200 wounded were treated there. During WWII it was the only access to Free France and the Menier family smuggled citizens out via the Grand Gallery (the part that stretches across the River Cher).
https://www.chenonceau.com/en/chateau/the-history-of-the-chateau/
Article dated July 12, 2021 posted with Staff permission