Hunting Lodge? and .. Chateau Royal de Blois !!

 Before we arrived at Chambord, built by Francis I, and used as a .. hunting lodge !! Are you kidding me? .. we drove down the hill from our lodging chateau and encountered this equestrian group walking their horses down to their arena :

We headed East along the Loire River. Jan captured this image of Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire which is known for their international garden festival :

Here's their poster :

We drove on to the biggest castle/chateau .. CHAMBORD.  This was our first view:

It seems Francis I was fighting in Italy when he fell in love with the Italian Renaissance style of building.   You'll see this design throughout.

Who needs .. 440 rooms and 365 fireplaces for a hunting lodge?

Here's a few interior room pictures :

During WWII, Chambord was used as one of the rotating hiding places for the art in the Louvre!

Here's some from up on top, including a look at the 'French' gardens :

Over the top!   Ego at work to show off his power.   Now we're headed to Blois for lunch and a visit to my namesake chateau.   We lucked out .. arrived on a Saturday which is 'market day' here.  Here's some pics while driving and looking at Blois from across the river :

We walked through some of the market before stopping at a cafe for lunch.

Up about a hundred steps to the chateau entrance.

After entering through the passageway under the horse you enter a square with four different architectural styles, medieval / flamboyant / renaissance / classicism.

This is the .. Chateau Royal de Blois.  Home to .. Louis of Orleans (1372-1407), Charles of Orleans (1394-1465), Louis XII (1462-1515), Francis I (1494-1547), Henry II (1519-1559), Francis II (1544-1560), Henry IV (1553-1610), Charles IX (1550-1574), and Henry III (1551-1589). (important enough to be named de Blois!)

This large room was built in the 13th century! ..which for many years was the largest room in France! :

I think we're chateau'd out!  It's time to drive to Paris and fly home.  What a very fun three weeks!   Paris, the Seine, Normandy, Le Havre, Rouen, Bordeaux and its river towns on the Garonne and the Dordogne and .. the Loire Valley's chateaus!

I think we're ready for home, family, and friends, .. and church and golf and rest!

Take care.  Hope you enjoyed our travelogue.  Hope we see you soon.  Joe & Jan.