Today took us out to two more chateaus, the first being Chateau Langeais. Originally founded in the year 992 today's chateau has no resemblance to the original castle. The old keep itself lies in ruins. It is the second earliest knows chateau and is where the marriage between Anne of Brittany and Charles VIII took place in secrecy (1491), which bonded Brittany to the rest of France. The new chateau, what stands today, was started in 1465. Reconstruction was started in 1865 and the drawbridge that is still in working order was also reconstructed.
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Simply stunning.
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Mediaeval scaffolding. Rather them than me.
That's what I call a tree house.
I find this an interesting bridge, kind of box like. In all it's been rebuilt four times.
Our second visit which wasn't too far away was to a little known chateau that is still in private hands and the owners still live there when the chateau is closed during the winter months. It's called Chateau L'Islette. Often mistaken for d'Azay-le-Rideau because both are surrounded by water, L'Islette is actually built in the middle of the Indre river (hence the name L'Islette means "little island". The original chateau was in existence in 1295 but the chateau today construction was started in the 15th century. The grounds are not large by any means but I think the most picturesque setting I have seen. The old water mill has been converted to a coffee shop and offers a splendid view of the chateau and on the river that runs through the grounds. It's the sort of place where you could sit for hours just watching time go by. One of those places that inspires painters and poets, and in the 19th century it brought two famous sculptors together. They stayed here for the next three summers. Camille Claudel and Rodin. Look that up, it's interesting. This chateau is highly recommended and well worth the entrance fee. I guarantee, if you visit on a nice warm day, you will find it hard to leave; I know I did.
I was so taken with this chateau that I've posted a lot of images to try and show how lovely it really was. Appologies if it's too many for some people.
Panasonic GX7 - Panasonic 12-32 f3.5-5.6
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We then moved on to another one of those 100 Most Beautiful French Villages called Crissay-sur-Manse. Again not too far away from where we were. The problem with the French roads in this region is that they’re small country lanes and it takes longer to get somewhere than you think. They are very nice villages but seem to be sleepy hollows. You hardly see anyone outside. I wonder where all the people go to?
This is a very old village, first mentioned in the 10th century and that's how the buildings look too. Just to my liking.
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If you look carefully at the house on the right you will notice that the graun and 1st floor is inhabited. The 2nd and 3rd floors were a crumbing mess. I was wondering haow on earth it hadn't fallen down.
You can tell by the stone houses that this village is very old.
Plenty of old doors to photograph here.
