Marjorie goes to Paris and the Heart of France
a Rick Steves tour 2023
Day 5
La Dégustation
We had a late start this morning, and we were instructed to head to the Saturday Market to buy stuff for lunch. I buddied up with Kristina, who's also traveling solo. It was so nice to buy two servings instead of one! We picked out some bread, cheese, and fruit. I had fun communicating in my very limited French. I got way more cherries than I needed.
We board the bus and learn that Jean and Marie had a baby! We take a vote, and the baby is a girl named Dominique. Marie's pregnancy is uncomplicated, and she receives 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, and she waits until the baby is born to take her leave. C-sections and inductions are very rare in France; Dominique's birthday is left entirely to nature. If Marie's pregnancy had been complicated or if she had expected twins, she'd be granted even more maternity leave. Jean gets paid leave too, but not as many weeks as Marie.
La Dégustation means The Tasting, and we'll be spending our morning wine tasting at the Château de Selles Sur Cher. We are met by the owner Nicolas. He tells us that the oldest part of the château dates from 935 as a medieval fortress to guard the Cher River. The English king Richard the Lionheart burned most of that castle down in the twelfth century, so most of what we see is from the Renaissance, integrated with a medieval wall.
Oh, and it has dinosaurs. Nicolas came up with them as a way to generate more income. I mentioned being more interested in dinosaurs than wine, and was given the choice to walk down to the dinosaur park, but I didn't want to leave the group, and I didn't want to miss out on some promised cheese. In hindsight, I should have gone for the dinosaurs. We spent about two hours at the tasting, and I was pretty bored.
But I listen politely and sip my apple juice. When the tasting is finished, Kristina and I find shade under a cedar of Lebanon and eat our market food. A pleasant and tasty conclusion to our morning.
We board the bus to drive toward the Loire. The sun is shining, and Virginie catches up our history lesson. We've left Guédelon and the middle ages, and we need to work our way up to the renaissance. She gives credit to Joan of Arc for ending the middle ages when she convinced Charles VII to fight for France, ending the Hundred Years War. Then came Louis XI, Charles VIII, Louis XII, and she says we need to remember Francis I.
Francis I was able to convince Leonardo da Vinci to move to France. So while the renaissance began in Italy, it blossomed in France and we use the French word renaissance. And it is Francis I who paid the money (or maybe I should say he spent his subjects' money) to build himself a hunting palace, the Château de Chambord.
Jet lag check: I'm thankful for our late start today, and I'm one of the last to come down for breakfast.
Today's Highlights:
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Château de Selles sur Cher
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Château de Chambord
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arrival in Amboise
Quotes from Nicolas:
"Virginie probably told you about AOC while you were sleeping on the bus..."
(She did tell us. I was not sleeping, but not really listening either, so this cracked me up. AOC is some sort of French wine grade)
"Life is too short. Be curious."
Château de Chambord
I'm excited to arrive at the château, because it's the most amazing sight of our trip so far (spoiler alert: it gets better!). We hook up to our whisper systems as Virginie guides us into the castle. We feel a tiny bit of separation anxiety as she runs ahead to get our tickets and we go through the security check, but it's not long before we can hear her whisper again. We pause in the courtyard for an orientation, have some fun climbing the double helix staircase, then admire the terrace. In the dazzling fresh air on the terrace, she points out the highlights on the castle's map, then releases us to explore on our own.
It is tempting to stay on the terrace forever, admiring the view with the wind in my face.
The tallest tower is capped with a fleur de lys, showing that Francis I thought himself higher than God
I manage to drag myself away from the terrace to explore the rest of the castle. On the top floor is an exhibit highlighting Chambord's role in WWII. The French sent a lot of fine art here to save it from the Nazis. Some stayed in the castle, but most was distributed to other hiding places. I chuckle as I read that guard jobs at the castle were set aside for WWI veterans, but most of them were not fit enough to handle the stairs and vast interiors of Chambord.
The castle interior is stunning. Besides the grand staircase and carved ceilings, I am taken by the harmony and symmetry of the design. It's sparsely decorated, which makes it seem even more vast.
one of a few furnished rooms
There are a couple of interesting rooms in the outer wings of the castle. First, the carriage house. It is unique because the carriages here were never used. They were prepared for the Count of Chambord, in case France decided to go back to a monarchy after the Revolution, and he would be the king.
And the lapidarium, where they store pieces of the castle that have been replaced. It's interesting to be eye level with the tops of towers, to gain a new appreciation of their size. It also brings attention to how delicate the local limestone is.
At first, it doesn't seem like two hours will be enough to explore the castle, especially when I think of the same two hours we spent wine tasting this morning. But it works out perfectly. I even have extra time to spend outside the castle for a few final photos. Chambord is so amazing, that all I can come up with when Virginie asks what I think is, "I loved it."
courtyard
Our group had fun on the staircase: the men went on one side and the women on another. I could see my tour mate Jim through every window, but we never met until we reached the terrace.
Francis I
A ceiling beautifully carved with the symbols of Francis: an F and a salamander. He chose the salamander because it was believed to be able to survive fire. Francis's motto Nourish and Extinguish, proclaims that he can stoke the fires of life and suppress the fire from enemies.
...and 282 chimneys!
the castle has 365 fireplaces...
Chambord is called a "masculine" castle or the "Mighty Chambord." It does seem rather proud of its size and its strong towers...
^
Nazi bullet holes!
Scroll through my souvenir from Chambord...when I get home, I can color in the castles I saw!
Arrival in Amboise
When I return to the bus, Virginie is waiting with snacks! We also have a new chapter for Jean, Marie and Dominique!
Marie and the baby are doing splendidly, but Jean is feeling a bit ill. He calls his general practitioner and can be seen the same day. He presents his health card and pays a fee of around 25 euro to see the doctor. He always carries his health card with him. He got his own card as soon as he entered adulthood; it shows that he's eligible for the national health care system. The doctor gives Jean a prescription, and he takes it to the pharmacy. At the pharmacy, Jean doesn't have to pay anything, as long as the doctor prescribed it. Good thing he remembered to ask the doctor for more Advil and allergy pills! The pharmacist doesn't count or repackage any pills for Jean, but dispenses a whole box or bottle. Virginie comments that lots of French people have drawers full of unused pills!
The drive to Amboise is very beautiful as we go over, across, down, and along the Loire river. I particularly remember a majestic view upon the town of Blois, but I am not in the right spot on the bus to get a photo. When we arrive in Amboise, we have about an hour to freshen up before our orientation walk and dinner. I can't let the nice weather be wasted, so I go on a short walk across the river and back. There's an island in the river here called Île d'Or, or Island of Gold. Doesn't that sound magical?
Our orientation walk is rather magical too. We exit the hotel, walk to the end of the block, turn the corner...and that's the end of our walk! From the square behind our hotel, Virginie can point out everything important in town: the castle, the road to Leonardo's house, and several places to eat. Shortest walking tour ever!
We eat dinner as a group in the hotel's restaurant. The sunlight is doing beautiful work, so I take a couple of outstanding photos of my goat cheese appetizer and dessert.
After dinner I take another walk. This time I'm following the sun along the river, until it's time to say good night.
My depiction of a sick Jean might look a little angry, but he's actually quite satisfied with his country's health care system!
Amboise
