Good Enough for Mona's Creator
Written: Apr 21 '01
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Magnificent Chateaus, tranquility
Cons: Too big of a house to clean
The Bottom Line: If it was good enough for Leonardo da Vinci, it is good enough for me.
|
|
|
| TheSmartTraveler's Full Review: Loire Valley |
I visited the Loire Valley in April 2001 and felt invigorated by the wonderful weather and mesmerized with the tranquil pace of life in this valley. We visited some of the most wonderful chateaus in the world lived in by kings, queens, princes, princesses, royalty, artists, and writers. We photographed exquisite landscapes, and were simply left in awe at the size of these chateaus. We ate a wonderful meal in a cave where the base rock was used to build these fantastic chateaus. Today these caves are used as dwellings, restaurants, mushroom farms, and wineries.
We visited the Gothic Chateau D'Amboise, the final resting place of Mona's creator, Leonardo da Vinci. We also visited and were in awe at the sight of the roofwork, chimneys, and grandiose size of the 440 rooms of Chateau Chambord. We toured the furnished apartments of some of Chambord's more famous residents who had an impact on the history of the world. The parklike setting of Chateau Chambord left us with a memory that will be emblazened in our minds for eternity. We also visited chateau de Chaumont Sur Loire, once the property of Catherine de Medicis.
The most magnificent furnished chateau in the Loire Valley belongs to Cheverny. The furnishings in Cheverny compare to any quality seen in museums and palaces the world over. I recommend arriving at Cheverny in the late afternoon to see the feeding of the hounds. The building in front of where the hounds are housed is an attestment to the skills of the hunters and the hounds. It was amazing seeing the horns and heads mounted on the walls from the floor up to the ceiling.
We visited at least 6 chateaus in our stay in the Loire Valley. There are numerous, other wonderful chateaus that we did not get to on this trip.
We enjoyed a wonderful meal in a cave in a restaurant called La Cave Aux Fouees, located at 476 quai des Violettes,, telephone 0247305680. The five and six course meals were fantastic. We observed the chef baking the bread made in the open ovens and enjoyed eating this tasty treat. The portions were large and delicious, the ambience of the cave was very different from most restaurants in the Loire Valley. The owners of La Cave Aux Fouees treat all customers as though they live in one of the area's large chateaus or have created a Mona Lisa. If you want to have a Mona Lisa smile, I recommend eating at La cave Aux Fouees if you are visiting the Loire Valley.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
TheSmartTraveler
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Member: John Isaacs
Location: Miami, Florida
Reviews written: 493
Trusted by: 178 members
About Me:
I get the shakes if I don't take at least 5 good trips a year.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.