Advertisement
Villandry
The Chateau Friday 5 June 2015
We have made a list of places that would be great to visit. Some involve driving some distance. If we had to drive about 100 kilometres in NZ it takes about 75 minutes. The roads on which we are driving it takes about two hours. The speed limit varies between 50, 70, 90, 110 and 130 kilometres an hour. Most of our driving is 50, 70 and 90 kilometres an hour. We have told Polly to keep away from toll roads. So what seems a short distance takes a while.
Today we head for Villandry, a chateau with a reputation for having one of the best gardens in France. By the time we get there the temperature is nearly 30. After a quick lunch we enter the garden. It is made up of seven parts. Walking up to the belvedere (terraces) you get a wonderful view across the gardens. Everything is neatly trimmed and nothing out of place. One aspect that really impressed was the use of vegetables and how to use their colours to great effect. We are hoping that not too much is expected when the new growing season starts in NZ.
Villandry
The Love Gardens A lot of work was going in to getting the gardens ready for the summer influx of visitors so walking in some areas was restricted. The dead heading of roses seemed to be a massive job. Pears and apples were espaliered to create low borders or as a wall covering.
Did we come away with ideas? Who knows. We'll just have to wait for spring and summer to find out. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit without having to see the chateau as well. It seemed to be a quiet time so we could wander the gardens at our leisure. One question we have is how do they do such mass planting and have all the plants look the same. Something to try at home.
Arriving back at the car the thermometre was reading 37. With the air conditioner on and some steady driving it got down to 34. It was hot.
Next stop Chinon. This is another medieval town with a lot of history. Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine lived here and had 8 children, one of whom was Richard II (The Lionheart). It was here that Joan of Arc persuaded Charles VII of France to
Villandry
The Kitchen Garden fight the British and end the 100 year war. At the time Chinon was the capital of France. So with history all around us it was a chance to walk where famous people had walked before us. Unlike those famous people these famous people stopped for a refreshing ice cream.
On the way back to our little chateau we passed through places to visit later in the week such as Amboise and Blois.
Arriving back in our home away from from home in a quiet spot under the trees we discovered all of Paris had come to stay in our absence. At least five groups who all knew each other had settled into cottages all around us. What the night was going to bring we shudder to think. Anyway the cold beers, nuts, pretzels, crackers and cheeses were great as a pre dinnersnack.
Tomorrow is another day with another adventure and the forecast is for fine weather. The forecasted thunder showers have not arrived yet.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.29s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 9; qc: 46; dbt: 0.1011s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb