Château de Chambord is the most recognized chateau in the world. It was built to serve as a hunting lodge for Francis I, who only used it for 73 days. The Chateau was never finished & it is virtually empty so not as easy to imagine life within its walls. One of the architectural highlights is the spectacular double helix open staircase that is the centerpiece of the château. The two helices ascend the three floors without ever meeting. There are suggestions...

Château de Villandry We decided to visit Château Villandry because of its beautiful gardens and we weren't disappointed. We met a lovely Tassie couple at our hotel & decided to visit the chateau together. Fortunately it is accessible by bus which dropped us right out the front of the chateau for €3 return. A bargain as the trip is 19 kilometres each way. Luckily when we arrived we had the place to ourselves so decided to see the gardens before they were i...

Château de Chenonceau is in the town of Chenonceaux which is 30 kilometres from Tours. We arrived by train, the stop being only about 500 metres from the chateau. Chenonceau is very different from previous chateaux we have visited as it spans the river Cher. It was built in the 16th century & was expanded by each of its owners. It has a very interesting history as Henry II gave it to his mistress Diane de Poitiers. When Henry died in 1559, his wife, Catheri...

Sunday We sadly said goodbye to Paris & headed via train to the city of Tours in the Loire Valley which is 240 kilometres from Paris. The Loire Valley is referred to as the garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, as well as fruit & vegetables grown. The region is a very popular tourist destination as over 300 chateaux/castles are located in the area, some dating back to the 10th century. Many of the chateaux are open to the public. Tours is ...

Thursday we left Paris for the day traveling via high speed train to Reims a city in the Champagne - Ardennes region where the major champagne houses are located. We had a reservation for a tour of GH Mumm winery. Unlike Australia you are required to make a booking for a tour & tasting. Our tour guide was really enthusiastic about her job & champagne. She started with the history, moving from one area to another taking us through the process of making cha...