After a leisurely continental breakfast we had a 'cooking lesson', helping a little towards our own lunch at the same time. We cooked using most herbs and tomatoes from their own garden.
They have 550 varieties of tomato. They train them as pairs of plants, with three varieties, staked up like tepees (single stakes for the heavier-bearing varieties).
They also have a large dahlia garden, again thanks to collector owner.
After eating our lunch of smoked salmon and stuffed chicken with cream and mozzarella, with baked tomatoes, and we headed off to see some more chateaux. We walked around Château de Fougères-sur-Bièvrie.
Then we moved onto something larger - Château Cheverney.
This was a child's bedroom.
Marvel at this kitchenware Josh!
We saw these weird people in one of the rooms.
One of the 'highlights' was watching the 150 French hounds all get fed at once. They are used for hunting wild boar and deer, and stay together as a pack.
Apparently there are links to Tin Tin, as Herge used the chateau as a model for a castle in his books.
Our final Château was built by a number of French monarchs, and is the most Disneyesque of all, with elaborate turrets, somejust overgrown chimneys. Owned by the state, this has less to look at inside. This one goes by the name of Domiane National de Chambord and is very impressive as the King who created it stayed in it for only 72 days of his life!
Which was just as well, as we raced back to the bus in the rain and had a lovely meal in a little hotel, organized by Luca.
- Posted now we have better wifi
Location:Ruelle de la Mariette,Chinon,France
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