Campanile - Orleans - La Chapelle-St-Mesmin La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin

Our final chateau - Chambord. Everything about Chambord is done on a grand scale and on apporaching the chateau one is awe struck by the size, not only of the chateau but the grounds which cover 35sq kms! Inside has over 400 rooms, some bare conrete walls, some with renaissance art hanging on the walls and several had the full works - tapestries, furniture, frescos.

The history of the chateau was also very interesting as it was home to whom would have been next ...

... enjoy the scenery and avoid the motorways.
Our drive through Belgium was lovely, through the Ardenne Region. Lots of forest and 'chocolate box' villages. France was just as gorgeous, especially the drive along the Champagne Tourist Route (No stopping, just looking)! Such a beautiful and picturesque part of the country. Fields of corn and wheat. Small villages of old stone houses, colourful window boxes everywhere ...

... br>


 

 This place is monstrously huge!  I think it's about the biggest chateau in France. 
 At one point Napoleon gave this to one of his buddies... must have been nice eh?

... little cafe right on the little town square - a perfect place for a huge ham and cheese baguette with large coffee to boost the energy reserves. The sun is beating down now and after a few minutes at a kerb-side table I retreat indoors for some shade. Whilst securing my bike the lock falls apart in my hand - shame because it has been a great servant. Fully refuelled I head off for the 30 km left into Orleans. As the chosen route takes me past a ...

... a) . Es graciosísimo porque parecen todos exactamente iguales y se ponen a ladrar todos a la vez cuando les da el arrebato. Eso sí, absteneos los de nariz delicada. La zona tiene un cante jondo que no se pué aguantar. Un manguerazo no vendría nada mal... :) Lo que más nos ha llamado la atención de ambos castillos es que no hay apenas gente. Es raro porque es fin de semana y encima en Semana Santa pero se ve que tenemos suerte. Tanto en las carreteras como en los palacios se puede ...

... a place where he lives... about 4 months or so after he leaves there. But it was fun to see INSEAD and walk the campus a bit. We thought of you, Kent! Then, we drove across the beautiful, scenic, peaceful (and flat!) French countryside, to reach our accomodation for the night here in Orleans at the Formule 1 (YAY Accor!). On the way we stopped at a supermarche (supermarket) to acquire baguette, cheese (camembert, chevre, and ...

... Herge` (of Tin Tin fame), so that he made Moulinsart almost completely in it's image. We went to a Tin Tin exhibition on the grounds as well. We are supposed to be in Spain by now ... but we are a little bit behind schedule. We're working on it, and should arrive there in the next day or so. We'll be sorry to say goodbye to France (although we will be back!) ... but it will be exciting to venture into another country!

After an exciting drive from and through Paris, guided by our trusty Tom-Tom that wasn't so trusty at the start since it was accidentally set to walking paths, we nervously arrived in the Valley of the Chateaux. We picked these to visit over 2 days: Chambord, Blois and Chanencaux.

... lausa Raekoja ette. Seal tärkas meil mõte lüüa lahti rüperaal ja katsetada, kuidas on konnasööjate maal lood traadita internetiga. Ja oh imet, võrke oli lausa jalaga segada ja mõni neist täitsa turvamata. Üldiselt võib WiFi-hulludele rahumeeli kinnitada, et kui mitte tasuta, siis röövelliku viie euro eest tunnist saab Orange vahendusel ja pisut soodsamalt Wanadoo võrkudes traadita internetti kasutada vähemalt nendes Prantsusmaa linnades, kuhu me oma reisi vältel sattusime.

... the nicely kept rooms. Though it is not particularly ornate, it seems an attractive place to end ones days. Throughout the house and gardens there are models and replicas of inventions and paintings executed by Leonardo. The audio-visual show has broken down and the exhibits in the grounds are somewhat disheveled. It wasn't worth the € 12, but at least it was a somewhat different from the other palaces and sights we ...