chateau de chenonceau~The Engagement

This chateau was my favorite. My daughter Brittany getting engaged in Diane de Poitiers garden made it a memory I will always cherish. The chateau de chenonceau was built in 1513. Chenonceau owes a large part of its charm to women. Diane de Poitier was the favourite lady to King Henri II to whom he donated Chenonceau. On his death the chateau was given back to the queen by Diane in exchange for Chaumont-sur-Loire. Known as the ladies chateau you can see elegant touches that grace this manor. It was so quiet and beautiful with a light rain falling on the day we visted. You just stand in each of the rooms and just think back to who stood in the same place as I was standing so many long years ago. You can just feel how it must have felt to attend a ball as you pass through the ballroom. Flowers adorned every room. The arrangements were absolutely amazing. Tyler took my daughter for a walk in the gardens. He had been carrying the ring around with him since we left looking for just the right moment to pop the question. As they made their way around the beautiful gardens he grabbed her hand and told her he loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. By now she could see where he was going with this and that he was so nervous so she asked Tyler are you asking me to marry you? When he said yes, to lighten the moment she said Can I see the ring first? That's my Brittany. Of course she said yes! CONGRATULATIONS BRITTANY AND TYLER!

Loire Valley~Paris Trip Day #4

We were up and out early today. The tour guide picked us up at our hotel at 8 am. We headed to the Loire Valley with our first stop at Amboise. Amboise is a medieval fortress for royals during the reigns of King Charles VIII and Francois I (late 15th~early 16th century). Leonardo da Vinci visited here often and his tomb is placed in the chateau's chapel






Our next stop was Chateau du close luce built in 1471. The chateau de clos luce was located 400 meters from the Royal Chateau d'Amboise. Le Clos Luce was bought by Charles VIII in 1490 and was a royal and summer residence for two hundred years of the Kings of France. Of all those who entered the gates of Le Clos Luce, the greatest genius who was invited by King of France was Leonardo da Vinci. He moved into the chateau in 1516.










































I will

continue tomorrow with the rest of the Loire Valley. The next chateau I will share with you now holds some very special memories for our family. To be continued......