Château de Chenonceau - Inside Out, Part II

 

Welcome back! Grateful you returned to view additional rooms inside this beautiful castle. In case this is your first visit with Château de Chenonceau, you could read Part I. The post displays a brief history, the approach, main door, stairway, tile floors, the Gallery, second floor hall, and a bit about the interior.

Today we will peek inside some of the bedrooms, the well-appointed kitchen, and what was once a hospital with full apothecary. During WWI, the kitchens were outfitted to serve as a hospital as well as portions of the farm buildings.

The first bedroom open for discussion is Cesar of Vendôme’s - photo below at left. Caesar was the son of King HenriIV and Gabrielle d’Estrées, also uncle of Louis XIV. He owned Chenonceau beginning in 1624. Notice the visible joints on the ceiling. The tapestries date from the 17th century, while the furniture is from the Renaissance. 

          

Catherine de’ Medici became regent when King Henri II her husband died. She required his mistress, Diane de Poitiers to trade Chenonceau for Chaumont. Catherine proceeded to add a gallery, gardens, and outbuildings. The tile floor and bed in the photo above at right were from the Renaissance. Notice the carvings in the coffered ceiling. H is for Henri and C for Catherine. The painting on wood to the right of the bed is by Correggio. While the 16th century tapestry depicts proverbs and fables from The Life of Samson.

Louise of Lorraine was married to King Henri III. She retired to Chenonceau after he was assassinated. The royal protocol for mourning in 1589 was to dress in white. Incidentally, she was referred to as the White Queen. Her bedroom remains decorated for mourning and houses furniture is from the 1500s. Louise wanted the Capuchin nuns near her as she meditated and prayed. They stayed on the third floor until the 17th century. After, they returned to their convent.

Next on our tour are the kitchens. They are housed in the two huge bases of the castle, the piers in the River Cher. The pantry had several purposes. The staff used this for their dining area. It also holds the largest fireplace and a bread oven. Within the pantry you will find the butchery. Hooks and chopping block are still in place. Produce was stored in the larder. Imagine all the staff necessary to care for the inhabitants of a castle this size. Not to mention staff to maintain the structure. Quite an operation from top to bottom.

See the piers in photo below.

Fireplace and bread oven.


  
Staff dining within the pantry.                         Additional table in the larder.

 

Butcher block above. I never considered the origin of that term before. Bread oven at right.

         

Notice the bells? Here are the back stairs the staff used to trek to the upper floors and serve.

         

Hand pump and sink. There was also an additional larger pump. Spit at right.

Look at those pots! Also my writing research travel partner, Cindy Kay Stewart. 

I wondered if the rope at the window above was for raising produce and fish from the river boats into the kitchen. It would have been handy for sure.

The last part of Chenonceau to explore today is part of the outbuildings that functioned as a hospital in WWI. In the photo you can see an example of the beds and also the nurses who tended patients. Take a gander at the apothecary. I have been unable to ascertain if these are the original cannisters or reproductions. Whatever the case, they are stunning. What do you think?

          

This was an amazing visit. It is no wonder tourists flock to the area. If you are ever in the Loire Valley, stop by and peruse this stunning château. You will be thinking about it and those who traversed the floors and opened the doors long after you cross the river.

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies 2GO, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 100 Plans on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. If it were up to her, she would be traveling - right now. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, Rebecca learns the craft of fiction while networking with a host of generous writers. She is working on her first fiction novel. This story unfolds from the 1830s in Northern Georgia.

Connect with Rebecca: Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest X

Château de Chenonceau - Inside Out

What is our fascination with castles? Or mine, for that matter? I read an article asking the very same question concerning Americans in general. The author shared that for inhabitants of Europe, castles are a common occurrence. For those living in the US, they are few and far between. I could only think of two when I first started writing this post, Biltmore and Boldt. I learned of a few more castles as I was researching. One resource claimed there are but 40 in existence in the United States. While in Europe there are tens of thousands.

Scarcity does not explain my proclivity toward castles though perhaps for others it does. For me it is much more. The history behind the structures sets my imagination in motion. When I see the worn floors and ornate doors, I wonder about the people who traversed the tiles and turned the handles. Who sauntered down those stately stairs? Who toiled in the kitchens and prayed in the chapels? What were their lives like? What did they face each day - joys, struggles? What were they wearing, eating, and discussing? What was important at that time?

After these questions consider fairy tales and royals. Stories and lives beyond our grasp. Lastly, the architecture. How did they build such magnificent structures with limited resources and technology? These feats are amazing.

I felt this awe to my core while visiting Château de Chenonceau in France with a fellow writer. Cindy Stewart and I were on a research trip in Europe. We thought we were taking a break from work to visit a site for amusement. However, we learned of the castle’s rich history while touring and the connection to WWII. In the end, the trip yielded many interesting nuggets. The château straddles the Cher River in the Loire Valley of France. See a portion of the river in the photo above left.

I'll add a link at the end for J. M. Hochstetler’s HHH post for the background of Chenonceau. Here, we will get an inside view. 

Speaking of views, visitors approach Château de Chenonceau by walking the length of a sycamore-lined path. Can you imagine the first inhabitants arriving via horse-drawn carriage? 

To give you a brief history, Chenonceau’s roots are from the 12th and13th centuries. It was once a château and mill belonging to the Marques family, of which only the dungeon remains. The round tower you see through the window is this donjon, the Tour des Marques. The rest of the château is the result of construction by Thomas Bohier and his wife, Catherine Briçonnet, from 1513 to 1517 as well as additions by later residents. Below is the timeline for and sketches of the changes.

To walk through this grand door from the time of King François I, is to enter a domain maintained by many notable women across time. Château de Chenonceau is often called the Château des Dames or the Ladies' Castle. In addition to Catherine Briçonnet, six women resided and presided here: Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de’ Medici, Louise of Lorraine, Louise Dupin, Marguerite Pelouze, and Simonne Menier. Every woman had a different purpose in life, yet each fulfilled the role of preserving Chenonceau.

Before we peek inside some rooms, take a gander at these images below. Do you wonder at all the feet and shoes that stepped there? Look at the timeworn tiles and battered stairs. How many people ascended and descended to wear down the stone steps?

The Gallery: Catherine de’ Medici employed Jean Bullant to build this gallery. Bullant built upon the bridge that Diane de Poitiers ordered. This Gallery has been used as a ball room, a hospital in WWI, and the South door with access to the left bank was an escape route for the Resistance during WWII.

 

(The text in the photo with the flowers reads, "Here were treated 2,254 wounded during the War 1914 - 1918.)

The Second floor Hall features the Oudenaarde tapestry from the 1500s which shows the Battle of Kosovo Polje. The painting is by Pierre Justin Ouvrié. The floor is from the Renaissance.

Did you know Chenonceau happens to be the second most visited château in France, behind Versailles? While I can attest that Versailles is opulent and grand, I prefer Chenonceau. Perhaps this is because it seems peaceful and is simpler overall. Most likely it is due to the representation of the medieval period as I seem to favor the older sites. Have you been to or read about Versailles? Which do you prefer? 

Please come back on the 3rd of November to see more of this stunning château. I do hope you'll return. Until next time you can learn more about the history in reading J. M. Hochstetler's post: Historic French Châteaux, Part 3: Château de Chenonceau.

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO - Neighbor Bible Studies 2GO, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 100 Plans on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. If it were up to her, she would be traveling - right now. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, Rebecca learns the craft of fiction while networking with a host of generous writers. She is working on her first fiction novel. This story unfolds from the 1830s in Northern Georgia.

Connect with Rebecca: Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest Twitter

Historic French Chateaux #4: Château de Chambord

By J. M. Hochstetler

Northwest Facade

I don’t know about you, but in the dead of winter I tend to dream about warm climes and romantic locales. So today, in the fourth installment of my series on the historic châteaux of that most romantic of destinations, France, we’re taking a look at Château de Chambord, a magnificent example of French Renaissance architecture and the grandest and most popular château in the Loire Valley. Like other 16th-century châteaux, this one looks like a castle. The central keep forms part of the front wall of a larger compound, four huge bastion towers guard the corners, and there’s a partial moat. But since Chambord was never intended to be used as a fortification, these features are merely decorative and would provide minimal defense in case of enemy attack.

Pierre-Denis Martin (1663-1742)

Chambord was built between 1519 and 1547 as a weekend hunting retreat for François I of France but soon became one of the most ambitious and expensive building projects any French monarch ever undertook. Construction was repeatedly delayed by war, insufficient royal funds, the difficulties in laying the structure’s foundations, and other design issues. Yet when the building was finally completed, the king found the elaborate chateau too drafty and difficult to supply. The loggia, the large high-ceilinged rooms with unglazed windows, and the expansive terrace at the top were completely impractical in northern France’s chilly, damp climate. To make matters worse, Chambord was built in a forest with no villages or other estates nearby, which meant that the only local source of food was game. The château was also left completely unfurnished, so that with up to 2,000 guests and servants attending the king, all necessary supplies including furniture had to be imported. François ended up spending much more time at his chateaux in Amboise and Blois, only staying at Chambord for a total of 72 days during his 32-year reign.

Aerial view

The structure’s design, attributed to Italian architect Domenico da Cortona contributed greatly to the cost. François wanted the palace to reflect Constantinople’s skyline, so its towers were designed to look like 15th-century Milan’s minarets rather than the typical turrets and spires of the period. There are 11 different kinds of towers and 3 types of chimneys, all asymmetrical and framed at the corners by the massive towers. Henry James observed that “the towers, cupolas, the gables, the lanterns, the chimneys, look more like the spires of a city than the salient points of a single building.” As a carpenter’s daughter, I can tell you that all those angles and corners drove up the price! By François’ death in 1547, construction had cost the then astronomical sum of 444,070 livres. Sounds like some of the boondoggles our government has financed, doesn’t it?

View of spiral staircase

Though Chambord is most well-known for its exterior, the interior is just as impressive. Its layout is an example of the French and Italian practice of grouping rooms into suites rather than the medieval style of building rooms to open directly from one into another. The château consists of 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 84 staircases. But its most famous feature is the spectacular double helix staircase dominating the keep’s center. Some experts believe the design was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, though this isn’t confirmed. John Evelyn described it as “devised with four entries or ascents, which cross one another, so that though four persons meet, they never come in sight, but by small loopholes, till they land.” The stairwell is lighted from above through a lantern tower, the château’s highest, and offers access to innumerable chimneys and sculpted capitals on the building’s upper terraces.

After Francis died in 1547, the château stood empty until 1639, when King Louis XIII gave it to his brother, who embarked on a restoration. Later King Louis XIV had the great keep refurbished as a hunting lodge, furnished the royal apartments, and added a 1,200-horse stable. He used it to entertain for a few weeks each year but by 1685 he’d lost interest. King Louis XV’s father-in-law, the deposed King of Poland lived in it for a while, then Louis gave it to Maurice de Saxe, who installed his military regiment on the property and began to furnish the château with woodwork, parquet floors, ceilings, and private petits cabinets. Those efforts ended with his death in 1750.

Double spiral staircase

Chambord didn’t fare too badly during the French Revolution, though some of the furnishings were sold off. Wall paneling and even floors were taken up and sold for the value of the wood, while doors provided firewood to keep the rooms warm while the sales were going on. The structure remained intact, however, though the château was left empty until Napoleon Bonaparte gave it to a subordinate. During subsequent years it passed through other hands, but finally in 1840 the chateau was registered on the first list of French historical monuments, and the Duke of Bordeaux, grandson of King Charles X, took on its maintenance. He instituted a major restoration and officially opened the château to the public, but his death in 1883 ended these efforts too. In 1915 after the onset of World War I, Chambord was confiscated as enemy property. Ownership returned to France in 1930, and during the World War II artworks from the Louvre and the Château de Compiègne were moved to Chambord for safekeeping.

Another restoration was begun after World War II, and Chambord has been designated a UNESCO world heritage site since 1981. Today extensive formal French-style gardens and water features characteristic of the 16th century surround the château within a 13,000-acre wooded park and game reserve enclosed by a 19-mile long wall. The château is open to the public and receives hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Flooding in June 2016 damaged the grounds but thankfully the château itself remained undamaged.

Louis XIV’s Ceremonial Bedroom

If you ever make it to the estate for a visit, you can watch a film inside the main building that gives an excellent introduction to the château’s history and architecture. Today the building is sparsely furnished, but visitors can view its 18th-century kitchens on the ground floor and the most interesting rooms including the royal bedchambers on the first floor. From the roof, accessed through the great lantern tower atop the famous spiral staircase, one can marvel at the chateau’s fairytale roofline of turrets, chimneys, cupolas, and domes, and look out across the estate’s vast grounds. Hour-long guided tours in English are offered in the summer along with outdoor spectacles that include birds of prey and an equestrian show with horses and riders decked in colorful 16th-century accoutrements.

It’s nice to see that, although French kings often emptied the public coffers to build their pleasure palaces, today these extraordinary buildings enable France to rake in piles of cash to benefit her citizens, all to the delight of tourists. All I can say is “Vive la France!”

As a lover of European medieval history, I’d be thrilled to take a grand tour of the continent’s castles, but especially those in the historically Germanic areas where my ancestors originated. There are also stunningly romantic castles in Europe’s Slavic regions and elsewhere. If you have a European or English heritage, what areas would you love to visit? And if you ancestry lies elsewhere, please share that information and let us know what places you would love to visit if you were doing genealogical research into your family!

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J. M. Hochstetler is the daughter of Mennonite farmers and a lifelong student of history. She is a professional editor, a publisher, and the author of award-winning historical fiction whose books have been endorsed by bestselling authors such as Lori Benton, Laura Frantz, and Jocelyn Green. Her American Patriot Series is the only comprehensive historical fiction series on the American Revolution. She is also the author of One Holy Night, the Christian Small Publishers 2009 Book of the Year, and co-authored the award-winning Northkill Amish Series with Bob Hostetler.

France’s Historic Châteaux: Roquetaillade

By J. M. Hochstetler

Roquetaillade, front view

This is the second installment of a series I’m doing on historic French chateaux. Since many of Europe’s medieval wars were fought in France, the country has a seemingly endless supply of these richly historic structures. And what could possibly be more picturesque and romantic than a castle? These imposing, sometimes extravagant fortifications are the stuff of legends—and romance novels. In fact, Book 6 of my American Patriot Series, Refiner’s Fire, is partially set in 18th century France, where my heroine lives for a time in a chateau, so naturally I ended up digging more deeply into the subject.

Charlemagne by Albrecht Durer,
1511-1513

The French word château has a wider meaning than the English word castle. Forts, palaces, mansions, and even vineyards can be included in this category. For the purposes of my story, however, I focused on actual castles and palaces. Today we’re taking a look at the famous Château de Roquetaillade.

Roquetaillade means carved out of rock and refers to the troglodyte caves beneath the castle. The château is the most visited castle in France’s Bordeaux region. Its enclosure surrounds two impressive stone castles, the oldest built by Charlemagne as a timber motte and bailey castle in the 10th century while his army was on the march to the Pyrenees. Over time this old castle was rebuilt in stone, but today only the imposing ruins remain of what was a bleak fortress with walls pierced mainly by arrow loops, with few windows.

In 1306, with the permission of the English King Edward I, Cardinal de la Mothe, the nephew of Pope Clement V built a second fortress, le Château Neuf, which was square in design with six towers and a central keep. The same family has resided there ever since, though the occupants have had five changes in surnames because the property was often passed down to daughters.

Side view

The fortress underwent a major renovation in the 17th century. The first story arrow loops were replaced with Renaissance windows, the battlements were more elegantly reconstructed while remaining functional, and the interior was redesigned for greater beauty. The family survived the terrors of the French Revolution, and in 1864 owner Louis le Blanc commissioned the famed architect Eugene Viollet le Duc to redecorate the castle again and make it more liveable. He created the chateau’s extraordinary interior decorations including a magnificent staircase and elegant bedrooms. According to one travel site, the stone masons who worked on the castle placed a secret message under one of the columns in the front hall: a carved monkey, eating a piece of fruit. Supposedly that was a sign to other workers that they would be treated fairly and paid well by the owners. If the monkey had been portrayed scratching his back, it would have offered a warning that this was not a good place to work!

The château’s park includes remains of the medieval curtain wall with the barbican, the Pesquey stream and its banks, the 19th century chalet, and the Crampet pigeon loft. The current owner, the Vicomte Sébastien de Baritault du Carpia, his wife Rosalind, and their family, actively maintain and promote the castle, which has been open to the public since 1956. The chateau produces a famous white wine, Chateaufort de Roquetaillade, and Bazadais cattle, shown at right, are bred there. The castle has also been used as a location in several films and in 1976 was named a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.

Do you have a favorite novel—or nonfiction book—that involves castles? One of mine is Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. Please share your favorite and what appealed to you most about the story.

Also be sure to check out the brief video below featuring the property’s current owner and lovely shots of the  castle’s interior!

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J. M. Hochstetler is the daughter of Mennonite farmers and a lifelong student of history. She is a professional editor, a publisher, and the author of award-winning historical fiction whose books have been endorsed by bestselling authors such as Lori Benton, Laura Frantz, Jocelyn Green, Michelle Moran, and MaryLu Tyndal. Her American Patriot Series is the only comprehensive historical fiction series on the American Revolution. She is also the author of One Holy Night, which won the Christian Small Publishers 2009 Book of the Year and co-authored the award-winning Northkill Amish Series with Bob Hostetler. Her latest release is Refiner’s Fire, Book 6 of the American Patriot Series.