Making the cut off at Cheverney, Druids in Montrichard, and Lots of Clothes for Dinner

Cheverney
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Saturday, September 21.

So many days have passed since I last wrote. I feel like I'm behind in my homework!

I left off on my jaunt through the countryside, heading for Chambord. I never made it there, but instead went to Cheverney. If Chaumont was a fortress/hunting lodge, and Troussay was a country farm/manor, then Cheverney would be the epitome of an elegant, ostentacious, and impossibly grand castle. Most of the larger historic sights are open until 7pm, but they sell the last tickets at 5:15, and I just make it! The castle sits on hundreds of acres of park, with lakes and canals. You could make a whole day of renting a boat, walking and picnicing. There are "orangeries" which I think are greenhouses, and certainly the gardens are magnificent. They even rake the gravel and the grass is sculpted into intricate patterns!

my hunting dog friend
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I pass the pens where a hoard of hunting dogs are waiting for dinner. One little guy jumped up some petting, but most of them were sleeping, or howling. I head for the castle. It is a self guided tour, and I am just as fascinated by the hidden doors in the wall woodwork as I was with the huge and ornately carved furniture. The men's rooms were decorated in tapestries, and aubbusson rugs, religious pictures and heavily embroider3d spreads (I mean every inch!). Kinda made your head spin. But the ladies boudoirs were painted soft colors and had toile and flowers on thechairs, with painted wood panels on the walls. One closet was painted red with a dressing table and wash bowls, really pretty.

see the doorknob? Right in the middle
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OK, now I'm getting castle burnout, so I head for home. On the way into Amboise I see hot air balloons in the sky.

Yay, home at last.

The next day I ride my bike in the morning, and drive to Montrichard in the afternoon. It is a cool little town on the Cher river, with the medieval towers of the castle ruins rising above it. As old as these ruins are, we don't realise that before the French, were the Romans building here, and before the Romans, were the Celtic Druids. There is a museum with things they've excavated under the castle...roman urns and coins, jewelry, and druidic icons (they worshipped venus), and even old shells and ocean artifacts. There is one room where some troglydytes lived, and a display case sits on an old limestone sink carved from the wall. They believe it was used as a kitchen. There are old clothes and military uniforms, hats, shoes and cloth. The people were so tiny back then. There is a whole case of things related to witchcraft and spells. I really like this place. I wander through the town and find a place to have a beer. There are tables outside to watch the people go by. I order a Kronenbourg, but the girl can't understand me. "Oh, Krow-nen-BOURG-a!" Yeah, that's what I said!

check out the size of this buffet!
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Back in Amboise, my last night...I don't have a reservation, so I'll probably end up outside, and it's a little cool. I put on a tank top, a sweater, a sweatshirt, another cardigan sweater, leggings, a skirt, my hiking boots and socks, AND my gortex rain jacket. I am toasty! However, I get an inside table at the bistro across the street, and OFF comes the jacket, the sweater, the sweatshirt....well, you get the picture!

Another repeat of my first good meal there...wine, goat cheese salad and duck. Yum.

Painted walls and ceilings, Cheverney
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Bonne Nuit!