Am aterizat la Paris in cea mai calduroasa zi a acestei veri, pe 29 iunie, cand prognoza indica 40 de grade la umbra insa cainele lup cu care-am impartit ultimele inghitituri de apa in RER-ul de la aeroport catre oras mi-a transmis epuizat cat de caniculara era de fapt atmosfera. Nici seara petrecuta in gradina  prietenilor mei din Bry-sur-Marne nu a reusit sa fie mai racoroasa – fapt confirmat de impasibilitatea lesinat-aroganta a motanului Timon -, insa ce mai conta, stiam ca a doua zi dimineata porneam in excursie pe Valea Loirei, sa vedem castele, strabatand Franta de-a latul si pe indelete, pana la Oceanul Atlantic.

Considerate a fi una dintre atractiile majore ale Frantei, cele aproximativ 300 de castele de pe Valea Loirei sunt renumite pentru arhitectura si valoarea lor istorica si culturala ce marcheaza, incepand cu secolul XIII, etape majore ale evolutiei civilizatiei franceze si mondiale.

Inconjurat de paduri intinse, Château Chambord este un masterpiece de arhitectura ce adaposteste jumatate de mileniu de istorie franceza. Castelul a fost construit incepand din 1519, din dorinta lui François I, un tanar rege avangardist, iubitor si cunoscator al artelor si vanator pasionat, conform unui plan dezvoltat in jurul schitei lui Leonardo Da Vinci, care a proiectat scara in dublu-helix, sau asa cum am perceput-o eu, scara ADN. Spatiul din mijlocul acestei scari elicoidale este asemeni unui cilindru gol din lespezi de piatra, inalt de cateva zeci de metri, prin varful caruia razele de soare patrund si se impletesc pana la nivelul solului intr-un fascicol intens si stralucitor de energie pura.

Amalgamul dantelat si nu tocmai coerent sau simetric de turnuri si turnulete acopera suprafata imensa a castelului renascentist cu 426 de camere, a carui amprenta la sol seamana cu o cruce greceasca, si ilustreaza deplin ideea de declaratie de putere pe care François I a vrut sa o transmita prin aceasta cladire, considerata acum  o megalomanie arhitecturala. Sau, cum spune Victor Hugo, o bizarerie admirabila:

“J’ai visité Chambord. Vous ne pouvez vous figurer comme c’est singulièrement beau. Toutes les magies, toutes les poésies, toutes les folies même sont représentées dans l’admirable bizarrerie de ce palais de fées et de chevaliers.”

Ludovic al XIV-lea obisnuia sa vina impreuna cu curtenii sai la vanatoare pe domeniul Chambord si organiza petreceri fabuloase, una dintre acestea gazduind, in 1670, premiera piesei lui Molière “Burghezul gentilom”.

Château du Clos Lucé​ a fost construit in 1490, ca resedinta de vara din Amboise a regilor Frantei; este mic si functional, fiind mai degraba un conac. François I il ofera in 1516 cadou lui Leonardo da Vinci, care a raspuns invitatiei regelui de a veni in Franta, unde si-a petrecut ultimii 3 ani din viata, lucrand la diverse proiecte inconjurat de studentii sai. Si de cele 3 tablouri ale sale, de care era nedespartit si le lua cu el in toate calatoriile: Mona Lisa, Sfantul Ioan Botezatorul si Fecioara si pruncul cu Sfanta Ana.

Fatada cladirii, din caramida rosie si piatra alba este cea originala din Renastere, pastrata aproape perfect, iar la interior incaperile luminoase si spatioase pastreaza amprenta genialului lor locatar, care avea o sala de mese cocheta si o bucatarie primitoare, bine utilata. Piesa centrală a bucătăriei – domeniul lui Mathurine, bucatareasa – hornul înalt din piatră, a rămas intact. Pe pereti sunt expuse farfurii rotunde din alamă, ornate cu scene din Vechiul Testament.
La subsol se afla camerele de lucru ale maestrului, impreuna cu multe dintre schitele si mostrele inventiilor sale. Gradina, foarte frumoasa, este amenajată dupa un concept peisagistic în spiritul tablourilor şi desenelor lui Leonardo da Vinci.

Château de Chenonceau, denumit si “Castelul Damelor” este probabil cel mai frumos de pe Valea Loirei.  Dintre acestea, doua nume sunt renumite si marcante: Diane de Poitiers, favorita regelui Henric al II-lea, care a primit castelul cadou de la acesta si si-a folosit inteligenta, frumusetea si simtul afacerilor pentru a-l dezvolta, construind podul peste rau si gradinile, toate unice si avangardiste la acea vreme. Catherine de Medici, sotia lui Henric al II-lea, o indeparteaza pe Diane dupa moartea regelui si continua lucrarile de arhitectura, ridicand  o galerie cu doua etaje peste pod, dedicata petrecerilor fastuoase ale vremii.

Château de Chenonceau are totul: e construit pe apa, inconjurat de paduri stufoase si gradini splendide cu trandafiri sau specii rare botanice, iar incaperile sale, perfect pastrate si atent reconditionate sunt toate mobilate, vizita devenind un periplu fascinant printre paturi cu baldachin, catifele grele, seminee sculptate, tavane pictate, tapiserii imense si jilturi din piele de Cordoba inscriptionata si pictata cu maiestrie. Ferestrele imense ofera privelisti verzi reconfortante ale copacilor de pe mal ce se oglindesc in apa raului Cher.

Iar bucataria spatioasa, ce ocupa tot nivelul de subsol, aflat chiar la baza pilonilor din rau, este utilata cu tot ceea ce-si poate dori o gospodina, atunci, in anii 1.500,  fiind cu siguranta un objet de désir oh, da, si acum in secolul XXI.

Istoria castelului Chenonceau este definită de o succesiune aproape neîntreruptă de femei care l-au construit, înfrumusețat, protejat, restaurat și salvat. Prima cladire a fost un castel medieval din secolele XII și XIII, din care a rămas acum doar temnița: Tour des Marques.

Mai mult, castelul este un muzeu consistent, caci găzduiește o colecție extraordinară de mobilier, tapiserii și tablouri. Rubens, Primaticcio, Tintoretto, Corregio, Van Loo, Murillo, Clouet, Sassoferrato, Andrea del Sarto, Ribalta, Nattier, Veronese, Poussin, Van Dyck, Bassano, Zurbaran  sau opere ale sculptorului florentin din secolul al XV-lea, Mino da Fiesole. Aceste capodopere create de unii dintre cei mai mari pictori europeni ai secolelor XVI, XVII și XVIII reflectă istoria castelului dar și rolul principal jucat de femei în această istorie. Cu toate acestea, bogatia de decoruri si capodopere nu este deloc sotentativa, senzatia pe care o ai plimbandu-te prin castel este de discretie, eleganta pura, bun gust si firesc al lucrurilor.

Forteresse Royale de Chinon se afla in pitorescul orasel Chinon si a fost construita in jur de 1154, ca resedinta a lui Henric al II-lea. Zidurile sale medievale pastreaza inca vestigii ale Cavalerilor Templieri iar unul dintre cele mai importante evenimente desfasurate aici a fost in 1429, in timpul Razboiului de 100 de ani, cand Ioana D’Arc s-a intalnit cu  indecisul Charles al VII-lea, convingandu-l sa se impotriveasca decisiv Angliei pentru a-si recupera tronul si a reda Frantei destinul sau liber.

Vizita in fortareata este pe deplin digitalizata, fiind practic un tur vrtual 360°, o experienta spectaculoasa facilitata de o tableta HistoPad, primita la intrare impreuna cu biletul de vizitator, care se activeaza in fiecare incapere prin scanarea unor hot spots, asa incat prin intermediul realitatii augmentate poti vedea decorurile medievale si asculta discutii, sunete specifice incaperii sau zgomot de arme.

Château du Rivau este o experienta aparte, unica pe Valea Loirei, ce mixeaza specificul unui castel medieval din secolul XIII cu arta moderna, cu accente high tech in interior sau accente jucause in gradinile amenajate amuzant, ca un urias spatiu de joaca.

Umanizat de Renaștere, Le Rivau este unul dintre cele mai importante monumente ale regiunii Touraine. Rabelais îl citează într-unul din romanele sale, cand Gargantua îl oferă căpitanului Tolmere drept recompensă pentru victoriile din timpul războiului picrocolean. Protejat in secolul XVII de Cardinalul Richelieu, acum Château du Rivau ofera experiente gastronomice specifice cu mancare gatita din produsele locale de pe domeniu, degustari de vinuri sau cazare in castel, pentru un sejur aparte in camere decorate in stil Renascentist completat cu piese de arta contemporana. Pourquoi pas une nuit au château?

English version text:

I landed in Paris on the hottest day of this summer, on June 29, when the forecast indicated 40 degrees in the shade but the wolf dog with whom I shared the last water shots in the RER from the airport to the city sent me exhausted how rattling that day actually was. Even the evening spent in the garden of my friends in Bry-sur-Marne could not be cooler – a fact confirmed by the impassioned arrogance of Timon the cat – but, more importantly, I knew that the next morning I was traveling on the Loire Valley, to see the castles, crossing France from one side to another, towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Considered to be one of the major attractions of France, the approximately 300 castles on the Loire Valley are renowned for their architecture and historical and cultural value, marking, since the thirteenth century, major stages of the evolution of French and world civilization.

Surrounded by lush forests, Château Chambord is an architectural masterpiece that harbors half a millennium of French history. The castle was built since 1519, at the will of François I, a young avant-garde king, lover and connoisseur of the arts and a passionate hunter, according to a plan developed around the sketch of Leonardo Da Vinci, who designed the double-helix staircase, or as I perceived it, the DNA scale. The space in the middle of this helical staircase is like a hollow clade of stone slabs, several tens of meters high, through the top of which the sun rays penetrate and interlace to the ground in an intense and shining beam of pure energy.

The lace and not exactly coherent or symmetrical amalgamation of towers and turrets covers the huge surface of the Renaissance castle with 426 rooms, whose footprint resembles a Greek cross, and fully illustrates the idea of ​​a declaration of power that François I wanted to make, convey through this building, now considered an architectural megalomania. Or, as Victor Hugo says, an admirable bizarre:
“J’ai visité Chambord. Vous ne pouvez vous figurer comme c’est singulièrement beau. Toutes les magies, toutes les poésies, toutes les folies même sont représentées dans l’admirable bizarrerie de ce palais de fées et de chevaliers.”

Louis XIV used to come with his courtiers to hunt on the Chambord estate and organize fabulous parties, one of them hosting, in 1670, the premiere of Molière’s play “Bourgeois gentilom”.

Château du Clos Lucé was built in 1490, as the summer residence in Amboise of the kings of France; it is small and functional, being rather a mansion. François gives Leonardo da Vinci a gift in 1516, which responded to the king’s invitation to come to France, where he spent the last 3 years of his life, working on various projects surrounded by his students. And also by his 3 paintings, which he was unseparated and took with him on all trips: Mona Lisa, Saint John the Baptist and Virgin and the Holy-baby with Sainte Anne.

The facade of the building, made of red brick and white stone, is the original one from the Renaissance, kept almost perfectly, and inside the bright and spacious rooms keep the imprint of their brilliant tenant, who had a cozy dining room and a welcoming, well-equipped kitchen. The central piece of the kitchen – Mathurine’s domain, the cook – the high stone furnace, remained intact. Round brass plates are displayed on the walls, adorned with scenes from the Old Testament.
In the basement are the master’s work rooms, along with many of the sketches and samples of his inventions. The garden, very beautiful, is arranged according to a landscape concept in the spirit of Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings and drawings.

Château de Chenonceau, also called “Ladies Castle” is probably the most beautiful in the Loire Valley. Of these, two names are famous and prominent: Diane de Poitiers, favorite of King Henry II, who received the gift castle from it and used her intelligence, beauty and business sense to develop it, building the bridge over the river and the gardens, all unique and avant-garde at the time. Catherine de Medici, the wife of Henry II, removes Diane after the king’s death and continues the architectural work, erecting a two-floor gallery above the bridge, dedicated to the lavish parties of the time.

Château de Chenonceau has it all: it is built on water, surrounded by bush forests and splendid gardens with roses or rare botanical species, and its rooms, perfectly kept and carefully reconditioned are all furnished, the visit becoming a fascinating journey through canopy beds, heavy carpets, carved fireplaces, painted ceilings, huge tapestries and leather trimmings of Cordoba inscribed and painted with skill. The huge windows offer comforting green views of the trees on the shore that are reflected in the water of the Cher River.

And the huge kitchen, which occupies the entire basement level, located right at the bottom of the river pillars, is equipped with everything a housewife can want, then, in the 1,500 years, and it is definitely an object of desire oh, yes, now in the 21st century.

The history of Chenonceau castle is defined by an almost uninterrupted succession of women who built, beautified, protected, restored and saved it. The first building was a medieval castle from the 12th and 13th centuries, of which only the prison remains: Tour des Marques.
Moreover, the castle is a consistent museum, as it houses an extraordinary collection of furniture, tapestries and paintings. Rubens, Primaticcio, Tintoretto, Corregio, Van Loo, Murillo, Clouet, Sassoferrato, Andrea del Sarto, Ribalta, Nattier, Veronese, Poussin, Van Dyck, Bassano, Zurbaran or works of the fifteenth-century Florentine sculptor, Mino da Fiesole. These masterpieces created by some of the greatest European painters of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries reflect the history of the castle but also the main role played by women in this history. However, this richness of decorations and masterpieces is not ostentatious, the feeling that you are walking through the castle is discretion, pure elegance, good taste and natural things.

Forteresse Royale de Chinon is located in the picturesque town of Chinon and was built around 1154, as the residence of Henry II. Its medieval walls still hold the remains of the Knights Templar and one of the most important events unfolded here took place in 1429, during the 100-year War, when Joanna D’Arc met the undecided Charles VII, convincing him to decisively opposed England to regain his throne and to render France its free destiny.

The visit to the fortress is fully digitalized, being a 360 ° virtual tour, a spectacular experience facilitated by a HistoPad tablet, received at the entrance along with the visitor ticket, which is activated in each room by scanning hot spots, so that through augmented reality you can see the medieval decorations and listen to discussions, sounds specific to the room or the noise of weapons.

Château du Rivau is a unique experience, unique on the Loire Valley, which mixes the specificity of a 13th century medieval castle with modern art, high tech accents in the interior or playful accents in the landscaped gardens, funny, like a huge play space.

Humanized by the Renaissance, Le Rivau is one of the most important monuments of the Touraine region. Rabelais quotes him in one of his novels, when Gargantua gives Captain Tolmere a reward for victories during the Picrocolean war. Protected in the 17th century by Cardinal Richelieu, now Château du Rivau offers specific gastronomic experiences with cooked food from local products on the field, wine tastings or castle accommodation, for a special stay in rooms decorated in Renaissance style complete with pieces of contemporary art. Why not a night at the castle?

Photo credits: personal archive Ruxandra Chiurtu