27 December 2017

CHÂTEAU de CHENONCEAU

Looking through the hundreds of photos of places and events I took this year I realise that we did an awful lot of things that I never posted about.  Now’s the time to do something about that.

Chenonceau

There are some places in the Loire that I never tire of and the château at Chenonceau is one of them.  Not that I visit it that often - just knowing that it’s only an hour away is enough, and that I can, if I want, pop over and have a look round, feast my eyes on it, whenever I like.

Chenonceau2

My last visit was in February this year.  So many châteaux are closed over the winter but not Chenonceau, which is open all year round and the great advantage is that in February there is hardly anyone else there.

Chenonceau3

I was able to take dozens of pictures completely uncluttered by human beings.  For most of the year the place is heaving with tourists but on a cold grey Tuesday afternoon in February I had the place almost to myself.

Chenonceau6

The long gallery that is the bridge over the river is usually full of people but on this day it was deserted.

Chenonceau6a

I was able to walk from one end to the other and back again without meeting another person. 

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It was weird, actually, being able to wander around unhindered by hordes of people.  I have always loved visiting old castles and houses and been fascinated by the stories behind them.  Being almost alone in the place made the experience even more magical.

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Another advantage of visiting in winter is that any stray people that might appear in photos are dressed sombrely in winter coats, not in gaudy summer clothes, which nearly always spoil a photo, especially if too much flesh is on view.

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I find it hard to say which part of Chenonceau I like the best, it’s probably a choice between the kitchen, the long gallery and the fabulous flower arrangements that are everywhere.  My photo tour will continue ………

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for your photos of Chenonceau. They brought back lovely memories when we visited way back in 1998 but it was one of the highlights of our trip. Looking forward to more photos and I will now hunt through my old photos and a trip down memory lane. Thanks.

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