Departure from Versailles
Sometimes my father, a man of advancing years, likes to throw caution to the wind and not plan where we are staying next. This adds certain element of fun and surprise to the journey. So after the incredible sights of the Palace of Versailles and a quick bite to eat we are back in the rental with no way of knowing where we will end up. We had a dilemma, do we go towards a town a local recommended to us, or go somewhere a friend from home told us about. We took a vote and our dad wanted the friend’s recommendation and Ronan and I both agree that it would add to the cultural experience if we took a local’s advice–so we won out and ended up in Bracieux.
A typical adorable French country town, we had to first secure lodging. All I remember is I had to share a bed and I had some tic tacs leftover from Versailles that had some marvelous flavors like green apple, so different from the ones from home. We felt like taking a walk and the concierge recommended a nice trail. The trail was beautiful, the only thing was we got lost and a cute cat that was very friendly ended up brushing past my legs slowly. The trail diversion turned out to be a wonderful example of a French country neighborhood and I could see myself retiring in a place like this. So calm and peaceful with what seemed like a nice life to be led here.
While making our way back, as we all agreed we were hungry, we inadvertently caused a string and ruckus of dog barks throughout the neighborhood. France is a country that loves dogs. I mean. They. love. dogs. Probably more than people. We made it to a buffet, and it was absolutely delicious, it was also my first éclaire in France, and strangely it was the only one I had for the entire trip. This would be the start of Ronan getting sick however, we were worried it might be Covid, but thank God it wasn’t, just really bad sinus infection. So that made for some fun times ahead.
Le Chateau De Chambord
When we first arrived, even though I had been to Versailles and that was an experience in and of itself, Chateau de Chambord did not disappoint. It was a feat of architecture that I truly admired. It is rumored that Leonardo da Vinci himself constructed the spiral staircase, which was not common of the times. There were very few tourists during this trip because we went in September. We toured the grounds and chateau all day and I tried to imagine what it would be like to live during the times of Louis XIV. I’m pretty sure I would not have been a courtier but part of la résistance against the monachy. It was a colder day and I was afraid Ronan might get really sick so Ient him my fleece. We had leek crêpes for lunch and as I looked down at the ground I noticed a small snail under a tree. I thought, “You better get out of here buddy, you might end up on the plate!”
Le saviez-vous? (Did you know?)
Chambord is basically known for being the home of the famous Chateau de Chambord which is the largest chateau in the Loire Valley of France. It was the summer home of Louis XIV. When King Louis ventured out to stay here–some years it was uninhabitable because of a plethora of mosquitos. This deterred the King from staying there, understandably. I guess he had to go back and spend the summer in the Palace of Versailles–quelle tragédie.