Amboise

This will go down as the most romantic weekend of our lives! it will be hard for anything else to compete. we spent two nights in this beautiful castle, eating amazing food (a bit expensive), viewing chateaus all day, and relaxing after our busy time in Paris.

Chateau de Pray

chateau de chenonceau

This castle is referred to as the 3 woman's chateau. It was first built by the King's tax collectors wife. She lived in the chateau while the the country was away at war. when the king returned he asked his tax collector for his money only to find out all the tax money had been spent on the chateau. the king gave the tax collector's wife a choice to be killed or runaway. she didn't have to think twice and quickly ran away. King Henry II gave the Chateau to his favorite mistress Diane de Poitier. they say she had a bath in goats milk everyday to keep her skin looking soft and a shower in rain water to keep her skin tight. when the king would come to visit he would bring along his "entourage" including his poor wife Katherine de' Midici. Katherine had a portrait of herself hung in Diane's bedroom. Eventually King Henry II died, leaving Katherine ruling Queen, since her sons were all so young. She immediately expelled Diane. Katherine added the bridge across the river and more gardens.

Simon- -We lucked out having awesome tour guides

When Louis XIV came to visit his uncle at the castle he gave this self-portrait as his "thank you"

Chateau d'Amboise- where Leonardo da Vinci is buried

Chateau du Close Luce - the bedroom where Leonardo Da Vinci died