….unusual trees that I saw in Amboise but very common throughout Europe
This is a form of pruning deciduous trees called Pollarding. It prevents the trees from becoming too large and gangly. It is considered a severe form of pruning and does not work on all trees.
….thanks Jez for hosting Water, Water Everywhere….https://jezbraithwaite.blog/2022/05/09/canal-reflections-water-water-everywhere-125/
“The longest river in France is the Loire. It is 634 miles (1,020 kilometers) long. The Loire Valley is a popular tourist area known for its châteaus (French for “castles”). The scenic valley is sometimes called the Garden of France.
The Loire River begins about 4,500 feet (1,370 meters) above sea level in the Cévennes mountain range of southern France. It is fed by melting snow from mountain peaks. The Loire flows north through central France before swinging in a great curve past the city of Orléans and turning westward. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean near the city of Nantes.” Sourced from kids.britannica.com
We saw the Loire in Tours and then again on our castle visits in Amboise and Blois.
On our visit to the Royal Chateau Amboise, we saw the river from the top of the castle, overlooking the Loire Valley.
On our last castle tour in Blois we saw the Loire River again from the lookout on the castle grounds and then again at street level.
…..as of today we managed to take in two castles, the Amboise Châteaux Royal and the Château Royal de Blois
Visiting both castles required taking trains from Tours. The actual trips took about 30 to 40 minutes unless the train was delayed because there were too many bicycles on board. Yes that’s a thing apparently. The conductor refused to let the train continue until some of the bikes were removed or properly stored. Our last trip back to Tours took an hour. I’ve never seen so many people run as they left the train trying to catch their connecting train.
We have been very lucky with the weather since arriving in Tours. Our first castle trip was to Amboise and it felt like summer. We started out in an outdoor café got a bite to eat and then made our way through the old town to the entrance of the Château Royal.
The caste’s foundation was started in the 4th century by the Celts and over the medieval period the rights to the fortress was disputed between the counts of Anjou and Blois. In the 1400s the château was confiscated by the crown and became a place for all the Valois and Bourbon Kings to live, play and raise their families.
The style of the castle was greatly inspired by the artistic vitality of the Italian artists of the period. They were invited to Amboise and together with French tastes the Early French Renaissance was created.
One of my favourite parts of the Château Royal in Amboise was the garden.
The Gardens of Amboise…..to be continue
Mama Cormier 