DOCSLIB.ORG

Vaux-Le-Vicomte, the Fatal House-Warming

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Vaux-Le-Vicomte, the Fatal House-Warming Vaux-le-Vicomte, The Fatal House-Warming It was supposed to be the grandest housewarming the world had ever seen, and, from the moment the first gilded coaches and beribboned horsemen came thundering up the road from Fontainebleau to the great wrought-iron gates, the host knew that his plan would succeed beyond even his soaring hopes. The host was Nicolas Fouquet, Superintendent of the Finances of France, the richest and most powerful subject of the young King Louis XIV. With his new chateau, he was going to offer the king and the world a supreme example of what riches and power and refinement and taste could do in the realms of beauty and well-tempered magnificence. Originally, there had been an old feudal castle called Vaux-le-Vicomte on this spot where two valleys (vaux) meet, together with a couple of peasant villages, some wheat fields, pastures, swamps and woods, and a river. Then an army of 18,000 men was brought here, furnished with barracks, workshops and a hospital. They were the best craftsmen to be found in the world: masons, carpenters, painters, carvers, gardeners, cabinetmakers, tapestry weavers, bricklayers, hydraulic engineers. All the material they asked for was handed over to them without stint: tons of marble for mantel- pieces and pedestals and busts; tons of lead for the water pipes; acres of slate for the roofs; the finest woods; the finest textiles. For four and a half years, they were steadily at work. They tore down the old buildings, leveled the hills, diverted the river and built a great new chateau with three-foot-thick stone walls and spacious brick outbuildings, the whole set in an immense terraced garden. In the late afternoon of August 17,1661, the work was as good as done. Vaux was ready to be shown off. Nicolas Fouquet was ready to scale the heights of glory. Opening the door of the king's carriage and escorting him up the monumental steps to the front entrance, he could hear the chorus of admiration and envy rising behind him. The king, the queen mother, the king's mistress, the dukes and duchesses and bishops, the hundreds of nobles and hangers- on who made up the court, all had to agree that they had never seen a building like this. France's older chateaus were generally built around central courtyards for defensive purposes. Over the centuries, those castles were expanded in helter-skelter fashion, with each generation of occupants adding different features, to strengthen the old walls or to modernize and beautify them.. Vaux, on the other hand, was built all of a piece from a unified design conceived by the noted architect Louis Le Vau. It was not a warlike fortification but a huge country mansion, open and inviting, designed for entertainment on the largest possible scale. The surrounding moat reflected the golden ochre tones which had been applied in a light patina over the walls. As the ladies in their brocaded gowns and the gentle men with their swords at their sides eagerly passed from room to room - including a spectacularly ornate bedroom designed specifically for the king - they were presented with an unending series of dazzling delights. The interior had been designed and executed by Charles Le Brun, a painter fresh from years in Italy, and he left a touch of sparkling luxurious elegance on everything: the 250 tapestries, the painted wall panels and gilded moldings, the carved and embroidered furniture, the chandeliers, the busts of Roman emperors. All through the decorations a keen eye could see prancing a pack of little painted and carved squirrels: fouquet was the word for squirrel in the patois of the superintendent's native province. And weaving among the squirrels were scrolls carrying his motto, Quo non ascendet? How high will he not climb? From the windows and the terrace on the far side of the building, the south side, the guests saw stretched out before them as far as the eye could see a splendid garden of a new design. Traditional French gardens had been little cooped-up lots, surrounded by walls or hedges. This one was a man-made landscape in 1 which everything, including the chateau, was integrated. It was an adventure to walk among its variegated banks of flowers, and in the trees around it there were tastefully shaded nooks for amorous trysts. The king when he inspected it told its designer, André Le Nôtre, that he knew "how to domesticate nature." All of the senses were meant to be surfeited. The scent of orange trees in wooden tubs filled the grounds. Servants kept up a steady flow of pheasants, ortolans, patés, bisques, pastries, all prepared under the supervision of Vatel, greatest maitre d'hotel of the age. (He would later commit suicide when a fresh fish he had promised to the Prince of Condé did not arrive in time; but at Vaux everything went swimmingly.) Violinists played airs specially written for the occasion by Jean Baptiste Lully, the most fashionable composer of the day. There was a play specially written for the occasion by Molière, with Molière himself to act in it. There was a lottery in which every guest won a prize of some sort -jewels, horses, swords, paintings. The guests could not tear themselves away till two in the morning. As they were preparing to go, a last dazzling burst of fireworks lit up the whole chateau in a gigantic blaze. With that, two horses harnessed to the carriage of Queen Mother Anne of Austria reared in terror, plunged into the moat and drowned. "La Fête de Vaux," as the celebration was called, was meant not only to inspire superlatives; it had a political purpose as well. Fouquet was a man of infinite energy, charm, resources, wit and ambition. For years, at first under the wily eye of Cardinal Mazarin, the chief minister, and for the last five months on his own, he had been in effective charge of the nation's finances. The nation was hard pressed after years of anarchy and war, and it took an almost miraculous skill in juggling figures, wheedling investors, speculating and peculating, to produce the daily supplies of cash needed to pay the army and the civil servants, and keep the king and court living in suitable luxury, as well as fill the capacious pockets of the cardinal, one of the greediest men who ever lived, and of Fouquet himself, the aspiring squirrel. Thanks to his skill, and Mazarin's, France had been able to survive the years of calamity and was now at peace, aspiring to become the mightiest of European nations. King Louis had announced, after the death of Mazarin, that he intended to take over personal direction of his government, but no one took him seriously. His mother shrugged her shoulders when she heard of it. Fouquet was certain that His Majesty, a hot- blooded boy whose main interests seemed to be chasing stags and skirts, would tire of business in a few weeks and leave the running of the country to him. The festivities at Vaux were intended to show the king just how well qualified Fouquet was to lead. Rarely has a brilliant man made a more foolish error in judgment. Louis was deeply serious about how he was going to reign (and as he did indeed reign for the next 50 years). He intended to perform his "king job" in as conscientious a way as he expected his subjects to perform theirs. He spent endless hours in his office, he studied and annotated the thousands of documents which crossed his desk with the same calm rigor and assiduity that he applied to every detail of the laws of etiquette which governed every step and every breath of life at his court. He was an absolute monarch, and he was pleased to be one, it made him happy he said once to know that between Je veux, I want, and J'aurai, I shall have, the distance was so small as not to be worth talking about.: He was very impressed by the fête at Vaux, as its creator had intended, but not at all in the way the creator counted on. Beneath the majestically smiling exterior he knew how to maintain on all 2 occasions, he was boiling with rage, a rage that only grew with each new marvel that was revealed to him.. For some time he had been poring over the account books of the state, and Jean Baptiste Colbert, the clerk who had only recently risen to become Fouquet's second- in-command, had been guiding him down the columns of figures to show him in detail how enormous streams of public money -- his money - were pouring into the superintendent's hands. He himself (the King of France!) was always running short of cash when he wanted to add a wing to his palace in Paris, the Louvre, and here was his servant, his creature, giving him lessons in luxury and extravagance.. He took his leave of Fouquet at Vaux with the same exquisite courtesy with which he had accepted the invitation to come there. Three weeks later, he summoned Fouquet to the Louvre to discuss some details of the loan of 88,000 livres the superintendent had made to him to meet the payroll of his navy. They shuffled through a few papers, quickly settled the details, and Fouquet took his leave. As he was getting into his carriage a few minutes later, Chevalier d'Artagnan, lieutenant of the musketeers, came up to him to announce that he was under arrest, and carried off to the first of the dungeons in which he was to spend the rest of his life.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Museum of Contemporary Art Joins the Great Heritage Sites of the Loire Valley
    Press release Montsoreau, December 29, 2020 The Château de Montsoreau - Museum of Contemporary Art joins the Great Heritage Sites of the Loire Valley. Five years after its opening to the public, the Château de Montsoreau- Museum of contemporary art has become the 23rd site to join the network of the UNESCO Great Heritage Sites of the Loire Valley, alongside the châteaux of Chenonceau, Chambord, Cheverny and Blois, Chaumont-sur-Loire, Villandry, Langeais, Chinon, Sully-sur-Loire, Brissac, Brézé, Valençay, Loches, Saumur, Angers, Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Dukes of Brittany, Rivau, Clos Lucé, the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud and the Cadre Noir of Saumur. Founded in 2016 by the collector Philippe Méaille, the Château de Montsoreau - Museum of Contemporary Art is located in one of the jewels of French architecture: the only Château of the Loire Valley built in the Loire riverbed, made famous by many artists including J.M.W Turner and Alexandre Dumas. The Château de Montsoreau - Museum of Contemporary Art relies on a permanent collection which includes the world’s largest collection of artworks by the artists of Art & Language. "Since its opening, the Château de Montsoreau - Museum of Contemporary Art has taken on the radical nature of its positioning within the Châteaux of the Loire Valley, the polemical and corrosive nature of contemporary art making it a laboratory of modernity from the outset,” declares Marie-Caroline Chaudruc, Vice-President. Attendance at the Museum of Contemporary Art has increased steadily and in 2019 reached 52,000 visitors. Driven by a desire for international development and networking, the Château de Montsoreau - Museum of Contemporary Art shares the approach of excellence that has characterized the network of the Great Heritage Sites of the Loire Valley since 2008.
    [Show full text]
  • Court of Versailles: the Reign of Louis XIV
    Court of Versailles: The Reign of Louis XIV BearMUN 2020 Chair: Tarun Sreedhar Crisis Director: Nicole Ru Table of Contents Welcome Letters 2 France before Louis XIV 4 Religious History in France 4 Rise of Calvinism 4 Religious Violence Takes Hold 5 Henry IV and the Edict of Nantes 6 Louis XIII 7 Louis XIII and Huguenot Uprisings 7 Domestic and Foreign Policy before under Louis XIII 9 The Influence of Cardinal Richelieu 9 Early Days of Louis XIV’s Reign (1643-1661) 12 Anne of Austria & Cardinal Jules Mazarin 12 Foreign Policy 12 Internal Unrest 15 Louis XIV Assumes Control 17 Economy 17 Religion 19 Foreign Policy 20 War of Devolution 20 Franco-Dutch War 21 Internal Politics 22 Arts 24 Construction of the Palace of Versailles 24 Current Situation 25 Questions to Consider 26 Character List 31 BearMUN 2020 1 Delegates, My name is Tarun Sreedhar and as your Chair, it's my pleasure to welcome you to the Court of Versailles! Having a great interest in European and political history, I'm eager to observe how the court balances issues regarding the French economy and foreign policy, all the while maintaining a good relationship with the King regardless of in-court politics. About me: I'm double majoring in Computer Science and Business at Cal, with a minor in Public Policy. I've been involved in MUN in both the high school and college circuits for 6 years now. Besides MUN, I'm also involved in tech startup incubation and consulting both on and off-campus. When I'm free, I'm either binging TV (favorite shows are Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Peaky Blinders) or rooting for the Lakers.
    [Show full text]
  • Hikes Along the Loire UNESCO’S Loire from Tours to Saumur
    Vineyard walks Hikes along the Loire UNESCO’S Loire from Tours to Saumur Tour Explore the finest section of France’s largest river. Highlights 3-star hotel accommodation throughout Visit four chateaux, the 16th Century gardens of Villandry, the Abbey at Fontevraud [resting place of Richard the Lion Heart] and Tours, the region’s most important city. Hike two tributaries of the Loire and marvel at their troglodyte dwellings Immerse yourself in the ‘Garden of France’ and a renowned wine-growing region – let us be your guide! Fact File ✓ 6-night, self-guided, inn-to-inn walking tour, with optional seventh to take in a fifth castle. ✓ Graded as a light challenge, averaging 10 miles/ 16 kms a day. ✓ Convenient access by train from Paris in approx. 2 hrs. ✓ Tour starts in Tours and finishes in Saumur. ✓ Start any day from 15th April to 15th October. ✓ Luggage transfers throughout, plus two morning transfers to shorten the day’s walking. T h e m e Hikes along the Loire is a short walking tour that introduces you to the essence of the life and times of UNESCO’s world heritage central Loire Valley. You delight in five days of gentle walking, along a variety of trails that comprise the region’s quintessential hiking route, the GR3. Hikes along the Loire starts in Tours, the capital of the department of Indre- et-Loire, considered the home of ‘neutral‘ French pronunciation. It boasts a fine Musée des Beaux-Arts and one of the best river-side guinguettes in France – get there early for either lunch or dinner.
    [Show full text]
  • The Petite Commande of 1664: Burlesque in the Gardens of Versailles Thomasf
    The Petite Commande of 1664: Burlesque in the Gardens of Versailles ThomasF. Hedin It was Pierre Francastel who christened the most famous the west (Figs. 1, 2, both showing the expanded zone four program of sculpture in the history of Versailles: the Grande years later). We know the northern end of the axis as the Commande of 1674.1 The program consisted of twenty-four Allee d'Eau. The upper half of the zone, which is divided into statues and was planned for the Parterre d'Eau, a square two identical halves, is known to us today as the Parterre du puzzle of basins that lay on the terrace in front of the main Nord (Fig. 2). The axis terminates in a round pool, known in western facade for about ten years. The puzzle itself was the sources as "le rondeau" and sometimes "le grand ron- designed by Andre Le N6tre or Charles Le Brun, or by the deau."2 The wall in back of it takes a series of ninety-degree two artists working together, but the two dozen statues were turns as it travels along, leaving two niches in the middle and designed by Le Brun alone. They break down into six quar- another to either side (Fig. 1). The woods on the pool's tets: the Elements, the Seasons, the Parts of the Day, the Parts of southern side have four right-angled niches of their own, the World, the Temperamentsof Man, and the Poems. The balancing those in the wall. On July 17, 1664, during the Grande Commande of 1674 was not the first program of construction of the wall, Le Notre informed the king by statues in the gardens of Versailles, although it certainly was memo that he was erecting an iron gate, some seventy feet the largest and most elaborate from an iconographic point of long, in the middle of it.3 Along with his text he sent a view.
    [Show full text]
  • The Baroque Era 1. Title 2. Anthony Van Dyke, Charles I Dismounted, Oil on Canvas, 1635 3. Diego Velázquez, King Philip IV Of
    The Baroque Era 1. Title 2. Anthony van Dyke, Charles I Dismounted, oil on canvas, 1635 3. Diego Velázquez, King Philip IV of Spain (Fraga Philip), oil on canvas, 1644 4. Charles leBrun, Apotheosis of Louis XIV, oil on canvas, 1677 5. Hyacinthe Rigaud, Portrait of Louis XIV, oil on canvas, 1701; 6. Aerial view, Palace of Versailles, Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin-Mansart, architects; interior design Le Vau and Hardouin-Mansart with Charles LeBrun, masonry, stone, wood, iron and gold leaf; sculpture in bronze and marble; original gardens designed by André LeNôtre, Versailles, France, begun 1669 7. Plan of Versailles and gardens 8. “Le Vau envelop,” courtyard 9. alternate view of above 10. Louis Le Vau, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, and Charles LeBrun, Hall of Mirrors, Chateau de Versailles, ca. 1680 11. Louis Le Vau, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, and Charles LeBrun, Hall of Mirrors, Chateau de Versailles, ca. 1680 (after 2007 restoration) 12. Charles LeBrun, The King Governs by Himself, from the ceiling of the Hall of Mirrors 13. Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Charles Le Brun, Salon de la Guerre, Chateau de Versailles, ca. 1680 14. Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Charles Le Brun, detail of bas relief of Louis XIV on Horseback, Salon de la Guerre, Chateau de Versailles, ca. 1680 15. Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Charles Le Brun, Salon de la Paix, Chateau de Versailles, ca. 1681-1686 16. Charles LeBrun, La Salle des Gardes de la Reine 17. Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Royal Chapel, upper level, Chateau de Versailles, 1698 18. Palace of Versailles, gardens originally designed by André LeNôtre 19.
    [Show full text]
  • Louis XIV: Art As Persuasion Supporting the Dominance of France in 17Th Century Europe
    Lindenwood University Digital Commons@Lindenwood University Student Research Papers Research, Scholarship, and Resources Fall 11-30-2010 Louis XIV: Art as Persuasion Supporting the Dominance of France in 17th Century Europe Matthew Noblett [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/student-research-papers Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons Recommended Citation Noblett, Matthew, "Louis XIV: Art as Persuasion Supporting the Dominance of France in 17th Century Europe" (2010). Student Research Papers. 1. https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/student-research-papers/1 This Research Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Research, Scholarship, and Resources at Digital Commons@Lindenwood University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Research Papers by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Lindenwood University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Louis XIV: Art as Persuasion Supporting the Dominance of France in 17th Century Europe Matthew D. Noblett 11/30/10 Dr. James Hutson ART 55400.31 Lindenwood University Noblett 1 In 17th century France there was national funding combined with strict controls placed on the arts and all areas of the administration of Louis XIV. This was imperative to present the country as one of the greatest European powers of its time. It was done by creating personas of Louis as the Sun King, sole administrator of France or “'L'etat c' est moi” (I am the State) and conqueror. All were reinforced and often invented in rigid confines through state funded propaganda. His name has become synonymous with the French arts of the 17th century through significant investments in all forms of media, from poetry, music and theatre to painting, sculpture and architecture.
    [Show full text]
  • Full Press Release
    Press Contacts Michelle Perlin 212.590.0311, [email protected] f Patrick Milliman 212.590.0310, [email protected] MASTER DRAWINGS FROM SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY FRANCE FEATURED IN NEW EXHIBITION AT THE MORGAN Poussin, Claude, and French Drawing in the Classical Age June 16 through October 15, 2017 New York, NY, May, 22, 2017 — The French refer to the seventeenth century as the Grand Siècle, or the Great Century. Under the rule of Louis XIII and Louis XIV, the period saw a dramatic increase in French political and military power, the maturation of French courtly life at Versailles, and an unparalleled flourishing of the arts. Poussin, Claude, and French Drawing in the Classical Age, a new exhibition opening at the Morgan Library & Museum on June 16, explores the work of some of the most celebrated artists of the time. More than fifty drawings largely from the Morgan’s collections—including works by Claude Lorrain, Nicolas Poussin, Jacques Callot, and Charles Le Brun—will be on view. Together they demonstrate the era’s distinctive approach to composition and subject matter, informed by principles of rationalism, respect for the art of classical antiquity, and by a belief in a natural world governed by divine order. The exhibition runs through October 15. Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665), Death of Hippolytus, 1645, pen and brown ink and wash over black chalk. The Morgan Library & Museum; Purchased by Pierpont Morgan in 1909, I, 267. “The Grand Siècle saw artistic development unlike any before it in France,” said Colin B. Bailey, director of the Morgan Library & Museum. “The visual arts, literature, music, drama, and architecture all prospered.
    [Show full text]
  • Symbolism and Politics: the Construction of the Louvre, 1660-1667
    Symbolism and Politics: The Construction of the Louvre, 1660-1667 by Jeanne Morgan Zarucchi The word palace has come to mean a royal residence, or an edifice of grandeur; in its origins, however, it derives from the Latin palatium, the Palatine Hill upon which Augustus established his imperial residence and erected a temple to Apollo. It is therefore fitting that in the mid-seventeenth century, the young French king hailed as the "new Augustus" should erect new symbols of deific power, undertaking construction on an unprecedented scale to celebrate the Apollonian divinity of his own reign. As the symbols of Apollo are the lyre and the bow, so too were these constructions symbolic of how artistic accomplishment could serve to manifest political power. The project to enlarge the east facade of the Louvre in the early 1660s is a well-known illustration of this form of artistic propaganda, driven by what Orest Ranum has termed "Colbert's unitary conception of politics and culture (Ranum 265)." The Louvre was also to become, however, a political symbol on several other levels, reflecting power struggles among individual artists, the rivalry between France and Italy for artistic dominance, and above all, the intent to secure the king's base of power in the early days of his personal reign. In a plan previously conceived by Cardinal Mazarin as the «grand dessin,» the Louvre was to have been enlarged, embellished, and ultimately joined to the Palais des Tuileries. The demolition of houses standing in the way began in 1657, and in 1660 Mazarin approved a new design submitted by Louis Le Vau.
    [Show full text]
  • Masterpiece by Charles Le Brun Rediscovered at the Hôtel Ritz, Paris
    PRESS RELEASE | PARIS | JANUARY 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MASTERPIECE BY CHARLES LE BRUN REDISCOVERED AT THE HÔTEL RITZ, PARIS DISPLAYED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN NEW YORK FROM 26 TO 29 JANUARY OFFERED AT CHRISTIE’S PARIS ON 15 APRIL 2013 th OLD MASTERS AND 19 CENTURY ART AUCTION Painting in situ at the Hôtel Ritz, Paris, Charles Le Brun (1619-1690) Coco Chanel Suite The Sacrifice of Polyxena, 1647, Oil on canvas Charles Le Brun (1619-1690) 179 x 131 cm The Sacrifice of Polyxena, 1647, Oil on canvas Estimate: €300,000-500,000 Paris - Christie‟s is delighted to announce the discovery of a previously unknown oil masterpiece The Sacrifice of Polyxena created in 1647 by Louis XIV‟s favoured artist Charles Le Brun, which will be on view in New York from 26 to 29 January ahead the sale of Old Masters and 19th Century Paintings at Christie‟s Paris on 15 April 2013 (estimate: €300,000 – 500,000). Synonymous with an artist whose name evokes the kingdom of Louis XIV and Versailles, this painting was discovered in one of the most prestigious and luxurious venues in Paris, the Hôtel Ritz. Occasionally, the biggest surprises are hiding in plain sight: A major discovery by one of the most important painters in the history of French art, The Sacrifice of Polyxena by Charles Le Brun (1619-1690), was recognized only recently by the Ritz‟s art adviser Joseph Friedman and fellow consultant Wanda Tymowska, and its attribution has been unanimously supported by leading French museums. However, it was not found in a dusty attic, but on prominent display in the heart of Paris, in the most opulent and celebrated hotel in the world, the legendary Hôtel Ritz.
    [Show full text]
  • HOTELS ET CHATEAUX LOUIS Xin
    HOTELS ET CHATEAUX LOUIS Xin Bien que huguenots l'un et l'autre, Abraham Bosse, le gra­ veur, et Gédéon Tallemant des Réaux, l'auteur des Historiettes, ne sont point gens de même farine. Dix-sept années d'ailleurs les séparaient, Bosse étant né en 1602 et Tallemant'des Réaux en 1619. Maniant sa pointe avec soin et habileté mais sans grande imagination, assez gourmé et pesant, Bosse relève plutôt de la petite bourgeoisie des Caquets de l'Accouchée. Ce freluquet de Tallemant fréquente aine société plus relevée, qui se pique de lettres. Il n'a plus la lourdeur du bonhomme L'Estoile, bien qu'il appartienne comme lui à une famille de robe, moindre probablement, en dépit des apparences, que celle de son ancien. Il fait débauche avec les élégants, court les ruelles, écrit de petits vers, hante l'hôtel de Rambouillet. Il a décrit, avec beau­ coup plus de véracité qu'on ne l'a cru longtemps, un monde haut en couleurs, pittoresque, assez faisandé en somme. En tous les milieux de tous les temps, il y a toujours eu, pour em­ ployer l'expression de notre auteur, beaucoup « d'honnêtes femmes qui se gouvernent mal ». Mais enfin, la marquise de Rambouillet, qui est inattaquable, donne la faveur de son amitié à Mlle Paulet, la « lionne », qui sort d'assez bas lieu et qui n'est après tout que ce que nos aïeuls appelaient un « demi-castor ». La considération relative dont jouit Marion Delorme, qui ne cache pas son métier, nous surprend, et plus encore l'intimité HOTELS ET CHATEAUX LOUIS XIII 655 de celle qui sera plus tard Mme de Maintenon avec Ninon de L'Enclos.
    [Show full text]
  • 2020 FRANCE AMONGST the CHATEAUX of the LOIRE VALLEY & the ROYAL CITY of AMBOISE Self-Guided Cycling 5 Days/4 Nights
    2020 FRANCE AMONGST THE CHATEAUX OF THE LOIRE VALLEY & THE ROYAL CITY OF AMBOISE Self-Guided Cycling 5 days/4 nights The Loire Valley is carpeted with fertile fields, rivers and hundreds of spectacular chateaux. On this 5 day stay-put you enjoy the surrounds that have been home to French nobility for centuries. Stay in the heart of the royal town of Amboise, where you can visit the various Touraine vineyards, discover treasures of history, architecture and culture on a range of excursions and explore the Loire’s magnificent Chateaux gardens. We have put together a deluxe cycling stay which includes château visits and a wine tasting in Amboise. ITINERARY Day 1: Arrive Amboise - Excursion to Montlouis – 33kms An excursion through the heart of the Montlouis vineyards, offering the possibility of a visit to the Aquarium de Touraine and the magnificent Château de la Bourdaisière and its gardens, before returning to stroll round Amboise and visit the Manoir du Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci lived for the last 3 years of his life! Return to your Hotel. Day 2: Excursion to Chateau de Chenonceaux – 43kms Once you have crossed the forest of Amboise, you will come to the famous Château de Chenonceau, straddling the Cher River, which was the scene of a famous rivalry in French history: that of Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici. Day 3 : Excursion to Chaumont-sur-Loire – 45kms Today cycle through the countryside and delightful villages to Chaumont-sur-Loire. Visit the 15th century chateau which proudly dominates the town and the river.
    [Show full text]
  • The Loire Valley Ladies
    Atout France – Press release THE LOIRE VALLEY LADIES The Renaissance tends to be dominated by men: kings, noblemen, artists. But who were the women of the time? The French Renaissance was, in fact, one of the few periods in French history when a strong concentration of women ruled the country alone, or in collaboration with kings or on behalf of sons. Many of these women had a strong connection to the Loire Valley, along with female artists. Influential women in the Loire Valley are also thriving today. Here we look at some of the most important female figures, both past and present. WOMEN OF THE RENAISSANCE The Mona Lisa She may not have lived in the Loire Valley – but she is probably the most famous woman in the world, and a symbol of the French Renaissance. Lisa Gherardini was a Italian noblewoman born in 1479 and the model for ‘La Joconde’, the famous portrait by Leonardo da Vinci commissioned by her husband, Francesco del Giocondo in 1503. In 1516, Leonardo came to France at the French king’s request and brought the painting with him. Francois I, who was passionate about Leonardo’s talent, named him ‘first painter, engineer and architect of the king’ and gave him the Chateau de Clos-Lucé in the Loire Valley, near his own residence at Amboise. Leonardo lived at Clos-Lucé until his death in 1519. Following his death, Francois I placed the Mona Lisa in the Palais de Fontainebleau where it remained for a century. Louis XIV moved it to Versailles and, after the French Revolution, it was moved to the Musée du Louvre – having also spent a brief period in Napoleon’s bedroom at the Tuileries Palace.
    [Show full text]