the chateau series: chaumont
Second last chateau for the series:
Chateau de Chaumont-Sur-Loire
So what can we say about this chateau? The gardens are magnificent and large enough to host rather extravagant floral shows, one of which we were able to witness while we were there. It was a mixture of some modern art and some clever landscaping. “Different” is probably how we would describe it.
The chateau itself is grand and the architecture is as memorable as the others we have shared. Standing outside prior to entering and all we see is this dreamily romantic and fairy tale-like castle from the outside.
This chateau has a soap opera story to go with.
Queen Catherine de Medici bought the chateau in 1550.
Legend tells that due to her superstitions and “predictions” of a possible dynasty downfall from her astrologers; Nostradamus and Cosimo Ruggieri, she wanted to exchange homes with Diane de Poitiers, her husband’s former mistress who lived in Chateau de Chenonceau*, a slightly more modest home.
In 1562, Diane de Poitiers took possession of Chaumont. And the chateau owes its current appearance to her.
She also had her initials and emblems added into the designs around the place. (Look above the fireplace in the picture below – the Greek letter delta and the three circles).
All the historical apartments adorned with the period furnishings and furniture. Although similar style to the other chateaux we visited, there was something slightly more warming and welcoming about this one. Quite possible that it was actually someone’s home, so lived in and therefore decorated with a little more care.
But what we found most interesting about this chateau were the horse stables, apparently one of the best preserved horse stables of the 19th Century. It really was such a fascinating time in history.
*Chateau de Chenonceau will be featured in our next and final instalment of the series which will be after this one.
Chaumont is approximately 43 km east of Tours.
Have you visited Chaumont?
Leave us a comment
wise monkeys abroad 
July 14, 2015 at 8:36 pm
[…] revisit a bit of what we mentioned in the Chaumont post about this […]
July 12, 2015 at 8:23 am
What a pretty place. It looks like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty will walk out the door at any moment.
July 12, 2015 at 1:31 pm
Yes – it is so very fairy tale like 🙂
July 11, 2015 at 7:07 pm
Gorgeous….as always your photos really beautiful….
July 12, 2015 at 1:31 pm
Thanks Diana! How’s the weather where you are? Warm and sunny?
July 10, 2015 at 11:30 am
Amazing. That looks like real gold lining the pond. I won’t be surprised if it really is. A pond fit for royal ducks and birds! Beautiful interiors and it sure does looks cozy. Full house and seems like there’s everything you need…and lots to dust, clean and make neat all the time 😉
Hope you’ve been well, Monkeys. It’s going to be freezing all next week in Melbourne. No warmer than 11-12’C :O Keep warm!
July 11, 2015 at 9:06 am
From memory, the intuition was for the gold lining to look like a mirror… And it’s only a temporary exhibition.
When we see places like this, or even “big” houses, we just think of all the places to dust and clean! And we are allergic to everything so imagine us… sneezing away all the time! LOL.
It is cold in Sydney and we cannot wait for summer.
Stay warm Mabel and hope you are pumping through your book!
July 10, 2015 at 6:25 am
This looks so lovely. The garden looks splendid and the buildings itself as well. Would be great to have something like this for yourself (and the money to maintain it!)
July 10, 2015 at 9:12 am
Hahaha! Yeh, it would cost quite a fair bit to maintain that, huh?! Btw – how does it feel to have the three months with MIL to be up 😉
July 10, 2015 at 5:01 pm
I am really excited to have her gone soon so I can see how we will manage without her 🙂