May 5, 2008

La Vallée de la Loire et ses Châteaux

Thanks to the fact that my American father is a bit of a Francophile, I have been lucky enough to see the chateaux of the Loire Valley on a few occasions. However, Xavier, French as he may be, and despite the fact that his parents' country home is actually located in the Loire Valley, has never taken the opportunity. So, we set out last Thursday to spend four days exploring the region.

If you look at a map of this region of France, the number of little symbols indicating a chateau is, in fact, daunting. It is a difficult task to settle on just where to start. Of course, there are the big and very famous chateaux - some of which we did visit; but we also took the opportunity to start with more unfamiliar, less illustrious chateux.

See (this one is kind of like a medieval parking garage):



And then others:

















6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Emilie,

You've created a picture postcard essay here of an incredible place. It is so far removed from our existence here in America, and so beautiful in its splendor and design.

It seems like such a story. I could picture it as a part of a movie, with moving/fading images and a soft soundtrack during which the main character is reflective and contemplative. Perhaps she is remembering something shared. Or, the symbol of a puppy as the innocent burgeoning of what's new in the love of the main character.

Or, maybe still she is disconsolate at not being able to share the beauty of the experience with others close to her. She wishes there were some way to tell her story within a story. Maybe, she starts a blog in the movie so that she can in fact share it with all manner of peoples, thereby chronicling the images, thoughts and feelings.

Then, some guy in California takes it upon himself to comment on the thing with out so much as an invitation. Our movie takes a turn here, as the character's arc finds its peripeteia and our heroine scratches her head and wonders about the whole "blog" thing. "Why doesn't this guy get his own stinkin' blog?" she wonders.

Tree

Emilie said...

Tree - it sounds like a lovely narrative. Except the end part. I don't think that would be my conclusion at all. I am pleased that my photo picture tour makes you narrate. I can't think of anything better. EJ

Did you see that there is a whole post dedicated to your kind?

Maria Petrova said...

oh Emilie! you guys look beautiful! i like the parking garage chateau : ) and the clumps of flowers and the green, green fields.

Julie said...

Em - made me think of us in our turquoise shirts and big bangs visiting these places.

Emilie said...

eating onion pizza...

Anonymous said...

Emilie,
I was trying to be funny with my last paragraph. Thanks again for the amazingly beautiful pictures and for your generosity in sharing them.

Tree

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