Spread My Ashes At Chenonceau.


 
OMG. OMG. OMG. Oui! Oui! Oui! That’s what I kept saying the entire day yesterday when we went to visit Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley. You’re going to hate me a little bit, but I have a little secret. I was telling my friend Kerri, that when I go to these castles I pretend that the tour guide is my real estate agent. Yesterday was no different. The second I laid eyes on the front façade, I said, “I’ll take it.” When we entered the front door, I wondered what all these people were doing in my house. I just wanted all of them to leave so I could start planning my first soirée for all of my friends. I live in a delusional world, and it seems to work for me.




My house, I mean Château de Chenonceau, has quite a history. Most extraordinarily is that the Château was loved, run, and protected by exceptional women. Yes, women. Château des Dames. Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de’ Medici, Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont, Gabrielle d’Estrées, Françoise de Lorraine, Louise  Dupin, Marguerite Pelouze. Words that come to my mind in regards to the Château are “refined, elegant, sophisticated, feminine, livable and ladylike.”
Everything was perfect. The perfect length of the tree allée, the labyrinth, the gardens, the river Cler, the views, the architecture, the setting, the manageable size, the floors, the vaulted ceilings, the fireplaces, the tapestries, the fabrics, the little rowboats, etc. Nothing sucked.










 

 











My absolute favorite part of the chateau was the potager. A potager, by definition, is a formally laid out kitchen garden that incorporates flowers, vegetables, herbs and fruit. Strolling through the fully functioning potager just made the chateau so current, so real, so alive, so “move-in ready.”

 
 
 


My only regret is not being able to see the kitchen. It was on the ground floor only accessible by tight winding steep stone steps. Apparently, I was told, it is my dream kitchen.


 
 


After the tour, we had a lovely lunch in the gourmet restaurant, L’Orangerie. From our table, we had a view of the Château, the gardens, two magnificent statues/busts and a beautiful fragrant magnolia tree. Honestly, not to be a snob, but the whole place reminded me of my grandmother’s house. Maybe it was the balustrades, the grounds, the magnolia trees, and something about the interiors. More on that later. I felt very at home and had a strange sense that I had been here before.


 


I only got into one little scuffle at the Château. Some idiot held his toddler over the balcony. I started screaming, “Not a good idea! Not a good idea!” He ignored me and did it anyway. After he was finished nearly killing his toddler Michael Jackson style, I said it to the little boy, “Hooray, you didn’t die!” I knew the father just wanted to punch me, but he couldn’t because I’m in a wheelchair.  I should’ve had the sense to have my staff escort them out of my house.
 


This is a definite must-see on your France list.
 Mi casa es su casa.
A tout!

7 comments:

  1. Hahahahaha!!! I get so excited every time you post and I am never disappointed. Thanks for again introducing me to something amazing I didn't know about before and for making me chuckle.

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  2. Love your house! Will you leave it to me in your will?;)
    I always love your posts and I think this is my favorite in the short time I've been following.
    After seeing these photos, I've moved the Loire Valley to the top of the bucket list! How far a drive from Paris? What other chateau do you recommend to visit so I can craft my own fantasy??Thanks for the laugh about the idiot with the toddler. I know I shouldn't laugh at such stupidity but....

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  3. This is my favorite chateau in France too! I might have a bidding war with you over it. I went there when I was 16 and even though it was the time before taking pics of everything because film was expensive you see I still remember it and it is in my brain thankfully. It has a great energy and love that it was always a place where women could scheme and learn to make their way back in the day...

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  4. GRAZIE.................I will be over next week and we can perhaps ADD to the DECOR?Although,it looks just perfect to me!XX

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  5. I remember when I visited I called it the "Cinderella Castle" until I learned the history...those dames weren't exactly waiting around for a Prince Charming now were they? It has to be one of the most lovely places in all of France...
    PS. Cute shoes.

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  6. "Ahhh, I remember it well." My fav chateau in France. I also never will forget when my husband was changing the film, in pre-digital days, and the roll of film popped up, out, over the garden wall and plopped into the water. It last was seen floating out to sea. I've never let him forget it.

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  7. Great!

    We Love your skills.
    Keep sharing good stuff like this.

    Write for us

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