Last month I was invited to spend the day at Chateau de Cheverny, one of the grandest chateaus in the Loire Valley.
I took the 7:29 train from Gare Austerlitz and arrived at Blois train station at 9:01. The publicist picked me up and took us to the chateau, about a 25-minute ride.
It was a small group of journalists and bloggers, approximately 12 people besides myself.
Our first stop was the former orangerie, which has been converted into an event space. We were served a lovely breakfast of croissants, various breads and pastries, cheeses, plus local made jams and jellies. Marquis and Marquise de Vibraye still privately own the chateau, and it was the first chateau to open its doors to the public starting in 1922. The energetic and distinguished Marquis spoke about the history of the chateau and the itinerary for the day to follow while we were having our breakfast.
After breakfast, we were whisked into electric trams and taken to the vast park and forest. We walked through the silent forest among the towering trees with tattered golden leaves clinging to their branches. We learned that Paul de Vibraye, imported and planted sequoia trees from the U.S. plus lime and cedar trees between 1820 and 1860. They were arranged similar to an English park with the trees lined up in 500-meter alleys, almost creating an infinity path.
We then took a soothing ride in a small open boat through a winding stream. In the middle of the stream were a number of trees in an electric rust color, reflecting dramatically on to the jade green of the stream. I also spotted colorful mallards and ducks perched on the shore.
Cheverny has had a longstanding tradition for its hunting team, one of the longest in history, extending from the 1850s. Originally only deer were hunted until stags were spotted in about 1890 along with wild boars. Currently stag hunting is only limited to 25 per year with strict laws enforced by the state.
Part of the hunting tradition includes a particular breed of hounds to accompany the hunters. The feeding of the dogs is an everyday event in which the public is invited to watch. We watched approximately 100 dogs gather around an outdoor kennel and they must have smelled us approaching the kennels as they excitedly barked and jumped up to the metal bars, frantically sticking their heads through the spaces in between. The feeding process was engrossing as we watched the dog master herd the dogs into another area, so he can prepare the feed. Once the dogs were secured, we watched him fill the troughs with food. Afterwards he carefully opened the gate for the dogs to re-enter and strictly commanded them to hold still for a few moments before they were allowed to eat. Once he sent the signal, it was a feeding frenzy as the dogs fought one another to take their place in the trough.
Another claim to fame for Cheverny, was it was used as the model for Marlinspike Hall since 1943 in Tin Tin comics. Author and illustrator Hergé made Marlinspike Hall the home base of Captain Haddock, Tintin, Snowy, Professor Calculus and Nestor, the faithful butler. The chateau has an enchanting two-story installation of the world of Tin-Tin, with fun sets, artifacts, darkened rooms, thunder and lightning, secret operations and laboratories, and clothing and disguises.
We were served lunch what appeared to be a former hunting lodge, an oversized room with wood beamed ceilings, brass lanterns and antlers hanging on the walls. We sat at a long, tastefully decorated table with candlesticks with red candles, white linen, and china. Oddly, Chinese food was served rather than French food. I made friends with two fashion bloggers from Paris sitting next to me and we later exchanged cards, so we could meet again.
The personal highlight of the day for me was the tour of potager/ vegetable garden. It was the height of the fall vegetable and plant season and there were rows upon rows of symmetrically planted mums, pumpkins, gourds, giant squash, kale flowers, and daisies. I loved the whimsical detail of a row of clear plastic umbrellas lining one of the alleyways.
The last part of the afternoon we spent touring the formal gardens and the inside of the chateau. Since the chateau has always been lived in over a span of over six centuries, it explains why there is furniture from many periods.
Jean Monier, a native of Blois, decorated much of the original interiors, with the support of Queen Marie de Medici, who sent him to Italy to pursue his craft. He later worked on the Luxembourg Palace, and then returned to Blois. The enormous rooms with towering ceilings had such elaborate and decadent decoration including Gobelin tapestries, walk-in fireplaces, gold leaf, carved bronzes, and the magnificent 34 wooden panels by Monnier on the dining room walls, illustrating the fabled Don Quixote (the hero of Cervantes). In tandem with the rooms was a series of Lego sculptures in many of the rooms, with some portraits appearing as tapestries, but upon closer inspection, were made of Lego pieces.
Cheverny also has a series of newly small townhouses for nightly rentals that have two bedrooms, a full kitchen and can sleep up to 6 people.
To get to Cheverny, you can take the train from Paris from Gare Austerlitz to Blois. Once in Blois, it’s about 25 minutes to the chateau by taxi and costs 25€ each way.
http://www.chateau-cheverny.fr/en/
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