Entertablement Abroad – The Palace of Fontainebleau

by Helen Kain | Feb 10, 2019 | Chateaux, France

We had been extremely lucky with the warm temperatures in April, but our weather- luck deserted us as we travelled the 34 miles from Paris to the Palace of Fontainebleau by train.  It was, in a word, F*ing (Frigidly) Freezing. The day was sunny and bright, just...

Entertablement Abroad – The Loire Valley

by Helen Kain | May 20, 2017 | Beautiful Towns, Chateaux, Entertablement Abroad, France, Gardens and Flowers

The Loire Valley is utterly gorgeous in the spring – abundant lilacs, colourful bulbs and tumbling wisteria. I’ve done a quick recap of some of my favourite spots from our trip a couple of years ago. In putting together the collage, I noticed I chose...

Entertablement Abroad – Chateau de Beynac & Chateau de Castlenaud

by Helen Kain | Apr 18, 2015 | Chateaux, Entertablement Abroad, France

We had been awash in elegant chateaux in the Loire valley, and were interested to see that the ones in the Dordogne region were much more austere. Built in the middle ages, their purpose was defence, not entertainment and refined living.  Chateau de Beynac...

Entertablement Abroad – Chateau de Chaumont

by Helen Kain | Apr 15, 2015 | Chateaux, Entertablement Abroad, France, Gardens and Flowers

It was our last day in Amboise, and we had time to see one more Chateau.  Anxious to see the “rest of the story” between Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici I voted for Chateau de Chaumont.  I was dying to see the...

Entertablement Abroad – Chateau de Villandry

by Helen Kain | Apr 14, 2015 | Chateaux, Entertablement Abroad, France, Gardens and Flowers

Another day, another Chateau…   Chateau de Villandry is rightly famous for its magnificent gardens, very much in the French parterre style. I’m more of an English Country perennial garden gal, myself, but these were something to behold. We...

Entertablement Abroad – Chateau de Chambord

by Helen Kain | Apr 13, 2015 | Chateaux, Entertablement Abroad, France, Gardens and Flowers

The next Chateau on our list was Chambord, probably the most photographed Chateau in the Loire Valley, if not all of France.  It is certainly the largest, and is a marvellous example of French Renaissance architecture, built by King Francis I (yes,the self same...