On Sun, 04 Mar 2012 22:25:03 +0000, Sheila Page wrote:

In message . com, Mike
Lane writes
tim.... wrote on Mar 3, 2012:


I know that this groups pretty much dead, but I'll try and see if I
can muster up a meaningful discussion.

If I were to undertake a (driving) tour of the French Chateaux, what
would be the ones that you would consider "must see"


If you mean the Chateaux of the Loire Valley, the most impressive, not
to be missed, is probably Chambord. The exterior is amazing and inside
it's quite interesting as well. It has the famous double-helix staircase
(like the DNA molecule), which some say was designed by Leonardo da
Vinci (though no one knows for certain).

Chenonceau is also good, built actually in the river just to be
different.

Amboise, for the location and the chapel.
In Amboise, le clos Lucé, were Leonardo da Vinci lived.
http://www.vinci-closluce.com/en/

Cours Cheverny
http://www.chateau-cheverny.fr/

In Paris, the 14th century Vincennes Dugeon, easily accessible:
http://www.chateau-vincennes.fr/index.php

A bit further, accessible by the RER A express line, Saint Germain en
Laye, which is also museum, very large terrace dominating the Seine River
with a sightseeing on Paris.
http://www.saintgermainenlaye.fr/en/

Castles in every region on this web site, here La Hunaudaye, Brittany:
http://www.casteland.com/pfr/chateau.../hunaudaye.htm

Fortified towns:

Within an hour of Paris by train
http://www.provins.net/index.php/the...st-office.html

Yvoire, between Genève and Evian
http://www.yvoiretourism.com/index.html

Najac (south west France)
http://www.tourisme-najac.com/fr/dec...ne/chateau.php

Center east, near Lyon, Perouges:
http://www.perouges.org/

Dentelles de Montmirail (south east, Provence)
http://www.ot-beaumesdevenise.com/


Villandry for the garden...

Sheila