Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the king came to town. As you visit the castles, imagine the royal roadies setting
up a kingly room—hanging tapestries, unfolding chairs, wrestling big trunks with
handles—in the hours just before the arrival of the royal entourage. The French
word for furniture,
mobilier
, literally means “mobile.”
Whentouringthechâteaux, you'llnotice theimpact ofItalian culture. Fromthe
Renaissance onward, Italian ways were fancy ways. French nobles and court min-
isters who traveled to Italy returned inspired by the art and architecture they saw.
Kings imported Italian artists and architects. It's nowonder that the ultimate French
Renaissance king, François I, invited the ultimate Italian artist, Leonardo da Vinci,
to join his court in Amboise. Tastes in food, gardens, artists, and women were all
influenced by Italian culture.
Women had a big impact on Loire château life. Big personalities like kings
tickledmorethanonetiara.LouisXVfamouslydecoratedthepalaceofChenonceau
with a painting of the Three Graces—featuring his three favorite mistresses.
Châteaux were generally owned by kings, their ministers, or their mistresses. A
high-maintenance and powerful mistress often managed to get her own place even
