THE LOIRE - France 2014 - page 566

within the large one could be for two purposes: to slip in after curfew, or to enter during
winter without letting out all the heat.
Onceinside,you'lltourthechâteauinaclockwisedirection(turnleftuponentering).
Take time to appreciate the beautiful brick floor tiles and lavishly decorated ceilings. As
you continue, follow your pamphlet or audioguide, and pay attention to these details:
Inthe guard room, thebest-survivingoriginalfloortilesarenearthewalls—imagine
the entire room covered with these tiles. And though the tapestries kept the room cozy,
they also functioned to tell news or recent history (to the king's liking, of course). You'll
see many more tapestries in this château.
The superbly detailed chapel survived the vandalism of the Revolution because the
fast-thinking lady of the palace filled it with firewood. Angry masses were supplied with
mallets and instructions to smash everything royal or religious. While this room was both,
alltheysawwasstackedwood.Thehatchdoorprovidedaquickpathtothekitchenandan
escape boat downstairs. The windows, blown out during World War II, are replacements
from the 1950s.
Thecenterpieceofthe bedroom of Diane de Poitiers isasevereportraitofherrival,
Catherine de Médicis, at 40 years old. After the queen booted out the mistress, she placed
her own portrait over the fireplace, but she never used this bedroom. The 16th-century
tapestries are among the finest in France. Each one took an average of 60 worker-years to
make. Study the complex compositions of the Triumph of Charity (over the bed) and the
violent Triumph of Force .
At 200 feet long, the three-story Grand Gallery spans the river. The upper stories
(off-limits) house double-decker ballrooms and art exhibits. Notice how differently the
slate and limestone of the checkered floor wear after 500 years. Imagine grand banquets
here. Catherine, a contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I of England, wanted to rule with
style. She threw wild parties and employed her ladies to circulate and soak up all the
politicalgossippossiblefromthewell-lubricated KennedysandRockefellersofherrealm.
Parties included grand fireworks displays and mock naval battles on the river. The niches
once held statues—Louis XIV took a liking to them, and consequently, they now decorate
the palace at Versailles.
In summer and during holidays, you can take a quick walk outside for more good
palace views: Cross the bridge, pick up a re-entry ticket, then stroll the other bank of
the Cher (across the river from the château). During World War II, the river you crossed
marked the border between the collaborationist Vichy government and Nazi-controlled
France. Back then, Chenonceau witnessed many prisoner swaps. During World War I, the
Grand Gallery served as a military hospital, where more than 2,200 soldiers were cared
for—picture hundreds of beds lining the gallery.