16 Comments

Regarding the number of chateau visits..."you can't always get what you want". 😆 Love the photos in this post...gorgeous.

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Well said hahaha! :-)

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Just chiming in that it's been so enjoyable reading through your posts. I'm taking notes on this one - a friend and I did see the Château d’Amboise last June, and now I have lots of restaurants to try for my next trip. And as someone who peeked over the wall of Georgia O'Keefe's place in NM years ago, ya got me thinking...!

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Thank you! Also, I love a little trespassing with my travels--bravo! ;-)

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My favourites are Villandry where ornate vegetable gardens are memorable. My French wife's nephew has a patisserie and bakery nearby (L'Atlier des Gourmandises) on the road leading to it. He is coming to stay with us shortly in the UK with his two young children . I will show him how to make a fruit cake (Irish recipe) and he will fine tune my baguette making. Azay le Rideau is also beautiful and in its own village. He will no doubt bring some wine of the terroir! I should write Mick Jagger and see if he wants some bread and cakes...

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Yes! Love both of those châteaux too! Wow you are so lucky to have a pâtissier in the family ✨ And yes I’m sure Mick wants cakes haha!! Thanks for this delightful comment 💕

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Well you are lucky to live in Paris...you are American? Our son lives in Brooklyn having married an American girl. We intend to drive to the Loire later in the year> Favourite place in France is BIarritz and around....had a flat there ...would gladly live there tomorrow!

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Yes so lucky! And yes American, with a heart of pure French (salted) butter heehee! 🇫🇷 🧈 I moved to France from Brooklyn and you will love the Loire!

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Karen, I enjoy all your posts and especially this one as mon mari et moi are going to the Loire Valley in October. Is it possible to give me the name of the Air B&B where you stayed the first night? I am passionate about learning the French language so I also appreciate your writing on the process of learning the language. On the other hand my husband is not interested in learning the language but he is a foodie and loves good wine. So you are appealing to both of us! Keep it up!

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Bonjour ! Thanks for this fantastic comment and I'm so happy you're here. It's so amazing to be able to share with other French language lovers and foodies/winies. Vous allez adorer la Loire ! OK, the link to the Airbnb is in the text of the post (and that's just one of their rooms--they have several on the same property). Here it is again just in case: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/8946495?source_impression_id=p3_1715849640_109gFHExBFtUvKmS

Bonne continuation and let me know if you have any other questions. Greetings from Paris!

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Absolutely splendid! Adding to my list of places I'd like to visit in France :)

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Marvelous! If you do visit the Loire Valley, make sure to see the Château de Chenonceau too. It's known as the Château des Dames because of the influence of women!

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Ça fait si longtemps...!! Can't wait to get back to explore la Vallée de la Loire! Un jour....

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I've been fascinated by the Loire Chateaux since I was a little girl in French class - need to make this road trip happen!

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I can't encourage you enough to make it happen--it is absolutely incredible. And allow as much time as you can because there is just no end to the inspiration. If I can answer any questions, send me a message :-)

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Like Monsieur B I am OBSESSED with castles, whether exquisitely restored or barely standing in ruins. I marvel at all the lives that lived inside the ancient walls. I wish I could hear the walls tell their stories. The architectural engineering is mind blowing and their beauty is beyond words. I would love to take you up on your offer and take you with me on a castle tour one day...and hire Monsieur B and my history guide! ;) It's nice to know French people are obsessed with their castles too. Thank you for such a lovely and enchanting read! My heart yearns for France!

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