Vintage France
Chateau de Chambord from the Loire Valley of France...looking a bit vintage in today's post.
Chateau de Chambord in the Loire Valley
This place is just incredible. We visited a few years ago and I took so many pics that I still haven't gotten to. The setting is serene and beautiful and it's hard to deny just how impressive that facade is. In this one I went for a vintage look just for fun. I enjoy experiments in the digital darkroom. :-)
Blue hour in Amboise
An evening street scene from the lovely little town of Amboise, France...
Here's one from a few years ago - I love this little town!
We were in the Loire Valley of France a few years back, checking out all the amazing chateaux that dot the countryside there. It's well worth a visit, if you haven't been yet.
If you want to see my previous blog posts from the Loire Valley, you can find them all here.
We stayed in the little town of Amboise and just loved it. Small and quaint, with a beautiful chateau atop the hill and lovely little streets just built for wandering - this town just captured my heart. This was one evening while I was out with my camera, making memories.
A Visual Tour of Chateau De Chenonceau
This may qualify as my longest post ever, at least in terms of the number of photos that it contains. But, it was worth every minute it took to prepare it for you. Click through to enjoy a visual tour of that most beautiful French Chateau in the Loire Valley - Chateau de Chenonceau. Then pack your bags - you're likely to want to travel to France asap!
Here are 20 photos that will make you want to drop everything and run off to France!
I'm not going to lie - France is pretty freaking awesome. You've read that before, seen the pictures, and hopefully experienced it yourself. And it's true. That country has a LOT going for it. Oh, boy does it ever.
I loved it on my last visit there, which was about a year and a half ago. I took the family over, and we spent several days exploring 5 of the fabulous Chateaux in the Loire Valley. It was amazing, but honestly it felt like we just saw the tip of the iceberg. I could spend months (maybe years!) exploring just the Loire Valley and all the Chateaux there, and that's just a tiny section of France.
Don't even get me started on Paris.
Here on the blog I have been changing things up a bit, dropping my old habit earlier this year of posting a single photo from a trip, and instead have been expanding the posts to include many more photos, in hopes of giving you a deeper glimpse into whatever it is I am photographing. That of course means fewer posts, but in my opinion, you are getting better posts. I hope you agree. It's certainly more fun for me, despite the increase in work.
Well, today's post goes even deeper. This time, it's 20 photos of Chateau de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley. Yes, 20. This may be my longest post ever. But this place is so deserving.
This chateau was by far my favorite of the 5 that we saw. You may have seen one of my previous semi-lengthy posts about Chambord, which is the biggest chateau in the valley (if not, click through, you will like it!). While Chenonceau cannot lay claim to being the biggest, in my opinion it certainly takes the crown for most beautiful.
(And you can view my list of 5 Amazing Chateaux in the Loire Valley here)
Sitting there straddling the River Cher, with those wonderful arches and that classy combination of Gothic and Renaissance architecture...well, let's just say I was pretty taken by this place. You see, I'm quite the fan of architecture anyways, especially Gothic and Renaissance. It's just awesome.
We wandered the chateau and the grounds for quite a while, and of course I snapped away like a maniac the whole time. That's just what I do. So, grab a cup of something to sip on, and sit back and enjoy the pics. While it's not quite like being there, you should at least get a good sense of how beautiful this place is.
And if you ever get anywhere near the Loire Valley, put this on the top of your list!
As always, if you are interested in purchasing any prints, you can find all these and more from France in my France gallery here: http://nomadicpursuits.smugmug.com/France
(click any image to enlarge)
First shot of it, while approaching...
The classic view of this wonderful place.
The grand hallway...
The door at the end of the hall.
Nice little spot to eat!
Servant! Cook me a meal!
Looking upriver from one of the windows...those are the gardens to the left.
Looking downriver from one of the windows...
From the gardens, looking downstream at this beauty.
The view out front from upstairs
A rather nice sitting area.
A path into the gardens...
Not sure...maybe guest or servant quarters?
The incredible Chateau de Chambord
How about we step back into history today? Specifically, 16th century France - does that sound good? It does to me, so I hope you will come along for the ride. It's going to be fun, educational, colorful (of course!) and hopefully inspirational too! Vive le France! (or something like that)
How do you even begin to describe a place like this?
Chateau de Chambord is the largest Chateau in the Loire Valley of France, and is one of the most recognizable Chateaux in the world. It was a royal country residence and hunting lodge for King Francis I. It was built upon a medieval plan with a central dungeon and 4 towers. Construction began in 1519 and took 28 years, finally being finished after Francis's death, under the vision of his son, Henry II.
Those are facts, but don't actually describe Chambord.
My favorite view of Chateau de Chambord - so awesome! I think of this as the front, but technically it's more like the back. Either way, it's incredible. I have a million pics from this spot! And quite a few versions of this photo below! This version was edited with Color Efex Pro.
Chambord is a masterpiece of French Renaissance architecture. It's sheer enormity dominates the surrounding landscape. You are drawn to it. You can't take your eyes off of it. You may literally stand there, mouth agape, with a sense of wonder percolating from your head and your heart. You will stare breathlessly at the architectural marvels of the chateau, such as the double helix staircase (purportedly designed by Leondardo da Vinci). This place is magnificent.
There, that's better.
(FYI you can click any photo to view larger in a lightbox.)
As I was approaching the chateau, I just had to stop for this shot.
And of course, that's all true. It is an incredible place to visit, and one that I believe should belong on any bucket list. If you even get NEAR the city of Paris, you should take a couple of days out in the Loire Valley and see Chambord (among other chateaux you will discover in the area). You can thank me later.
My family and I went to France last summer (that's summer 2013, over a year ago - yikes, I'm a bit late with this post, eh?) and we spent about 5 days in the Loire Valley. Our purpose? To see several of these magnificent Chateaux. In addition to Chambord (which was #1 on my list), we went to Chenoceau, Cheverny, Amboise and Chaumont-sur-Loire. Here's a quick list I created that outlines all 5 of them.
The verdict?
Move there. Or at least go visit. It is all just so incredible.
A little tighter crop view once I got a little closer. Man I love architecture!!
So today's post contains a few of the very first photos that I took as we walked through the tiny village and made our way to this grand chateau. We spent a few hours here, and even that is not enough. I say that because even though the inside is pretty empty, you can still wander aimlessly here for hours, appreciating the details (large and small) and just soaking up the rich history of the Loire Valley. You can also get on the roof. See that roof? Don't you just want to go up there? I did! More on that in a future post!
Upon arrival, I walked around this moat so that I could get some cool shots across the water. Success!
And by the way, in my continuing quest to explore my personal photographic creativity, I have processed one photo in several different software packages, just to see what sort of looks I can come up with. While they all start to deviate considerably from what I actually saw, it's still a great exercise and one that I recommend doing. I personally don't mind deviation like that, because I consider all of this art, and therefore I think it's subject to personal interpretation. But, that's me. Feel free to disagree.
This one was edited in Silver Efex Pro, and despite my love of color, I have to admit that I REALLY like this black and white version. It seems to fit the scene so well. Maybe I should try this more often?
And one more thing - these were all HDR photos built in Photomatix from a 7 frame bracket. In most however, I only used 4 or 5 of the frames. A couple were either too dark or too light to really help me any, so I left them out.
I used Perfect Effects from OnOne Software for this version. I went for a darker but more saturated look, sort of as though it was sunset (though it was actually midday when I was there). I really like this result. You?
I am also starting to learn a bit more about my style and my preferences, which I never took the time to really think about much before. As a photographer, that's sort of sad to admit, but it's true. A lot of that had to do with the fact that I was online too much, instead of spending my time on creative endeavors. I am also going through some more changes in terms of what I want to do with this blog, and plan to write that down and share it here in a future post. You can read about my transition from being "social-media" focused to creativity focused here and here.
Well anyways, if you happen to have read this far - Congratulations! Haha, but seriously, thanks for stopping by and let me know if you have any questions!
This is a painted version done in Topaz Simplify - I am enjoying doing things like this!
And here's one more painted version from Topaz Simplify - this one with softer details and higher saturation. Fun!
This version was edited only with Aperture, nothing else (well, except Photomatix to build the base HDR photo). Believe it or not, you can get pretty nice results from Aperture. It's a shame Apple is killing it!
Street scenes from Amboise
Lonely streets in a small French town, around the blue hour...
I'm still working through France photos - hope that's ok. :-)
I took the family to France last summer, and one of the awesome towns that we stayed in was Amboise, which is in the Loire Valley. It's a fabulous little town and in my opinion it was very photogenic. Of course, I just love to shoot European street scenes, so they are all photogenic to me LOL.
Anyways, I tried to get out each evening around sunset and blue hour for some shooting, and generally succeeded in that effort. Thankfully, the town is very walkable and one can easily manage a photowalk there each night, without feeling like you are getting too much exercise. :-) You know, it definitely feels that way sometimes, since we are always hauling around a bunch of camera gear.
So I would wander the streets, looking for lights and lines, generally. I seem to always search for those. Luckily, I never had to look too far. Enjoy the photos, and thanks for swinging by.
Looking over Chenonceau
Well, back to the Loire Valley of France today - you don't mind, do you? :-)
I found the entire Loire Valley to be just strikingly beautiful. Of course, I am a fan of all the amazing chateaux that I visited. They all possess such a great combination of interesting architecture and incredible history - it's hard not to like them!
Chenonceau is probably the most beautiful one there that I saw. It's hard to pick a fave, but it would probably have to be this one. The dramatic setting over the river certainly helps!
Anyways, at some point during my wandering and shooting, I climbed upstairs and stepped out on a little balcony. It had just rained a bit, and all the tourists scattered like cockroaches when the lights come on, so it was pretty easy to get such a clean shot (although I admit, I removed a couple!).
Blue hour on the River Loire
There always seems to be a little magic at blue hour, morning or night. It’s such a special time of day, when everything is quiet and still, noises seem to be at a minimum, and the whole Earth feels like it is resting. I love those moments.
I was out one evening in Amboise, a small town in the Loire Valley of France, and had been looking for interesting things to aim the camera at, which isn’t really very hard in this area - there’s something beautiful at every turn in France.
Anyways, I started out way across that bridge and behind the Chateau de Amboise which you see in the photo. After crossing the bridge, I saw that little boat anchored in the swift-moving water, and wanted to take a closer look. It took a little fence-hopping and trail-maneuvering, but was well worth it. Interestingly, the boat wasn’t moving back and forth very much at all - must have been anchored pretty well!
It wasn’t long before my quiet revelry was disturbed by 3 little French boys who just wanted to make a new friend. Sadly, my French language skills are terrible, so I barely understood much of what they said - apart from the constant “take my picture!”. So I did.
They climbed up on that statue of Leonardo da Vinci and I popped off a quick shot with the flash. It was fun hanging with them actually, even though I had no idea what they were saying.
Entering Chenonceau
Well it’s been a week or so since I posted a photo from the Loire Valley, so I figured it was about time. :-)
As I have said here before (and I will say it again, just ‘cause I have to), the Loire Valley is fabulous, beautiful, and I think I could live there. Can you imagine how many photos I would take if I lived near all these awesome chateaux?? I can’t, really. I just know it would be a LOT. Like, a whole lot.
This one is from Chateau de Chenonceau, which is normally shot from this view. And as you can see, that is a great view of it. It really gives the full perspective, with the graceful arches over the river. But of course, I like to mix things up so I also took this shot, which is straight-on towards the entrance.
There had been some light sprinkles of rain and everyone ran inside, which was great for me. If it wasn’t for all the people on the balcony (look closely), it would be like having it all to myself! And that’s something I could get used to! :-)
Chateau de Cheverny
It seems I have shared quite a few shots from my visit to the Loire Valley of France earlier this summer, but this is the first one from Cheverny. Chateau de Cheverny is a grand estate and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there, but of course I say that about all these chateaux. It’s hard not to enjoy stuff like this!
This one reminded me of a fairy-tale in that it seems there is a tiny village that has sprung up around the outside of the estate, complete with shops, restaurants, and a church. It’s all quaint yet beautiful. But clearly the chateau itself is the main attraction.
It has been in the same family for over 6 centuries, and has been continuously lived in during all those years. Despite it being an occupied private home, they do offer tours, which we took. As you can expect, there are the usual collections of grand, stately rooms adorned in beautiful ways. It seems like a pretty good way to live, if you ask me.
There is also a museum of sorts dedicated to the old comic strip TinTin. It seems the chateau itself appeared in one of the early editions of TinTin and they have had some connection ever since. My daughter is a big fan of that comic, so that added an extra little bit of fun to the visit!
Leonardo's final resting place
Isn’t this an amazing looking place? I just loved it, but of course I am a huge fan of architecture, and especially stuff like this It just blows my mind.
As the title of this post implies, this is inside the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci. He has a burial crypt inside a small chapel which is situated on the grounds of the Chateau de Amboise, in the lovely town of Amboise, which is situated in the Loire Valley of France. Go there now. You can thank me later.
Honestly, there was nothing about the entire Loire Valley that disappointed me. I experienced great weather, incredible sights, rich history and friendly people. I saw amazing chateaux, a lovely river, and my camera was clicking like crazy. I ate fabulous food and enjoyed some tasty beverages. I’m ready to move!
Just think back to the time when Leondardo da Vinci was around, and the sort of impact he had on civilization at the time. It’s clear this guy was an immense talent and a genius. How do you honor someone like that? I can’t imagine. But I must say that the burial chamber is indescribably beautiful as you can see here.
As you can tell from the photo, I was aiming up for this shot because I wanted to capture all the intricacies in the ceiling. The detail there is amazing. Be sure and put the Loire Valley on your bucket list!
On the chateau grounds
I grabbed this shot on the grounds of Chateau de Chaumont, in the Loire Valley of France. We had been in the chateau and walking around the grounds, and were heading back out the way we had come in. Something about this scene just really caught my attention. It’s funny, because I don’t recall noticing this shot when I was walking in...but it definitely drew my eye on the way out.
Perhaps it’s the framing. There are two parallel paths sort of converging on a narrow passageway between a couple of buildings, with the one on the left offering up a sense of unknown about what is inside that dark space. Gloomy, somewhat ominous clouds overhead accentuate the mystery, to my eye.
I think it appeals to me in a fairy-tale sort of way, like I just walked into a scene in a children’s storybook. The architecture is a perfect fit for that, and the building on the left looks like it could house a horse or two. Because you know...every good fairy-tale has at least one horse in it. Usually a black stallion. Oh, and we need a princess. Hopefully no dragons show up and eat the princess. That would ruin the whole story, wouldn’t it?
Then again, it would be pretty awesome to take some shots of a dragon. But of course, I would do that with the zoom lens so I could keep a safe distance away. :)
Ok, where the hell am I going with all this? I have no idea.
Chateau de Chenonceau
The Loire Valley in France is well-known for its incredible chateaux, but none are as beautiful as Chenonceau, in my opinion. Obviously I did not visit them all because I believe there are about 50 there. But I did see 5! Ok, that’s sounds pretty weak, now that I put it in writing. But these were 5 incredible chateaux, and they are all fabulous in one way or another. Or in several ways...you know what I mean.
But I have to give the nod to Chenonceau as the most beautiful one that I saw. It was just magical, incredible, and (insert any superlative here that you want to). I was smitten. I’m ready to move in anytime.
Some of that has to do with the location. It’s like something from a storybook. There are beautiful gardens and the early Renaissance architecture is just perfect. The chateau is nestled in some quiet woods, and straddles the River Cher. Those graceful arches just add to the allure for me, and I consider it an architectural masterpiece. In other words - I loved it, but I think you have figured that out by now. :-)
I read that this is the most visited chateau in the Loire Valley, and after being there I can see why. Be sure and make a point to see this lovely jewel of the Loire - it’s worth it!
Chateau de Chaumont
Anybody getting tired of the France photos yet? No? Good, I have a bunch more that I recently processed, and hundreds more still to get to. So, let’s keep that theme alive for another day!
This is Chateau de Chaumont, in the little town of Chaumont-sur-Loire. It is not a well-known chateau (in my estimation, at least) in the Loire Valley, but I found it to be exceptionally awesome. Whereas some of the chateaux we visited were all about impressing you with their size (I’m thinking of you, Chambord) or just awing you with their beauty (Chenonceau, which I haven’t posted anything of yet - but it’s coming!), I found this one to be more fortress-like and less showy, if that makes sense. But to be clear, it’s very well preserved. I liked it a lot. Maybe I was a knight in a previous life.
It’s perched high on a hill overlooking the River Loire, with commanding views up and downstream. I can imagine that was done on purpose. :-) There is a fabulous horse stable which you can tour, and also it’s worth wandering the grounds and having a look at the other buildings. The architecture is beautiful, and you won’t be disappointed with a stop here. Plus, it has extensive gardens which are quite beautiful.
Anyways, if you find yourself in the Loire Valley, be sure and add Chateau de Chaumont to the list of stops you need to make. You can thank me later!
Chateau de Amboise
As I mentioned in my post a couple of days ago, we spent some time in Amboise in the Loire Valley of France. We really enjoyed this little town. Though I expected to enjoy the place, I think I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I tend to travel to cities the majority of the time, and while I don’t consider myself a “big city” person, I do enjoy seeing big cities.
But this little town was just pretty awesome all around, and I am glad we got to spend a few days there. It’s funny how travel open your eyes a bit. You learn things about yourself, what you like, and what you don’t like. It’s interesting.
Anyways, the town has a chateau/castle situated on top of the hill in town, dominating everything around it. The guidebooks we read mostly focused on all the other fabulous chateaux in the area (Chambord, Chenonceau, etc) and while they are fabulous, I feel like the Chateau de Amboise deserves a bit more attention.
It’s not nearly as large (and certainly not as famous) as the others, but it’s a great place and well worth a visit if you find yourself nearby. Interestingly, it also has the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci there, which is incredible (as you might expect). I’ll save the pics of Leonardo’s final resting place for another time, though.
So if you find yourself in the Loire Valley, I highly recommend the town of Amboise as your base, and be sure and visit the Chateau de Amboise when there!
Chateau de Chambord
As I mentioned in my last post, I just returned from France and saw a handful of incredible chateaux in the Loire Valley. I freakin’ loved that place - it’s so awesome. Seems like there is an amazing chateau down every little back road. And to me, these things are like castles, which I love, so you’ll see a lot more shots and probably hear me say that I love them again and again...so let me apologize for repeating myself now. :)
This one is Chambord, and it is an incredibly large structure. In fact, it's the largest chateau in the Loire Valley. It has 365 fireplaces! That’s one for every day of the year, in case you need an easy way to let that number sink in. As you can tell from the photo, it’s also a very impressive place, at least on the outside.
I have to admit that the inside is fairly empty actually. Most rooms have a little bit of stuff in them like some furniture, paintings and animal horns - this was a hunting lodge essentially. But most places are pretty bare. The main attraction of course is this incredible exterior, and the roof. The roof is amazing with all those chimneys and whatnot popping up everywhere. If you pay to go inside and take the self-guided tour, you can get on the roof. I did that, and yes I have the photos to prove it. You’ll have to wait to see them. :-)
Last thing - everyone takes the photo of this place straight-on, and I did that too. It’s the classic shot of Chambord, and it’s wonderful. But I also took a bunch of other shots from various angles. This was one of the first that I fired, as I was walking to the center spot for that classic view. I just liked it, and thought I would share it first. Enjoy!