Chambord, Loire  Chambord makes me think of the Beast's castle in Beauty and the Beast. This is a little getaway from Paris built by Francois I of France. And let me just say here, Francois I is my man. The man had taste. He bought the Mona Lisa to hang over his tub.  During the French/Italian wars, Francois I campaigned in Italy. Apparently, he liked what he saw. He hired great artists and thinkers to come to France and teach and paint and build. People like Leonardo di Vinci, who did the prelim architectural design on Chambord.

Villandry, Loire We each shot a roll of film at Villandry. The chateau was nice, but the gardens were vast, huge, beautiful. They are based on Renaissance and Medieval Gardens. There is a hedge maze, an herbal garden, a water garden, and the rather impressive flower gardens. The hedges and flowers represent different ideas. For example, the hedges in the picture below represent passionate love.

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