Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire

Took the train to Onzain, between Blois and Tours, to visit the chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire and the Festival International des Jardins, this year on the theme "Jardins d'Avenir ou l'art de la biodiversite heureuse". Part of the chateau gardens is the site of installations and exhibits on the festival theme by artists from around the world and other installations are at various sites throughout the 20 hectares of chateau gardens and within the chateau. Fabulous!

The chateau itself is glorious. There were very few people around and we could wander the rooms and the marble staircases in the restored sections of the chateau, as well as narrow, winding staircases to unrestored rooms and halls where some of the art exhibits were, almost as if we were invited guests. Magic.

The history of the chateau includes owners such as Catherine de Medicis and Diane de Poitiers (in the 1550s!), with resident guests such as the astrologers Nostradamus and Cosimo Ruggieri. The last private owner of the chateau was the Princess de Broglie, who died in 1943. The photo above is me standing in what was the Princess's bedroom, which has breathtaking views across the gardens and down to the Loire river. Now, if I could find a bedroom like this in Melbourne...