The photos on this page feature Chenonceau which we visited on the Friday afternoon, as well as giving glimpses of the chateaux at Amboise and Chaumont.

33-40. All Chenonceau and the chateau grounds. "The gentle River Cher flows slowly and passively between the exquisite arches of the Chateau de Chenonceau." This one dates back about 500 years and women played a major in its development. The setting is perhaps the most picturesque of all the chateaux.
35. Overlooking the Garden of Diane de Poitiers.
36. An impressive staircase inside.
37. The gallery overlooking the Cher. At 60m long and 6m wide, it is a magnificent ballroom.
38. The kitchen in the chateau. [As indoor photography was not permitted, this shot and the one above were scanned from postcards].
40. The Garden of Diane de Poitiers (on the right as you exit the chateau). In the summer this and the other garden require 130,000 bedding plants grown on the Estate to be planted.

41-43. More of Chenonceau and its very pleasant grounds.
42. The Garden of Catherine de Medici (on the left as you exit the chateau) - more "initimate" than the garden on the other side.
44. The local village.
45. Roadside scene nearby.
46. Looking up at the chateau at Amboise from the carpark alongside the river.
47. Street scene in Amboise.
48. Dog waiting outside a shop. As often as not, dogs are actually taken inside the shops.

49-50. The chateau at Amboise and view of the town (and chateau) from across the river.
51. The chateau at Chaumont.
52. View from the (Chaumont) chateau grounds - overlooking the Loire.
53. Looking down on the village (and river) from the chateau.
54. Chaumont from across the other side of the Loire. This shot is probably the closest to my preconceived image of a Loire Valley chateau set amongst trees and overlooking the river from its lofty perch.
55. Driving through an old and narrow street back in Blois.
56. One of the main shopping streets in Blois.