Castles Large and Small

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Tuesday, April 29, 2013

Craig and I got up earlier than usual so that we could meet Desmond at the train station for a day trip to Blois. Though the morning was overcast and chilly, the trip through the French countryside was still beautiful. By the time we reached Blois, the weather had become drizzly but since we had remembered to bring umbrellas, we weren't really inconvenienced. Our first stop in the lovely town was a patisserie, of course. We carried our bag of goodies over to a nearby cafe, where we asked if we could consume them there, along with the coffee we would purchase. Soon, we were seated at a table in the cozy back room where we enjoyed our mid-morning snack. I tried a new pastry - a Paris Brest - and was not disappointed. It is made of choux pastry, split and filled with a rich toasted hazelnut cream and topped with powdered sugar and toasted almonds. I have a new favorite! The shape of the Paris Brest is said to resemble the wheel of a bike. The pastry was created in 1891 to commemorate a famous bicycle race between Paris and Brest.

Paris Brest and café crème. Worth the trip.

We toured Chateau Royal de Blois after finishing our snack. It was fairly small, as castles go. It has been home to 10 kings and 15 queens. The furnishings were quite lovely, and we enjoyed reading about the history of the chateau. 

Here's your ride up to the castle. 

A royal bedchamber in Blois Chateau.

We then made our way down to the bus stop for the shuttle to the Chateau de Chambord. The long drive along the Loire was very picturesque, even though the day was still overcast and rainy. As the bus pulled up to the entrance, we noticed a group of people on horseback and felt a bit sorry for them riding out in the rain. There are wonderful riding trails on the 13,000 acres surrounding the castle, through beautiful old forests.

Just inside the entrance to the castle grounds there were many outbuildings and tents set up where vendors were selling souvenirs, wine, cheese, and other items. There were also several restaurants there, and we thought it would be a good idea to have a bite before touring the huge castle. We dined leisurely on gallettes, quiche Lorraine, and herb-roasted chicken before finally making our way into the magnificent chateau. Chambord is huge and very ornate. It is said there are 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 84 staircases. There are very few furnishings inside. The massive structure is extremely expensive to restore and maintain; it is an ongoing work. What we saw was really quite amazing.

The double-helix staircase, which is rumored to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci, is an architectural wonder! Also wondrous is the roofline of the huge castle. It was commissioned by Francois I to resemble the skyline of Constantinople. It is certainly very unique and interesting. The chateau was originally a hunting lodge, and there is a trophy gallery where many sets of antlers hang on the cold, stone walls. Outside, you will find a moat and acres of beautifully manicured and landscaped lawns surrounded by thick forest. Boats and bicycles are available for rent, though on this day it was too cold to even consider such a thing.

Chambord Castle. And to think it was once a hunting lodge!

A section of the double-helix staircase at Chambord.

Several hours later, we were chilled through. We sighed with relief after boarding the warm bus for the ride back to Blois. We had intended to wander around the town for a while, but the damp chill discouraged us. We headed toward the train station, stopping first at a patisserie where we warmed up over coffee and pastries, laughing as Craig practiced his French. He is of German heritage, and when he speaks French, it comes out with a German accent!

Upon returning to Orléans, we rested for a bit and then we all went to a bar where we met Fanny and her five-year-old daughter, Jade. Craig and I were delighted to meet these friends of Desmond whom we had heard so much about. We had brought along some bottles of bubble solution for Jade, and she was soon happily blowing bubbles in the bar. We invited Fanny and Jade to join us for dinner, but the invitation was politely declined, as they were leaving for a vacation in the Alscace, where Fanny has family.

Des had wanted to introduce me and his dad to his favorite pizza restaurant, but they were closed for some reason, so we walked a bit further to an old favorite, Volpone. We had our meal outside, where the tables were surrounded by heavy sheets of plastic. Space heaters were scattered about the enclosure, emitting a comforting warmth. The pizza was as wonderful as I remembered, especially with the pepper-infused oil to drizzle on top.

Oops!

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Thursday, March 10, 2011

Craig and I had planned to arise early for a day trip to Chambord, since Desmond would be at work all day, but I had forgotten to set the alarm. With the shutters closed, our room was quite dark and we didn't wake until 11:00! We were very disappointed, but set out to make the most of our extra day in Orléans. 

We decided to do a bit of shopping and took the tram across town to Auchan. There, we ate lunch at Flunch, which is next door to the mega-market. We managed to order without holding up the line too badly. I like the way you can choose your salad, main course, and dessert and then have as many side dishes as you wish. No one ever goes away hungry! 

In Auchan, we wandered the aisles, looking for items to take back to the U.S. I found some wonderful scented soaps and a fabulous tea that was soon to become my favorite. We also put together a tool box for Des. He didn't own even the most basic of household tools and was badly in need of those things. 

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped in at the wonderful little bakery at Halles Chatelet and picked up some pastries to enjoy with our afternoon coffee. The caramel eclair I chose was one of the best pastries I have ever tasted! Craig liked it, too, and he also ate a bouchon, which was like a baba au rhum without the custard. Why can't we find such delights back home? 

What to choose?

After Desmond was finished with work for the day, his friend Mathieu picked us up. We crowded into Matt's little car for the two-hour drive to Bitry, where we would have dinner with his family. This was something we were very much looking forward to, as we had dined with them in the past and had a wonderful time. 

It was twilight when we arrived. We were immediately greeted by two very enthusiastic Boxer dogs. We had met Roxy on our previous visit, and were now being introduced to her half-grown pup, Rouky. Mathieu's parents, Muriel and Thierry, and younger brother Gregoire were soon welcoming us back into their home. After greetings and kisses all around, we were ushered into the dining room, where the table was set with a beautiful floral arrangement surrounded by charming accents of wooden mushrooms and nuts. The meal began with champagne which was mixed with a green apple liqueur. This was something I had never tried before and I really liked it. We nibbled from small dishes of cashews, olives, crackers, and some hot, delicious little puff pastry appetizers which were filled with a variety of flavors from tomato to salmon. 

Thierry pours the wine as we begin our delightful meal.

We had begun a lively discussion of the days events as we moved on to the next course. A large tureen of Pot au Feu was brought to the table. Muriel ladled up servings of vegetables in a rich, beef broth fragrant with herbs. As before, a different wine was served with almost every course. We slowly savored our soup as we talked and told them of our misfortune of having overslept and missed our trip to the castle.

Next, Thierry brought out from the kitchen a large platter of the tender beef which had been cooked with the vegetables. This was served with a flavorful, dark rustic bread, honey mustard, and fresh butter from Brittany. It was scrumptious! I really didn't feel that I could eat another bite when the cheese course was served. Since I am supposed to limit my intake of dairy products, I only nibbled a tiny bit of the cheese, but Craig certainly enjoyed it. 

It's cheese feast!

Last, but certainly not least, Mathieu came walking into the room with a lovely raspberry-cream cake which had a candle stuck in the center! Everyone began to sing "Happy Birthday" to Craig, much to his surprise. Our travel day had been his birthday, so we had not had a chance to celebrate it, and he was touched by their thoughtful gesture. They had gifts for both of us - a bottle of Muscat, a cute pizza serving set, and a huge bag of walnuts from their own tree; a tree which they had brought from Brittany years ago. Those were the best-tasting walnuts ever!

It was as delicious as it was beautiful!

It was such a wonderful evening, and we will never forget the warmth and hospitality shown to us. I am grateful that Desmond and Mathieu translated so well and so rapidly for all of us. Our conversation had flowed very smoothly, and it seemed as if we were all speaking the same language. 

RECIPE: Here is a version of Pot au Feu made in a crock pot.