Caterina de' Medici

You can read all about Caterina de' Medici, who became Queen of France, on my Medici pages.  She lived a fascinating life.

Here are some images from Castle Chenonceau in France which I took on a recent visit.  This was Caterina de' Medici's favorite castle, from where she ruled France for most of her reign.

This is the impressive tree-lined walkway leading to the Castle that sits on the banks of the Cher River in the Loire Valley.

The Castle is actually the construction between the tower on the right, and the walkway/corridor built across the River Cher on the left. 

These gardens are the Diane de Poitiers Gardens.

When Caterina de' Medici took the Castle from Diane de Poitiers, she had it remodeled putting a definite de' Medici and Italian stamp on it.  The Medici balls and Florentine crest now decorate the ceiling of the bedroom of her former rival.  An Italian garden was added.  Italian majolica and terracotta tiles decorate the floors, the terracotta tiles stamped with the Florentine symbol.

One of the changes was this staircase she had built of Italian design, that was the first staircase in France of a style that wasn't round.  It is elaborately decorated and well-lit by a window and balcony that looks onto the River Cher.  It goes up the 3 stories of the Castle, but not down into the kitchens.

Another improvement was the conversion of a walkway across the River Cher into a corridor used for state functions and parties, as seen here from a castle window.

And here, from inside.

The kitchens were in the basement and they have been wonderfully preserved as you can see here in these images.

The butcher's block with knives and the drawer in the bottom for blood and bits that were used for sausages.  The hooks are for hanging fowl and other meats.

Another butcher's block, well-used, with the handy drawer underneath.

One of the hearths with cooking pots hanging, and the table full of produce.

The bread oven with bread forms and a ready supply of wood.

If you step back, you can see the bread paddles, the same type that are used by pizza makers around the world.

Here you can see that the bread oven sit next to a cooking hearth.

The sink with a pump that pumps water from the River Cher below.