ALL TO MYSELF

 I finally got to Azay-le-Feron. It was 2-20 and much to my surprise the woman at the desk said «Hello again» - who was she mistaking me for ? « You’ll be a alone for the visit. I hope you don’t mind. You could of course come back at 4pm and visit the park first ....» No way. A private visit ! The guide did look as if he would puff and pant and was
seriously overweight.... At first he screamed at me as if there were a crowd of Maggies. God forbid ! I started at once asking questions and as the minutes went by, his voice came down to a level which was not a screech. The visit became interesting


A few words about what he told me.....

The chateau looks like a typical example of the Loire castles. AZAY-le-FERRON belonged the Baron de Preuilly on Claise, and was located in the province of Touraine. Today it is located at the edge of Brenne. (I have not yet visited the Chateau at Preuiilly...some 25 kilometres East...I then of course  realized that I had been crossing borders...La Vienne, La Touraine, Indre, Brenne....)

The Chateau has four parts built at various times: the tower Frotier (end of 15th century), the wing of Humières (middle of 17th century), the house of François I (16th century), and the Breteuil house (18th century). The common areas, known as the Cingé wing, are from the 17th century. They are connected to the main area and built in 1926.

Although the four buildings are obviously quite different, they live together pretty well. It’s the last wing which looks a little out of place to me.

There were apparently 22 owners over the centuries, some of them going broke because of financial crisis ! In the 19th century the castle was sold in life annuity to the Luzarche family, a family of master blacksmiths. In 1950, Mrs. Hersent, daughter of Mrs. Luzarche, bequeathed the castle and the grounds to the town of Tours. Unfortunately she did not have children as otherwise I imagine the history would have gone on.

The family lived together in the four sections. I doubt if they met too often. Three kitchens and each living area was comfortable. 

The front of the Chateau faces the south and fortunately the sun was blazing in during my visit. The chateau must be freezing otherwise....

A lovely kitchen to work in

Same one, other side....

Mr Luzarche (a hunter of course) had a motto. «Go all the Way» - could be mine too. 

A walk and sit in fire place...

He brought back a baby elephant as well but Mme said NO

At one moment when turning in the maginificent staircase,  you come across a wolf called “Cocoa”. So real, that I stopped short. My guide laughed at me and told me the story: One day while hunting wolves, Mr. Luzarche’s group caught a she-wolf that had just given birth. One of the offspring was captured and tamed and soon learned to hunt with the pack of dogs. At 12 years old, it became blind and drowned in one of the pools of the castle’s park. It (he never made it clear what sex it was) slept on Mrs Luzarche’s bed and was a real member of the family.

In front of Mrs Luzarche's bedroom

A sign saying no Photos - the guide let me!

Some beautiful rooms. The grand salon. 

The grand salon

The fire place in the Grand Salon

The main dining hall and there was Agnes Sorel again. In my book she looks more beautiful here. 


Agnes Sorel

Louis XV furniture which is much less massive than the Empire period but in fact I like the latter. There was a maginificent miror but it needed a 50 square metre room to give it some added value !

Mr Luzache's bedroom

And Madame

Miror in the bathroom

 

Instead of 45 minutes, an hour and a half had gone by. I am quite pleased with myself as I am beginning to recognize periods and even middle age and Renaissance school of painting. That it thanks to Marielle.
Then into the parc lands 17000 square metres....I hugged a few trees and strolled around for over an hour. I couldn’t have been happier...

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for you ...

In the distance....

The French park