A barge cruise in France along the Loire and one its tributaries,
the Cher, is one of the great holiday experiences of our modern times.
That's at least partly attributable to the luxury of many of the
'floating hotels' that ply these picturesque waters, but also for the
chance to get up close and very personal with some of the most
impressive medieval military fortifications in Europe.
Seeing France via its rivers
In centuries past, many towns and cities used the rivers as their major highways. The roads were often little more than dirt tracks and were both slow and highly dangerous to travel. So, understandably, many medieval French towns tended to be built around their rivers and had their own 'ports' upon them.
Nowhere is that more true than in the Loire Valley, and that's why a barge cruise in France is such a great way to see towns like Tours and incomparable chateaux such as Villandry and Valençay. Many of these towns, villages and castles were always meant to be approached by the river and that's why you'll get such spectacular views.
Why so many castles?
Many first-time visitors to the Loire ask why there is such a preponderance of magnificent castles in the area. During the medieval centuries, warfare ravaged much of Europe, including the Loire Valley. Many nobles spent vast amounts of time (and money) fighting each other and even the king in Paris. To make matters worse, the area was one of the centres of the Hundred Years War and the nobility as well as the French royal court further fortified much of the area heavily as a defence against the encroaching English armies. Consequently, the landscape and the strategic routes along the Loire became dotted with protective castles.
By the 18th century, things had changed and massively fortified castles were increasingly redundant in both the military and social senses. What took their place were the great chateaux, which are the ultimate expression of prestige, fashion and good taste. The nobility spent vast fortunes trying to outdo each other's extravagance or even competing with the king.
In many cases, the new Renaissance and Baroque residential chateaux were built on the sites of earlier military castles. For example, the chateau of Valençay, with its theatre and art collections, is a masterpiece of luxurious and expressive architecture - but it has a large 13th century crypt that survives from the older military fortification it replaced.
The landscape you'll see on a barge cruise in France in this region is richly dotted with a variety of castles - both surviving examples from the medieval period and many of their magnificent 17th-18th century successors. Although the styles vary, what you will notice is their proximity to the ancient river highways that you are, yourself travelling along on your barge cruise in France, making this mode of travel a very authentic way to explore the region.
Seeing France via its rivers
In centuries past, many towns and cities used the rivers as their major highways. The roads were often little more than dirt tracks and were both slow and highly dangerous to travel. So, understandably, many medieval French towns tended to be built around their rivers and had their own 'ports' upon them.
Nowhere is that more true than in the Loire Valley, and that's why a barge cruise in France is such a great way to see towns like Tours and incomparable chateaux such as Villandry and Valençay. Many of these towns, villages and castles were always meant to be approached by the river and that's why you'll get such spectacular views.
Why so many castles?
Many first-time visitors to the Loire ask why there is such a preponderance of magnificent castles in the area. During the medieval centuries, warfare ravaged much of Europe, including the Loire Valley. Many nobles spent vast amounts of time (and money) fighting each other and even the king in Paris. To make matters worse, the area was one of the centres of the Hundred Years War and the nobility as well as the French royal court further fortified much of the area heavily as a defence against the encroaching English armies. Consequently, the landscape and the strategic routes along the Loire became dotted with protective castles.
By the 18th century, things had changed and massively fortified castles were increasingly redundant in both the military and social senses. What took their place were the great chateaux, which are the ultimate expression of prestige, fashion and good taste. The nobility spent vast fortunes trying to outdo each other's extravagance or even competing with the king.
In many cases, the new Renaissance and Baroque residential chateaux were built on the sites of earlier military castles. For example, the chateau of Valençay, with its theatre and art collections, is a masterpiece of luxurious and expressive architecture - but it has a large 13th century crypt that survives from the older military fortification it replaced.
The landscape you'll see on a barge cruise in France in this region is richly dotted with a variety of castles - both surviving examples from the medieval period and many of their magnificent 17th-18th century successors. Although the styles vary, what you will notice is their proximity to the ancient river highways that you are, yourself travelling along on your barge cruise in France, making this mode of travel a very authentic way to explore the region.
0 comments:
Post a Comment