Les Chateaux de la Loire.

The Loire Valley region in France is reknowned for its castles. These are not the castles of old England - big rectangular jobs built from brown stone. We glimpsed the Chateau de Chambord at the end of a road through the woods, lined with signs that reminded us that deer may jump into our path at any moment.

 This was the scene that appeared before us when we left the clearing of trees. The scale of this particular castle is overwhelming. The grounds are huge and it is surrounded by a moat, where visitors can row or use paddle boats. There are classical music and choral performances held in the grounds during the summer.

With its cone-shaped tower rooves and elaborate carved decorations, it looks as if I am standing in front of a film set or a green screen, but this is real. There are more castles to come. Adieu!