The Château d’Azay-le-Rideau was built upon an island in the Indre River in the center of the Loire river region. It is a beautiful, early-French-Renaissance palace, built upon an 11th century castle.
The flooded river Indre rushed by the chateau
The chateau included both French and Italian design innovations
The majestic carved-wood doors are surrounded by a stone arch and pillars
The river Indre flooded the English-style lanscaped gardens seen though an upstairs leaded window
The opulent colors of the velvet fabrics in the bedroom as well as the ornately carved wood reveal the wealth and style of the owners
The mobile desk is protected in a small study
The enormous stone fireplace flanked by desks would have warmed the room and probably warped the hardwood floors
The delicatel fabrics contrast with the roughness of the beamed ceiling
This desk has elaborate scenes inlaid
Created in 1633, the scenes appear to have been created on ivory
The spiral staircase, illuminated by windows in the turret had buffed wood steps
I took two photos with different settings, then brought them together to reveal garden colors, the painted windows and the beautiful interior wood shutters
The sitting room continues the theme of multiple patterns, rich colors, and heavy fabrics, along with paintings
The style of the enormous dining room provides more rest for the eyes than the sitting room, as if the food and beverage should be given center stage
A close up of the china, crystal, and silver reveal delicate patterning which shows off beautifully against the solid-color table cloth
Dramatic towers reach to the clouds
Under other circumstances the chateau would be reflected into calm waters–another time perhaps
The village church next to the chateau