Chateau Azay le Rideau

On By JR

We visited Chateau Azay le Rideau in the little town of Azay the first thing in the morning. It’s got lots of construction going on and the gardens are more modest, but it’s still a pretty little chateau. Here’s a little history:

The château of Azay-le-Rideau was built from 1515 to 1527, one of the earliest French Renaissance châteaux. Built on an island in the Indre River, its foundations rise straight out of the water. It is one of the best known of the châteaux of the Loire valley.

The castle of Azay-le-Rideau, listed as a Unesco World Heritage site, is now undergoing a monumental restoration, where stonemasons, carpenters and roofers combine their talents to restore this jewel of the Loire Valley to its full glory. The project is expected to be finished in May 2017.

Below are a few photos from the Azay.

When you walk down the driveway, you can see the chateau in the distance. Only it's not the chateau you're looking at - it's one of those tarps that has a photo of a chateau on it because they doing renovations. Sneaky!
When you walk down this beautiful tree-lined driveway, you can see the chateau in the distance. Only it’s not the chateau you’re looking at – it’s one of those tarps that has a photo of a chateau on it because they doing renovations. Sneaky!

 

Here's the chateau. the renovation scaffolding is visible from here. It's really a very pretty chateau.
Here’s the chateau. the renovation scaffolding is visible from here. It’s really a very pretty chateau.

 

As mentioned above, the chateau is actually on an island. You can't really see the island - it just looks like it's surrounded by a mote.
As mentioned above, the chateau is actually on an island. You can’t really see the island under it – it just looks like it’s surrounded by a mote.

 

Next to the entrance, the wisteria are in their prime.
Next to the front entrance, the wisteria are in full bloom.

 

This is what you can see out of many of the windows. Hmmm....
This is what you can see when you look out many of the windows. Hmmm….not very chateau-like.

 

The rooms inside are very similar to what we've seen in other chateaux. But this interesting little desk in a circular alcove caught my eye.
The rooms inside are very similar to what we’ve seen in other chateaux. But this interesting little desk in a circular alcove caught my eye.

 

I have no idea what this is but it was very attractive. One of the panels said 1653 on it.
I have no idea what this is but it was very attractive. One of the panels said 1653 on it.
I don't know that this is either. It was in the same room with the item in the previous photo. It looks like a series of little drawers, each with its own individual lock and key.
I don’t know that this chest is for either. It was in the same room with the item in the previous photo. It looks like a series of little drawers, each with its own individual lock and key.

 

This is a close-up of one of the little individual drawers. Most unusual.
This is a close-up of one of the little individual drawers. Most interesting.

 

The grounds were very manicured and pretty but had very few flowers.
The grounds were very manicured and pretty but not a lot of flowers.

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