Day 15-- Loire Valley; Auxerre

The Château de Chaumont, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

The castle was founded in the 10th century. The château was acquired by Catherine de Medici in 1550. There she entertained numerous astrologers, among them Nostradamus. When her husband, Henry II, died in 1559 she forced his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, to accept the Château de Chaumont in exchange for the Château de Chenonceau which Henry had given to de Poitiers.

The Château de Chaumont, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

The castle was founded in the 10th century. The château was acquired by Catherine de Medici in 1550. There she entertained numerous astrologers, among them Nostradamus. When her husband, Henry II, died in 1559 she forced his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, to accept the Château de Chaumont in exchange for the Château de Chenonceau which Henry had given to de Poitiers.

The Château de Chaumont, Loire Valley, France

The castle was founded in the 10th century. The château was acquired by Catherine de Medici in 1550. There she entertained numerous astrologers, among them Nostradamus. When her husband, Henry II, died in 1559 she forced his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, to accept the Château de Chaumont in exchange for the Château de Chenonceau which Henry had given to de Poitiers.

The Château de Chaumont, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

The castle was founded in the 10th century. The château was acquired by Catherine de Medici in 1550. There she entertained numerous astrologers, among them Nostradamus. When her husband, Henry II, died in 1559 she forced his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, to accept the Château de Chaumont in exchange for the Château de Chenonceau which Henry had given to de Poitiers.

Saint-Pierre Church of Montlivault -- Stock Photo

12th century monument comprising a simple nave, a choir strongly offset to the south covered by a barrel vault (restored) and a semicircular apse vaulted in the oven. The whole church was flanked in the south in the 15th and 16th centuries by a low side with five bays covered with rib vaults. The building has on the west an important bell tower whose portal dates from the end of the 15th century. During the interior restoration, 15th century murals were discovered.

Saint-Pierre Church of Montlivault -- Stock Photo

12th century monument comprising a simple nave, a choir strongly offset to the south covered by a barrel vault (restored) and a semicircular apse vaulted in the oven. The whole church was flanked in the south in the 15th and 16th centuries by a low side with five bays covered with rib vaults. The building has on the west an important bell tower whose portal dates from the end of the 15th century. During the interior restoration, 15th century murals were discovered.

Saint-Pierre Church of Montlivault -- Stock Photo

12th century monument comprising a simple nave, a choir strongly offset to the south covered by a barrel vault (restored) and a semicircular apse vaulted in the oven. The whole church was flanked in the south in the 15th and 16th centuries by a low side with five bays covered with rib vaults. The building has on the west an important bell tower whose portal dates from the end of the 15th century. During the interior restoration, 15th century murals were discovered.

Saint-Pierre Church of Montlivault -- Stock Photo

12th century monument comprising a simple nave, a choir strongly offset to the south covered by a barrel vault (restored) and a semicircular apse vaulted in the oven. The whole church was flanked in the south in the 15th and 16th centuries by a low side with five bays covered with rib vaults. The building has on the west an important bell tower whose portal dates from the end of the 15th century. During the interior restoration, 15th century murals were discovered.

Saint-Pierre Church of Montlivault -- Stock Photo

12th century monument comprising a simple nave, a choir strongly offset to the south covered by a barrel vault (restored) and a semicircular apse vaulted in the oven. The whole church was flanked in the south in the 15th and 16th centuries by a low side with five bays covered with rib vaults. The building has on the west an important bell tower whose portal dates from the end of the 15th century. During the interior restoration, 15th century murals were discovered.

Saint-Pierre Church of Montlivault -- Stock Photo

12th century monument comprising a simple nave, a choir strongly offset to the south covered by a barrel vault (restored) and a semicircular apse vaulted in the oven. The whole church was flanked in the south in the 15th and 16th centuries by a low side with five bays covered with rib vaults. The building has on the west an important bell tower whose portal dates from the end of the 15th century. During the interior restoration, 15th century murals were discovered.

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

One of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed (1519–1547) by King Francis I of France .

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

One of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed (1519–1547) by King Francis I of France .

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

One of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed (1519–1547) by King Francis I of France .

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley, France

One of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed (1519–1547) by King Francis I of France .

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

One of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed (1519–1547) by King Francis I of France .

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley, France

One of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed (1519–1547) by King Francis I of France .

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

One of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed (1519–1547) by King Francis I of France .

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

One of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed (1519–1547) by King Francis I of France .

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

One of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed (1519–1547) by King Francis I of France .

Château de Chambord, Loire Valley -- Stock Photo

One of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed (1519–1547) by King Francis I of France .

Auxerre, Burgundy -- Stock Photo

Auxerre was a flourishing Gallo-Roman centre, through which passed one of the main roads of the area, the Via Agrippa (1st century AD) which crossed the Yonne (Gallo-Roman Icauna) here. In the third century it became the seat of a bishop and a provincial capital of the Roman Empire. In the 5th century it received a Cathedral. In the late 11th-early 12th century the existing communities were included inside a new line of walls built by the feudal counts of Auxerre.

Auxerre, Burgundy -- Stock Photo

Auxerre was a flourishing Gallo-Roman centre, through which passed one of the main roads of the area, the Via Agrippa (1st century AD) which crossed the Yonne (Gallo-Roman Icauna) here. In the third century it became the seat of a bishop and a provincial capital of the Roman Empire. In the 5th century it received a Cathedral. In the late 11th-early 12th century the existing communities were included inside a new line of walls built by the feudal counts of Auxerre.

Auxerre, Burgundy -- Stock Photo

Auxerre was a flourishing Gallo-Roman centre, through which passed one of the main roads of the area, the Via Agrippa (1st century AD) which crossed the Yonne (Gallo-Roman Icauna) here. In the third century it became the seat of a bishop and a provincial capital of the Roman Empire. In the 5th century it received a Cathedral. In the late 11th-early 12th century the existing communities were included inside a new line of walls built by the feudal counts of Auxerre.

Auxerre, Burgundy -- Stock Photo

Auxerre was a flourishing Gallo-Roman centre, through which passed one of the main roads of the area, the Via Agrippa (1st century AD) which crossed the Yonne (Gallo-Roman Icauna) here. In the third century it became the seat of a bishop and a provincial capital of the Roman Empire. In the 5th century it received a Cathedral. In the late 11th-early 12th century the existing communities were included inside a new line of walls built by the feudal counts of Auxerre.