June 23rd blog

I’m not sure if I really like French style better than English or if I was just ready for a change, but Chateau de Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte were breathtaking. I thought that the amount of gold leaf in some of the houses in England was extraneous, but hear its just plain ridiculous. Actually I think its beautiful, I just don’t think I’d like it 24 hours a day. This first photo is of a great hall at Fontainebleau.

The library at Fountaineblue was my favorite part however, it reminded me of Beauty and the beast, just rows and rows of books, my dream library.

We didn’t have much time to take pictures of the grounds at Fontainebleau, but then we had plenty of time to take pictures of the grounds at Vaux le Vicomte and little time for the interior, so I suppose that evened things out a bit. I wish I had a better picture of the front entrance to Fontainebleau, it was very symmetrical with beautiful curves in the staircase, sadly only the picture showing half turned out very well.

I’m not sure when refurbishments were last done at the French houses, but it seems to be at relatively the same time as the English sites, yet the fabric in the French interiors is still in very good condition, where as it was deteriorated and faded more in England.

Both Fontainebleau and Vaux Le Vicomte are located in pretty pastoral and wooded areas, that were valued by the French aristocrats for its good hunting. Fontainebleau saw a succession of royalty for hundreds of years. Vaux le Vicomte wasn’t actually built by royalty, just a wealthy aristocrat, but when Louis the fourteenth (don’t quote me on that) saw it he was so jealous that he had its owner thrown in jail and he took over the property, which wasn’t returned to the original owners till hundreds of years later.

The grounds at Vaux were what impressed me, acres upon acres of manicured hedges, pathways, ponds and fountains.

I couldn’t help but have a tender moment with the Lion.

Close to dusk they light hundreds of candles in the gardens and house for a candlelit tour. With classical music playing throughout the house and the dimly lit interiors it truly felt like a night from the palace's glory days.

On and ending note, Its no wonder I’ve been sick. I discovered today that I’ve been using aloe vera gel instead of hand sanitizer for two weeks. Sometimes I worry about myself.