Christmas Delirium at Cheverny

Okay, let’s get it out there right away: I wasn’t a fan of the Christmas decor at Cheverny. A lot of it looked so … tacky. For example, why are these random heaps scattered about on the lawn? The château itself is a beauty: The interior has an incredible amount of detailed painting on the […]

Christmas at Chenonceau

On Tuesday the château de Chenonceau stayed open after dark for their Noël celebration. The incredible decorations, beautifully-lit gardens and special performers (including a harpist and LED-adorned performers dancing to music outside) made it a magical evening. We arrived early enough to see how it looked in the daylight, then headed inside as the sun […]

Château de Villandry

The château de Villandry is known for its gardens, which are impressive even in winter. What we didn’t expect was over-the-top Christmas decorations. This château is privately owned (!). Who decides how much to decorate? (And what was the budget!?!) The owner? The property manager? The owner’s Christmas-crazed, animal-loving children? You don’t realize the full […]