The Chateau de Chambord is the biggest in the Loire region having 440 rooms.  The setting is in a 13,440 acre park surrounded by 32 kilometers of walls.  It’s hard to believe this was built as a hunting lodge.  Leonardo da Vinci is credited with the design of the Grand Escalier du Logis, an open-sided double spiral staircase where people can ascend and descend at the same time.  It leads, via the Kings bedroom, to a lantern tower. 
Next we went to the Chateau de Chaumont because the grounds are the setting of a spectacular annual garden festival.  Twenty-five original gardens are created to a selected theme by some of France’s top garden designers.  These gardens were the most fantabulous I have ever seen anywhere.  This garden festival is held every year from April to October and is a must see if you come to the Loire region.

This was my favorite but the picture doesn’t show how pretty it really is.  All of these flowers and mushrooms are made from a mesh chicken type wire and spray painted.

These displays have given me ideas for our yard and I can’t wait to get home now!

This was a bedroom type garden where the indoors and outdoors merged so perfectly together. There was even an old bathtub with a water feature.

A photographer teacher was coaching these two on taking pictures.  They all had the $10K Nikons.  If I could understand French I would have followed them around all afternoon to eavesdrop on the lessons.
The castle in the background of the gardens was stunning.