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Day 5: May 25, 2025
Another early start as we drove all the way down to the Loire Valley. Mohammed our driver picked us up at the hotel, our guide Balwinder joined us at the edge of Paris, and we headed out to the fertile countryside, passing fields of corn and barley.
Our first stop was the fortified castle of Amboise, perched up on the hill overlooking the valley. Balwinder walked us through giving us lots of stories and anecdotes. We also visited the chapel where Leonardo da Vinci is buried. A quick sandwich stop and it was back on the bus for our second château.
Chenonceau is known as the ladies' château as it is associated with King Henri II's Mistress Diane de Poitiers then the King's widow Catherine de Médici. It straddles the river Cher and is full of history. The gardens are magnificent and numerous. We had a very pleasant time wandering around in the lush and flower filled gardens.
The long drive back to Paris provided an opportunity to catch up with sleep, and we finished the day with a typical meal from Alsace Lorraine, sampling different flavors of Flammekueche, both savory and sweet.