he was away organising

he was away organising the King’s finances.Philippe, who had inherited the ruin, provedto be an excellent project manager, ensuringmasons, carpenters and workmen were onsite at the right time. Most deliveries weretransported by river, which is why castles werealmost always built by a river - for instancethe roof slate came from Anjou (around 30kmaway). By 1525 the castle’s constructionwas complete. Gilles paid homage to KingFrancois by having his initials and symbol – asalamander – carved into the walls. Alas Gillesand Philippe never got to enjoy their dazzlingnew home.Philippe’s cousin Jacques de Semblançay,who was another Treasurer to the King, wasordered to send a huge amount of money tothe King’s Marshall, Lautrec, to fund a militarycampaign. The money went missing andthough there was no evidence of wrongdoingby either man, 82-year-old Semblançay (whohad a reputation for honesty and had servedseveral Kings of France) was hanged forcorruption. Gilles knew the King would comefor him and fled in 1527, and died in 1529.Despite Philippe pleading her innocence, theKing seized the unfinished castle and gaveit to the Captain of his Guard. In places youcan see carvings begun and doomed to beforever unfinished. Despite being incomplete,the castle is a work of genius, elegant butwith an intimate feel of a home rather thana showcase. For its day it was incrediblyinnovative. Until then, spiral staircases outsidewere the norm for castles, but Azay-le-Rideau’s staircase is inside, and leads straightfrom landing to landing, with the directionreversing on each floor.Abandoned after the French Revolution,the castle was sold on, and today is understate ownership. It is one of the dreamiestjewels of the Loire Valley. The rooms arefurnished sumptuously with tapestries,paintings and furnishings.In 1950 the river was widened, which sloweddown the current and created a water-mirroreffect, reflecting the castle’s knockout beautyin the motionless water.A salamander, the emblem of King Francois I, carved above the fireplace in the salonThe castle kitchenRecent renovations revealed some of thechateau’s secrets, for instance the practiceof bulrush matting for the walls, a traditionspotted by an eagle-eyed historian whilstexamining a 16th century painting. The matslined the walls keeping the rooms warm inwinter, cool in summer, and they also linedthe floor. It was believed that the smell of thereeds, combined with herbs, expelled badmoods, cleansed the air and helped controlfleas! Philippe’s bedroom is now adorned withhand plaited bulrush mats and smells divine.The Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau is one of themost charismatic, captivating and covetableof all the Loire’s enchanting castles.Back view of the chateauTop tips for your visit tothe Chateau ofAzay-le-Rideau• From mid-July to the end of August, ason et Lumière (sound and light show)takes place at the castle (19h-23h).In 2025, to celebrate the 500thanniversary of the castle’s construction,there will be 24 special theatricalperformances with a theme depictingthe visit to the Chateau of King Louis XIIIin 1619. It is impossible not to ‘ooh’ and‘ah’ at the beguiling sight of the fairy-talecastle seemingly floating on water, withits reflection shimmering in the moat,perfectly still except for ripples causedby a dipping dragonfly, a lazy fish or anamorous frog looking for company.• Visit from the end ofNovember throughDecember to see thechateau dressed up tothe nines for Christmas,its rooms filled withenchanting decorations(with a different themeeach year).• Relax in the secret garden filled withseasonal flowers and herbs in front ofthe chateau.• Take a break in the lovely town, thereare several excellent restaurants,and the local wine is superb. Themagnificent local Touraine vineyardsproduce dry whites, sweet wines, reds,rosés and sparkling wines as well asAzay-le-Rideau’s little known whitewine, Chenin. There’s evidence thatvines have been grown here sinceGallo-Roman times and the wines ofTouraine-Azay-le-Rideau reflect thecenturies of savoire-faire.touraineloirevalley.com;azay-le-rideau.fr/en78 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 79