"Pamela Peace's Loire Valley Page " a Orléans Travel Page by Pamela_Peace

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<font color=royalblue>Not far from Paris is the <B>Loire Valley</B> - playground of kings and queens for centuries. This is the location of the beautiful chateaux that France is known for. Take for instance <B>Chateau Chenonceau</B>, or the Chateau of 7 Women. Originally built by a wealthy financier, this remarkable castle eventually became the dwelling of Diane de Poitier, mistress of Henri II, king of France. It seems that Henri inherited Diane and the crown from his father, Francois I, a real Renaissance man. Diane, 19 years his senior, served as friend, lover and confidant until he was struck down by an ill-placed lance during a jousting tournament with his knights. After languishing for several days, the young Henri died, and with his untimely death his wife and queen, Catherine de Medici, forced the beautiful and inspiring Diane from Chenonceau. Catherine took the castle for her own and swiftly untook cosmetic changes, mainly to overlay her huband's initial 'H', carved everywhere, with her own double 'C.' The end result, a double 'D'(for her adversary Diane) proved fatal for the Italian queen and she eventually lost her senses.</font>