by Helen Kain | May 25, 2025 | Chateaux, France, Living Ideas
Of all the stunning châteaux in the Loire Valley, two stand as architectural marvels and case studies in Enlightenment thought brought home. Villandry and Cheverny may differ in atmosphere—one bright and intimate, the other precise and theatrical—but together, they...
by Helen Kain | May 22, 2025 | England, France, Italy
When I first began touring great houses, I was drawn, as so many are, to their sheer beauty, scale, extravagance, carved ceilings, formal gardens, and stories of noble families and royal guests. Whenever visitors came to stay with us in Cape Cod, we took a day trip to...
by Helen Kain | May 21, 2025 | Chateaux, France, Gardens and Flowers
Updated in May of 2025 with new pictures and insights. While the Château at Villandry is best known for its gardens, let’s start with the château’s interior, because it tells its own fascinating story. Built in the early 16th century by Jean de Breton,...
by Helen Kain | May 17, 2025 | Chateaux, France, Gardens and Flowers
Updated May 2025 with new photos and insights. Of all the châteaux we visited in the Loire Valley, Cheverny was my favourite. It wasn’t the most grand or architecturally imposing, nor did it boast the dramatic backstories of Chenonceau or Chambord. (Though,...
by Helen Kain | May 11, 2025 | Chateaux, France, Gardens and Flowers
Updated May 2025 with new photos and insights. Perched high above the River Loire, the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire looks every bit the romantic stronghold with its conical towers, sculpted stonework, and soaring views. But beyond its fairy-tale façade lies a far...
by Helen Kain | May 10, 2025 | Chateaux, Fascinating People
Few rivalries in history are as deliciously dramatic—and as deeply embedded in architecture—as that of Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitiers. These two formidable women left their mark not just on French politics, but quite literally on its châteaux. Catherine de...
