Our visit to the Loire Valley began with a visit to the small town of Selles sur Cher, home of a rambling chateau recently purchased by a local man who had made his fortune in China. He is restoring the home and has established a winery. We toured the grounds and heard a short talk about his wine and local cheese production, sampling both.
Our next stop was Chambord, the largest of the Loire Valley chateaux, built by King Francois I, near Amboise, where we spent the next two evenings. Our hotel was right on the Loire River, in the historical center of Amboise, with a great view.
The next morning we were astounded by the most beautiful of the Loire Valley chateaux, Chenonceau, looking like something out of a fairytale. We returned to Amboise in the afternoon, where we saw Francois I's castle, Leonardo de Vinci's home, and the very unique cave houses of Amboise.