If you're planning a historical themed trip, it's always worth checking out UNESCO (united nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) heritage sites. It's like a badge of honour for the best historical sites in the world, and grants them special protection and rights to be preserved!
I have a bit of an obsession with castles.... to the point that I will have no money for the majority of my life until I've seen them all. In the meantime, here is my French edition of what I hope to be a regular 'world heritage wish list' feature!
Be warned, your own house will seem like a hovel after these....
Carcassonne:
This is an amazing village in the South of France that was
famous for the medieval heretical sect that had a Crusade launched against them
(the Cathars). The City is entirely fortified and includes its very own Castle
with a drawbridge. The walls have 53 towers in total that were used to prevent
attacks, and one of them is still known as the “Inquisition Tower” due to the
Catholic Church using it for torturing heretics. Despite sounding a bit grim,
the city was saved from being demolished during Napoleon’s reign and is now
perfectly preserved. It towers over the surrounding areas and looks amazing for
a history-filled day trip.
Chateaux d’Azay-le-Rideau:
Sitting in the Loire Valley on the stretch of the Loire
river that is famous for its vineyard, this Chateau is a romantic’s dream. The
Valley itself is UNESCO, but as there is so much to see I thought I would focus
on this Chateux, although there are many more. It is set on an island in the
Indre river and fell in and out of repairs throughout the centuries, until it
was restored entirely in 1518. Its design means it literally looks like it is
floating on the water, which is very unique. Although relatively small, the
Chateau does have a courtyard, gardens and Italian renaissance style interiors.
This is absolutely top of my list to see, next to…
The Palace of Versailles:
Quite an obvious one, but this Palace is unparalleled
anywhere in Europe. It was the residence of the last three King Louis’ of
France, and holds the infamous ‘Hall of Mirrors’. As a place to visit, it is
easy enough as it is just outside of Paris, but I have heard horror-stories of
coach trips ruining the experience. So make sure you pick the right time of
year to go, and hopefully it can be seen in its full glory. The Palace’s
gardens themselves are a sight to behold, and are filled with fountains (that
the Kings of France had to turn off when they ran out of money). Just don’t
mention eating cake.
Mont Saint-Michel:
Despite looking like a Castle, Mont Saint-Michel, in Normandy,
was actually a separate island community with a large monastery. It currently
has a population of just 44, and was originally designed to reflect feudal
society (God on top, then the monastery, then the Great Halls, stores and
housing and then outside the walls fishermen and farmer’s housing.) It becomes
inaccessible when the tide is out, and meant it remained unconquered during the
Hundred Years’ War. Apparently it is a very well-known landmark, which upsets
me because we certainly weren’t shown it on any of our miserable school trips
to Normandy.
Fontainebleu Palace:
This is another commune and is also in the Paris region of
France. The Fontainbleu Chateau was a royal residence, and like Versailles was
expanded and developed by each French monarch. Now, it is home to a school of
art, architecture and music for students from the US. It was also used in the
music video for Lana Del Rey’s Born to
Die. I’m hoping it is still available to look round, as it seems to
resemble the other royal palaces that France has to offer.
That’s it for my French Castle edition of wishlists.
Keep your eyes peeled for another one soon!
(All these photos were from the UNESCO world heritage website, and were taken by the best photographer on the planet, Jean-Jacques Gelbert)
