Chateau de Fountainbleau

Today we caught the train from Gare De Lyon railway station, wow the size of this station is staggering.The picture of the outside is below. I am very grateful for the time I spent at home organising maps, timetables etc as we walked to the station from our unit, then mastered the railway timetable which is a lesson in itself, as there are so many lines your actual train doesn't get a platform until it arrives as it takes the next space free then you board from anywhere between A - Z onto your carriage. We had a 45 minute fast speed ride with only one stop to Fountainbleau Avon then a 15 minute bus ride to the castle. Well the buses are another experience we had, the amount of people that are fitted onto one bus is way beyond any Australia safety standard, mind you if you had an accident you wouldn't get hurt as you couldn't fall anywhere as people are touching you at every angle. All a strange experience and so different from home.

After we arrived at Fountainbleau suburb the first thing I saw was this ancient carousel with it's two tiers of horses etc. It was just so beautiful.

The it was off to explore the chateau set in the heart of 130 acres of parkland and gardens, it is the only royal castle to have been inhabited imperially continuously for seven centuries. Amongst the famous inhabitants are Napolean and Marie Antoinette. 

 

The long room was made so that one of the queens could go walking, I mean to say that obviously the 130 acres of beautiful gardens was not enough, she had this 75 metre x 7 metre room especially built for her strolls.

This is the La Gallerie De Diana, this goddess was very important to the residents of this castle and this room was especially made in her honour.

The ceiling painting in Diana's room.

In this throne room, notice the gold bees embroidered into the red velvet fabric, they make special mention of them as having been important in the days of the rein of that king.

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This amazing clock made for Louise de France in 1661, shows the equinoxs and moon phases. 

We then headed home it is hard to get use to going to bed in the sunlight and getting up in the sunlight. I don't think we have seen it dark yet, we go to bed about 10 and get up about 7 and it is always sunny. All this walking makes us tired.

Last night I also did some washing and ironing well of course this is all an experience too, you plug the ironing board into the wall then plug the iron into the ironing board. Every toilet I use is different I don't think I have seen two the same so far, you have to go looking all over the place to find how to flush the toilet. The shower taps are another thing that is always different and sometimes can take a few minutes to work out.

The patisserie shops are so tempting but I have been strong, perhaps today whilst walking the streets of Paris I will weaken, I need my wonderful sistas here have coffee and cake with, oh well I will be thinking of you that counts.

Till tomorrow, love Kevin & Lee-Anne