The Royal Chateau of Blois has been on my 'To Visit' list for some time now. I have followed my passion for Tudor History and have walked in Anne Boleyn's footsteps across the UK, particularly visiting Hever Castle and the Tower of London. I have walked in her footsteps through the Chateau Amboise, where she lived and learnt French manners and style. I am continuing that progress with visiting the Blois Chateau where Anne spent the early years of the 16th Century.
It was a wet and blustery grey day in Amboise where I had spent the night but I was not to be deterred by the weather from visiting Blois. A cab delivered me to the train station and as I waited for my train to pull into the ornate iron constructed Gare d'Blois, I read up on the history of the Blois Chateau and where in particular Anne spent her time. I must say upon boarding the train, how delightful train travel across France is.This was a regional train and the comfortable interior and the large windows meant the travel time of 30 minutes passed quickly. The panorama of the countryside swept past me - wooded hillsides, the broad flowing river and small ancient villages nestled into the valleys were idyllic.
Arriving in Blois the weather had cleared. Grey, heavily clouded skies cleared a little and I walked for about 20 minutes from the train station through the town towards the Chateau. It was a quiet day as it was a national holiday as the French celebrated Victory in Europe Day and much of the town was closed but I knew the Chateau was open to visitors. Walking along the quiet streets gave me time to consider how fortunate I felt in being able to be here and achieve this ambition. France is also celebrating the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci in 2019 and to honor this, the steps of the grand staircase of Blois has the enigmatic smiling face of the Mona Lisa as its feature. It is created by adhesive strips that cover the 121 stairs and it is amazing. I was glad it was a quiet day so I could take something of a clear photograph.
My eyes drank in the vista as I walked passed old medieval walls, skirting the edge of manicured public gardens and wonderful old properties, homes to some very lucky people! Ahead, I could see the towering chateau walls. I loved the half timbered buildings that filled the town square. I discovered a wonderful bistro for lunch and indulged in my favourite variations on a duck theme!
Made of large grey blocks of stone, the wall rose up to a great height and I wondered how and where I was to enter. Fortunately google maps insisted I kept walking and around the corner of the massive wall, a stair case appears leading me up to the courtyard and entry to the Chateau.
One enters the Blois Chateau from the courtyard and through the "flamboyant' styled building, the Louis XII wing built around 1498-1501. This part of the Chateau is built in red brick and stone and what we see today is largely unchanged from when it was commissioned by Louis. It is highly decorated and is Italianate in style. There is a large impressive statue of Louis XII on horseback above the entrance into the chateau. To each side, the King's emblem of the porcupine is on display. Entering this part of the Chateau is to discover where the young Anne Boleyn would have spent most of her time, completing her role as Maid in Waiting to the Queen of France.
The Royal Chateau of Blois was built over five centuries and depending on your vantage point, you can see each distinct phase of development.
The initial Chateau was built to Gothic style but began life as a medieval fortress in the 10th century. This part of the building dates to when the Chateau was commanded by the Dukes of Blois and the 13th century. Anne most definitely would have been familiar with this part of the Chateau.
La Salles des Etats (Hall of the States-General) was used as the hall of justice. Its soaring curved ceiling is decorated with gold fleur de lys, the floors are patterned with tiles and a large fireplace surround features in the centre of the space.
Guess what? I played "I'm the Queen of the Castle"! LOL. To the side of the fireplace is a canopied royal throne where one could enjoy a moment's respite and imagine how it must have been back when Anne walked through this hallway.
Looking down at the beautifully decorated ancient floor, I paused. Had Anne stood here taking in the scene? Had she stood near the fire place for warmth one cold day? Had she stood where I stand today? These are questions I ask myself whenever I am somewhere Anne had been. I will never know the answer but I can imagine and ponder.
It seems odd to me, given I have traveled to the Royal Chateau of Blois particularly because of its association with Anne Boleyn, that she doesn't feature anywhere in the telling of the story of the Chateau. The history of the place is filled with many illustrious names such as Louis XII, Francois I, Henry III and Catherine de Medici ( who died here in 1589) so perhaps an English Queen is not important enough to figure in the tourist documentation? I don't know but it is she that brings me here today.
One enters this part of the Chateau via a large winding stone staircase, open to the elements. The staircase is ornately carved and decorated and as one walks upwards, glimpses into the other rooms can be had and of course, down into the central courtyard and the activity taking place. I'm sure Anne must have tread these stairs and glanced into a room visible from the stairs, or paused, and looked at the courtiers entering and leaving the Royal Apartments and Chateau. The staircases reminded me of the wonder of the staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci for the Chateau Chambord and the similar design at Chateau Amboise. Anne would have been familiar with the one at Amboise I'm sure.
All that remains of the rooms that Anne knew however, is the layout. The decoration was totally reinvented in the 19th century by the architect Felix Duban. I knew this but I was still somewhat disappointed, but that is history is it not? Here however would have been the King and Queens apartments on the first floor and they are accessed by what was then, a relatively new concept, a corridor. There are 'private rooms' for the Royals at each end of the floor and a larger, more communal room in the centre no doubt for conducting public business. It is here most likely that Anne would have spent her time and in the Queen's apartments. Today these spaces are taken up with the fine art collection which presents in each room, a particular topic of the history of Europe and local art from the Renaissance to the 19th century. But I wasn't here for that. I walked the rooms and imagined Anne strolling the corridor. I could see the colour of her vibrant silk gown against the painted stucco walls and her slippers walking the ancient tiled floor.
I looked for ages at the door frames. These had not changed over time. She would have walked through these apertures and perhaps trailed her hand across the depth of the stone frame as she did so. I admired the mullioned windows; the deep inset of the stone window frames and the faded fleur de lys pattern etched onto them, perhaps as Anne had done. I stood next to the large fireplace dominating the hall, no doubt in my mind, just as Anne must have done seeking warmth during a European winter. I rested my hand lightly on the carved stone pillar at one side which supported the curved mantle, decorated up to the ceiling with royal emblems and other decorations. "Anne was here" I think to myself. I feel blessed to be here too.
The Renaissance built wing of the Blois Chateau, known as the Francoise Wing, was built around 1515 - 1520. Built only 15 years after the Louis XII wing, it shows a different architectural ethos behind it. Its most prominent feature is the projecting staircase tower which leads from the ground level up to the highest,third floor. It was completed in 1524 however by this time Queen Claude had died and Anne had returned to begin her fateful journey to the crown of England. While Anne would not have known well this part of the Chateau she most likely had seen it under construction. The remaining interior decoration is one of the best preserved of its kind. No doubt the style of the Francois wing is a great example of what Anne used when she had the role of overseeing the decoration of Greenwich Palace when the royal apartments for her were being redecorated.
As I walked through the Chateau, I was indeed amazed by the beautiful decoration of the rooms particularly in the suite of Catherine de Medici. Catherine took over the rooms of Francois on the first floor and they are truly decorated fit for a Queen. A vibrant corridoor with an intricate timber paneled ceiling amazed me. The monogram for Henri II and Catherine de Medici is composed of an H and two interlaced Cs and these appear repeatedly in the decorative design of the apartment. Each timber of the ceiling is painted with the monograms, swirls of colour, flowers and emblems.
Here is the bed where Catherine died in the centre of the room where each day began anew for her. Through a doorway and one enters the Queen's Dressing Room and it is here where her clothes were stored, she would dress and present herself to the courtiers in the Queen's Gallery. No Anne to be seen here but a small painting of that French but better known Scots Queen, Mary hangs on the wall.
The Gallery is a beautiful room. The space was meant for strolling along, particularly if the weather was inclement. The loggia facades look down upon the garden below. Here music would have played and people danced. The floors are from the 19th century renovation however they were modeled on the original 15th century tiles so it gave a good idea of what the room must have originally looked like.
One room I particularly loved was the Oratory. Daily life inside the chateau would have followed a routine of prayers and services. The Oratory is the private chapel for the royals to worship in. The stained glasses windows are modern variants put in place in 1858 but the room gives still a wonderful insight into the private life and routine of the inhabitants of Chateau Blois.
The remaining wing of the Chateau is the Gaston d'Orleans wing, built in 1635 - 1638. Gaston was the brother of Louix XIII and it is in the classical style of architecture. Its greatest feature is the monumental interior staircase with a spectacular large cupola surmounted by an oval lantern for a ceiling. Along the staircase,built into the walls, are alcoves featuring numerous statues and other decorations, done by the Simon Guillon workshop. The decoration is characterised by its war like themes - sculptures of helmets and shields abound. It is an impressive building but cold, both physically and emotionally for me. Fortunately I can put it to one side as Anne would not have known of this development of the Chateau.
It was in the curve of the open staircase of the Francois Wing that I took a moment to rest and reflect upon the life of Anne Boleyn, which had begun with such promise here at Blois. Who could have known then what awaited her back in England - at most perhaps, a fortunate arranged marriage and children. Who could have predicted she would become Queen of England, that she would preside over the fall of a Cardinal and that the marriage to Henry VIII would be the occasion for the break with the Roman Catholic Church? Who could have predicted such a tragic and terrible end? Or that her story would resonate through the centuries that followed? The temperature was beginning to fall and grey clouds began to swoop into view. I had come to the end of my walking with Anne here at Blois and I was so pleased and gratified I had made the effort.
The visit gave me an opportunity to come a little closer to understanding this enigmatic English woman. I have walked through Hever Castle, her childhood home and have seen where she spent her time at Chateau Ambois. I have stood at the site where she was beheaded and gazed at the spot under the floor in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London where she now rests. Each time I feel I have come that little bit closer to bridging the tyranny of time and understanding her history by being where she was and is. We are only lost when we are forgotten and I will do my bit in remembering Anne.
Walking with Anne through the Royal Chateau of Blois
