LES CHATEAUX DE LA FRANCE

As we are learning the vocabulary related to the house, we will be constructing our own dream homes… based on pieces of real chateaux found in France!

In order to design your dream castle, you need to learn a bit about the various castles that decorate the terrains of France.And, you will need to learn a bit about architecture in order to describe your home!

 

So, we begin our tour of France in Medieval Times.

To find out a bit about the chateaux built in the Moyen Age, visit these sites:

 

Medieval Castle Architecture will begin your architectural glossary with a few pictures.

Glossaire will provide you a much more extensive glossary, also with some illustrations.

La construction des châteaux forts within the same page will continue your exploration of how chateaux were built.

Chateaux du Moyen Age dans le Val de Loire will let you explore some of the actual chateaux and give you a wonderful historical background as well.Find out who created these architectural masterpieces.The map is a great way to begin to see the military importance of location!

Now, you are ready to begin exploring other chateaux… as you go through these sites, see how the chateaux of each region and time period compare and contrast.What are the traits that you notice?

These are just a few of my favorite sites and chateaux to explore.Let me know if you find others you like!

Chateaux-France has a great map that allows you to explore region by region, or through a list of chateaux.Spend some time exploring the many buttons! There are over 450 buildings.

Mot's European Castle Page has some photos of some less visited chateaux.If you like, compare the chateaux in France with others in Belgium and the UK.

Castles in France provides you with a brief history of some of the most famous people and chateau, and a rich variety of photos.You can even contact them to rent your own room for your next vacation in France.

Of course, we can’t talk about chateau without mentioning Versailles. There are many sites, but this is a great one to start with for a combination of pictures and text.

And, of course, for the artist in you, explore Claude Monet’s backyard, Giverny.

And, don’t miss my two vacation homes… Chambord & Chenonceau.

And, when you have found a chateau you really like, see if the French Ministry of Culture French Ministry of Culture has other pictures on their site.You will need to know the name of the place and the region to simplify your search.