Author(s): Pierre Miquel

Architecture

The magnificent chateaux that line the valley of northern France's Loire River, one of Europe's top tourist meccas, have been endlessly celebrated. But never has their timeless beauty been caught in color photographs whose extraordinary quality will make The Chateaux of the Loire as much a landmark as the castles themselves. These twenty-five range from medieval fortresses rising sheer above town streets, near Joan of Arc's Orleans, to grand Renaissance palaces and formal gardens built for pomps and pampered entertainments. Word and image match the drama of each chateau's past to the particularities of its architecture and its regional context, evoking history's parade of royalty and peasantry, merchants, and armies. The Chateaux of the Loire is a glorious gift for anyone who plans to see these wonders or, having once seen, can never forget them.