Thursday, January 12, 2012

I hear the wind and snow falling in La Crosse/La Crescent :)     It is still very nice here with temps typically in the 40's and 50's.  A little mist here and there but nothing to any extreme.

Today we took the metro and then train to get outside of Paris to visit the Chateau Fontainebleau Castle. This medieval chateau was built in 1137.  Francois I had the chateau rebuilt in 1528 and was inspired by italian architecture.  In the 17th century, Henri IV was the other great builder of the chateau.  He opened up and enlarged the oval courtyard, giving it the gate. In the 19th century, the chateau was emptied of its furniture but the buildings were spared.  Napoleon I made it into an imperial residence which he refurnished.  "This is the true home of kings, the house of ages", as Napoleon I described it.  I have posted many pictures of the inside and outside of this chateau.