A New Science Exhibition at the Chateau of Chenonceau

The Chateau of Chenonceau has a new permanent exhibition. It has become the custodian of an extraordinary collection of over 40 scientific instruments and pieces of laboratory equipment that once belonged to Louis-Claude Dupin de Francueil.

It seems Dupin de Francueil had ambitions to be admitted to the French Academy of Sciences, but nothing seems to have come of it. He took chemistry lessons with Academician Guillaume-François Rouelle in Paris and commissioned his assistant Rousseau to write a book to popularise science, but it remained unfinished.

These activities were fashionable in France at the time and some important science came out of private laboratories such as the one at Chenonceau. But further than the science, the instruments in this collection are of a very high quality, and reflect the refined style of French objects from the time of Louis XV. Only the collection of the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers in Paris rivals the one now at Chenonceau.

If you are interested in seeing this exhibition and hearing the remarkable story of the collection's creation and how it comes to be at Chenonceau, then book a tour with us.

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For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos. You may also like to check out our YouTube channel. 

A Gothic Jewelbox in the Loire Valley

For three years up until June last year the Chapelle Saint Hubert was closed to the public while it underwent a complete conservation restoration. Originally built for Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany, it is a masterpiece of 15th century Flamboyant Gothic architecture and sculpture, created by Flemish stone masons and carvers. The quality of the carving is exquisite and it now forms a fitting resting place for none other than Leonardo da Vinci.

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For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos. You may also like to check out our YouTube channel. 

Maritime Graffiti in the Touraine Loire Valley

Boats of several sorts appear in graffiti all over the Loire Valley. The reason is the importance of the Loire as a highway for goods and people from prehistoric times to the 19th century. These informal sketches are often not easy to see unless you know where to look -- and that's where we at Loire Valley Time Travel come in. We can make sure you don't miss out on some of the most interesting historical graffiti. Some are primitive, some are truly artistic. All tell a tale of the Loire that we will make sure to pass on.

To enquire about our private guided tours of chateaux, wineries, markets and more email us or use our contact form. More tour ideas can be found on the Loire Valley Time Travel website.