Everything you didn't even know you wanted to learn about tapestries.
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| The tapestry on the left isn't real. It is a photograph taking the place of the real tapestry, which is off for conservation. |
The tour takes place in the Chateau of Chenonceau, which has a range of tapestries we can look at. It is also possible to take the tour in the Chateaux of Cheverny, Langeais or Angers. You will learn how tapestries are made, their importance in the Renaissance economy, what they were used for, and how to roughly date a tapestry. Afterwards you will have a chance to explore the rest of the chateau independently at your own pace, having gained an insight into what you are seeing.
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| Family arms applied to a tapestry as a patch. |
I have a lifelong interest in textiles and a background in heritage conservation. Tapestries are always a dilemma for curators, being both extremely vulnerable to damage if displayed, but also providing opportunities to learn more about the culture they come from. They are a specialised area of research and so I am the only guide in the area who talks about tapestries in depth. The way they drove the economy in the 15-16C will surprise you, and the way weavers and dyers used the natural products available to them is awe inspiring.
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| Two of the Life at the Chateau series of 16C Brussels tapestries, collection of the Chateau of Chenonceau. |
Itinerary
*meet outside the front door of the chateau.
*go inside and visit one or two rooms with interesting tapestries, where you will learn about how they are made, by whom, for whom, and how they were bought and sold, where they were hung and why.
*afterwards you can explore the rest of the chateau at your own pace.
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| Clearly not everyone could afford the finest tapestries... |
This tour as a whole or partially, can be customized to fit your preferences - please inquire!
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| 17C Gobelins tapestry depicting the kidnapping of Helen, collection of the Chateau of Cheverny. |
This is a walking tour. There are some stairs in the chateaux. The Chateau of Chenonceau has several interesting tapestries accessible by wheelchair.
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| Detail of August in the Months of Lucas series, collection of the Chateau of Chenonceau. |
After the tour you can explore the rest of the chateau at your own pace.
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| Detail of June in the Months of Lucas series, collection of the Chateau of Chenonceau. |
Duration: 1 hour.
Detail of June in the Months of Lucas series, collection of the Chateau of Chenonceau.
Price: €75 for groups of up to 4 people. Admission tickets are not included.
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| Detail of one of the Gobelins Odyssey tapestries, collection of the Chateau of Cheverny. |
Booking: email admin@tourtheloire.com at least one day before you wish to take the tour. Tours can be conducted on any day of the week, throughout the year, at a time to suit you.
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| Detail of a tapestry in the collection of the Chateau of Langeais. |
About the Guide: I am Susan Walter. I specialise in story telling, the weaving together of this fact and that, this character and their relationship with another. It is a technique which brings alive the history of what is sometimes just stones to look at, but those stones may lead to something wonderfully evocative and provide a better understanding of the past. Much of the history of the Loire Valley is about important characters which you will have heard of, but there is a great deal of hidden history too -- characters who have been forgotten in modern times, motivations for deeds which seem inexplicable can become clear, how different life was then, but also how similar. If you want to know who would graffiti a royal chapel and why, and why it isn't who most guides will tell you it is, then take a tour with me. If you want to know about the history of bathing and personal hygiene, and how that isn't quite what you think it is, then take a tour with me. If you want to meet fascinating characters from history who really made a difference, often women, then take a tour with me.
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| Mysterious tapestry fragment in the collection of the Chateau of Langeais. |
English speaking, born and raised in Australia, I lived for 12 years in England, where I worked for the National Trust in their Historic Buildings Conservation Department, and now in the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Loire Valley for more than a decade. I am an active heritage and nature conservation professional with experience of working with conservators and curators to care for historic objects and buildings, and with ecologists caring for our natural environment. Deeply embedded in the local scene I speak quite good French and enjoy life in a small village near some fabulous chateaux and lovely countryside. I'm always happy to talk about life in France and am friends with many wine makers and local food producers.
