Illustration - Loire Valley

Illustration - Loire Valley

FRANCE - LOIRE VALLEY - INDRE ET LOIRE (37) - CASTLE OF USSE : THE KING'S CHAMBER, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A TWO-ROOM SUITE. THE KING COULD RECEIVE THE COURT. IN THE LIVING ROOM, THE CHARACTERS SITTING OR STANDING SEEM IN GREAT CONVERSATION. THE TOILETS OF THESE LADIES ARE MOST SUMPTUOUS. Photo by Stephane Compoint/Only France/ABACAPRESS.COM

Illustration - Loire Valley

Illustration - Loire Valley

FRANCE - LOIRE VALLEY - INDRE ET LOIRE (37) - CASTLE OF USSE : AERIAL VIEW FROM THE NORTHEAST AT SUNSET. ON RIGHT, THE INDRE RIVER. ON FOREGROUND CENTER, THE VAUBAN TERRACES, ON WHICH ARE ARRANGED THE GARDENS "A LA FRANCAISE" DESIGNED BY LE NOTRE. OVERLOOKING THE INDRE RIVER AND THE LOIRE RIVER, THE CASTLE INSPIRED CHARLES PERRAULT TO WRITE THE TALE "SLEEPING BEAUTY". Photo by Stephane Compoint/Only France/ABACAPRESS.COM

Illustration - Loire Valley

Illustration - Loire Valley

FRANCE - LOIRE VALLEY - INDRE ET LOIRE (37) - CASTLE OF USSE : THE GARDENS "A LA FRANCAISE", DESIGNED BY LE NOTRE IN PERSON. FROM THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY A LONG TERRACE CONSOLIDATED BY VAUBAN DOMINATES THE INDRE RIVER. THEN THE "GARDENER OF THE KING" UPSETS THE RULES OF HORTICULTURE AND PLAYS WITH SYMMETRIES, GEOMETRIC FIGURES AND PERSPECTIVES. IN HIS STAGING OF GARDENS, HE ADDS THE MASTERY OF FOUNTAINS AND PONDS. ON BACKGROUND, THE INDRE RIVER. Photo by Stephane Compoint/Only France/ABACAPRESS.COM

Illustration - Loire Valley

Illustration - Loire Valley

FRANCE - LOIRE VALLEY - INDRE ET LOIRE (37) - CASTLE OF USSE : AERIAL VIEW FROM THE NORTHEAST AT SUNSET. OVERLOOKING THE INDRE RIVER AND THE LOIRE RIVER, THE CASTLE INSPIRED CHARLES PERRAULT TO WRITE THE TALE "SLEEPING BEAUTY". Photo by Stephane Compoint/Only France/ABACAPRESS.COM