Ussé
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Ussé is a fairy tale castle. Charles Perault visited here and used it as a model when he wrote "Sleeping Beauty." It's battlements go back to 1462, when castles were fortresses, but starting in the  XVIIth century, the walls have been pierced to make comfortable rooms for later generations of owners.

usse01.jpg (125444 bytes) usse03.jpg (118589 bytes) The central section of the fortress wall was removed in the XVIIth century to open up the central courtyard to a view over the Indre
usse02.jpg (122919 bytes) usse05.jpg (89582 bytes) One of the towers has a Sleeping Beauty display with furnishings and mannequins.
usse04.jpg (144266 bytes) usse06.jpg (61152 bytes) The chapel is late gothic. So late, in fact that it has some renaissance ornamentation.

The pulpit seems just made for lofty topics.

usse07.jpg (78767 bytes) usse09.jpg (124859 bytes) We got to visit the stables.

Rose bushes are espaliered on the walls of the courtyard.

usse08.jpg (160270 bytes) usse10.jpg (85770 bytes) Between the castle and the Indre is a fine formal garden.

The room decor is more recent. There are many mannequins dressed in period costume.

 

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