The small detached chapel dedicated to St.-Hubert is much admired for its sculptural embellishments in alto-relievo.
The pleasure grounds attached to the castle which are partially laid out in the English fashion, are extensive and diversified, and the view of the adjacent country from the terraces is remarkable for its picturesque beauty.
The glittering waters of the princely Loire studded with its numerous little green Isles, and white sails of commerce, are seen rapidly coursing in intricate windings through the broad, rich plain of corn-fields, for many miles in extent, both to the east and west, and which is bordered by bold elevations, and cliffs of chalk and calcareous sandstone, surmounted by a succession of beautiful vineyards. And perhaps the most singular feature in this varied landscape, is the vast chain of human habitations, which, like a whitened irregular stratum may be seen stretching out as far as the eye can reach in opposite directions, along the whole slope of the southern elevations just adverted to. They contain a large population, principally constituted of the cultivators of the adjacent plain and hills, the slopes being chiefly occupied by pretty white villas belonging to the better classes, while in the abrupt intermediate precipices of rock, the poor have scooped out their indestructible dwellings. And which, certainly possess some considerable advantages over those of their more pretending neighbours, being warm in winter, cool in summer, and dry in all seasons. These subterranean abodes, together present an exceedingly curious and novel spectacle. Sometimes the excavations are continued a considerable height up the cliff, and the numerous doors and windows in the face of it, apprize the spectator that, his species here literally «live and have their being» in the foundations of the earth! A kind of fret work or fantastically wrought sculpture not unfrequently over-arches the entrance, or hangs like an ornamental frieze above entire dwellings, which on a close inspection we discover to be the mystical workings and embellishments of nature herself, being actually constituted of a bed of fossil zoophytes, which in the very spot they now occupy, vegetated at the bottom of the antediluvian Ocean! How strange the transformation! How astounding the physical revolutions time has here effected!—The identical bed of coral, over which the turbulent waves of the Ocean rolled for centuries, and amid which the finny tribe disported, now, in its pristine position, forms a roof for the permanent dwellings of man! Which, with their fruitful vines flourishing around the doors, and the smoke from the domestic hearth rising in graceful curls through the submarine production, or as sometimes seen, peering through some verdant knoll, present a singular, but pleasing picture of humble contentment security and peace.
Near the western visible extremity of these thickly peopled hills, the lofty turrets of Tours cathedral are distinctly visible in the horison.
But in our enumeration of the more striking features of this interesting panorama, we must not omit to mention the long island in the middle of the river, immediately below the castle, and which communicates with the town by a stone bridge of ten arches, and with the opposite bank by a curiously constructed wooden bridge of eleven arches. The portion of the island above the bridges, being covered with a verdant turf, and tall trees, affords a very agreeable and favourite promenade, while the part contiguous to the bridges being entirely occupied by houses, presents the curious appearance of a small town floating as it were on the hurrying current.
Visitors from Tours to this place sometimes extend their drive on the same day to Chenonceaux, a distance of ten miles through the extensive forest of Amboise, and return from thence to the city, a drive of twenty miles, along the interesting banks of the river Cher.
CASTLE OF CHENONCEAUX.
This a large and majestic structure, and being built upon arches constructed across the Cher exhibits a singular appearance, and its approach through a noble avenue of trees is one of striking beauty.
This beautiful chateau, supposed to have been erected in the thirteenth century, became crown property in 1535.
It was greatly improved and embellished by Diana of Poitiers, mistress of Henry 2nd who however was afterwards compelled by Catherine de Médicis to exchange this splendid gift of her munificent lord, for Chaumont-sur-Loire.