The wonderful library was built by Charles Bedaux for his American wife Fern who was a voracious reader. Every balustrade on the gallery is hand carved with a different pattern. Some of Madame Bedaux’ books are still on the shelves. One is a biography of Queen Mary, Edward’s mother. He was heartbroken when this cold, unforgiving, woman refused to receive Wallis into the family.

The balcony at Château de Candé is surely one of the most famous in the world. This is where, on 3 June 1937, a groom and his bride posed for wedding photographs, the most scandalous wedding in history, it sparked a constitutional crisis which changed the British monarchy forever.

Château Chenonceau is also known as Le Château des Dames (the ladies’ castle) because of the remarkable women who owned it.

Just down the road from Amboise Station, next door to Aldi, is a fine old factory with fine old gates. In the forecourt are fine old machines which, when built, were things of engineering beauty, with age are works of art.

His parents, who have been happily munching bamboo in Beauval for the last seven years, are the only Giant Pandas in France. Huan Huan was born in 2008 in China. Huan means joy. Her cub Mini Yuan Zi, is named after his father Yuan Zi who was also born in 2008 in China. Zi means son of. His mother was Yuan Yuan. Her name means very round head.