Since the beginning of the 15th century, royalty and aristocrats have always favored the Loire Valley, which stretches along the Loire River in France for some 200 miles, for its mild climate and beautiful unspoiled scenery. The Loire River and its tributaries were tranquil, and the extensive forests provided deer-hunting, which was a royal passion. The city of Tours is roughly in the center of the valley, Angers marks the western border and Orleans lies on the east.

The chateaux of the Loire were built as palatial country estates rather than fortified castles after 1453, the end of the Hundred Years War. Today about 50 great historic homes dot the valley. Some were originally medieval castles that were renovated, and several were built in the 16th century during the height of Renaissance chateaux design, when rooms and windows were enlarged and embellished.

A number of the chateaux, including Chenonceau, Amboise, Blois and Chambord (with 440 rooms it's colossal and shouldn't be missed), belonged to the French monarchy. These magnificent palaces have preserved the culture and aesthetics that still define France and have influenced the world.

I began my itinerary near Tours, driving leisurely in a rented Renault Clio. First on my list was Chenonceau, the stunningly beautiful chateau known for royal dramas. It lies east of Tours and just south of Amboise.

At first glance, the building seems to float on the Cher River — a tributary of the Loire — as it spans the width of the river. The best place to view this luminously elegant palace is from the paths on the north bank on both sides of the chateau. The graceful arches, rows of mullioned windows and turrets cast shimmering reflections on the water.

Chenonceau was originally built in 1513 on the foundations of an old mill. It came under royal control in 1535, when Francois I confiscated the chateau from the Bohier family for unpaid debts to the crown. The king delighted in the property, and upon his death in 1547, his heir, Henri II, took possession.

Henri II gave the chateau to his beloved mistress, beautiful Diane de Poitiers, who posed for portraits as a huntress and took an active role in managing the estate. She added a bridge to join the building to the southern bank of the river and landscaped a magnificent terraced pleasure garden. She also developed a fish hatchery, orchards and a vegetable garden. Today her legacy lives on through the gardens, vegetables and excellent Chenonceau wines.

But in 1559 Henri died of an injury following a jousting tournament and his widow, Queen Catherine de Medici, took revenge on his mistress. She ousted Diane from the chateau (allowing her to move to Chateau Chaumont) and moved herself in to Chenonceau.

Catherine threw magnificent parties to honor her three sons, and paintings show courtly fashion and their habits of dressing in ornate clothing favored at the time. Catherine held court in a dress literally encrusted with pearls.

One particularly famous party was held for her son Francois II and his child bride Mary Stuart of Scotland, but Francois, only 15 years old, died from an ear infection after one year's reign. Mary was the tragic Mary Queen of Scots, the rival of Queen Elizabeth I for England.

Catherine acted as the true power behind the throne during this time and firmly masterminded France's foreign policies, and the intrigues and schemes she inspired make for fascinating history. Catherine left the estate to her daughter-in-law, the ever-grieving Queen Louise, widow of Henri III. Louise mourned her husband by decking out the chateau in black and white and hanging tapestries adorned with skulls and crossbones.

Chenonceau survived the French Revolution because the villagers respected Madame Dupin, the 18th-century owner who was also the grandmother of novelist George Sand. In addition, a local monk advised the people that the chateau had a hidden value because its bridge could be useful to the locals in times of trouble. The bridge proved to be a huge asset for escape during World War II as the north entrance was located in the German-occupied zone and its southern door led into the free zone.

Visiting Chenonceau, I felt like a witness to the historical romances and melodramas of the people who had owned and loved the property. As I walked through the interior filled with ornate decorations, antiques, wonderful tapestries, paintings and richly textured drapes, I saw where Francois I, Catherine and the Henris had slept, celebrated and ruled. In later years, some four different families owned the chateau — a magnificent monument to a colorful and intriguing period of France's history.

WHEN YOU GO

Chenonceau has a cafeteria and an elegant restaurant. It would be fitting to stay several nights at the nearby Chateau de Bourdaisiere, whose owner, Prince Louis-Albert de Broglie, also comes from a historic family. This lovely home is a luxury B&B in MontLouis-sur-Loire near Tours, with four stars on Tripadvisor (www.tripadvisor.com). Prices vary depending on the season: www.chateaubourdaisiere.com.

For general information about traveling in France: www.us.rendezvousenfrance.com

For flight information: www.airfrance.com

Chateau de Chenonceau spans the Cher River in France's Loire Valley. Photo courtesy of CRT Loire.

Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henri II who owned the Chateau de Chenonceau, is shown in her favorite pose as a huntress. Photo courtesy of Patricia Woeber.

The emblem adopted by Francois I, whose family owned Chateau de Chenonceau in France's Loire Valley, was the salamander. On one wall in the chateau are 200 of these amphibians, each slightly different. Photo courtesy of Patricia Woeber.

Patricia Woeber is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.