Ascending the Château
Once we had wandered around the flatter parts of the mountaintop, we began the slow ascent, tower by tower, up to the peak. The paths kept getting narrower and steeper, the views more amazing, and the wind stronger! It was really blowing fiercely by the time we reached the most derelict parts of the building with the narrowest walkways.
The view from a midlevel watch tower
I found it amazing that you could clamber just about anywhere you wanted to go; very little was cordoned off. However, there were signs all over, warning you that you traveled at your own risk.
The ground level of the actual chateau
Remnants of fine details littered the mountain. But what made me think most of Chicago was the lavender hedges growing everywhere, vibrant green and smelling so fresh it was hard to remember that it was December.
Looking up at the chateau from another midlevel tower
One of the nicest aspects of many of the French museums were models of how the structure would have looked originally. I found it very helpful to see what it would have looked like when intact.
