title: Chateaux of the Loire Valley
author: Jean-Marie Perouse De Montclos
description: The architectural heritage of the French kings is nowhere as present as in the Loire Valley. Magnificent castles, sophisticated gardens and sweeping parks demonstrate both the monarchs' power and appreciation of art, attracting and fascinating uncounted visitors to this day.
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  # The Chateau of Prince Polignac
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Anthony Trollope
  
  
  This page copyright © 2001 Munsey's.
  
  
  http://www.munseys.com
  
      
      
      
  
  
  This etext was produced by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Few Englishmen or Englishwomen are intimately acquainted with the
  
  
  little town of Le Puy. It is the capital of the old province of Le
  
  
  Velay, which also is now but little known, even to French ears, for
  
  
  it is in these days called by the imperial name of the Department of
  
  
  the Haute Loire. It is to the south-east of Auvergne, and is nearly
  
  
  in the centre of the southern half of France.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  But few towns, merely as towns, can be better worth visiting. In
  
  
  the first place, the volcanic formation of the ground on which it
  
  
  stands is not only singular in the extreme, so as to be interesting
  
  
  to the geologist, but it is so picturesque as to be equally
  
  
  gratifying to the general tourist. Within a 