So more note-books were bought, and, following the genial Mark Twain's advice, another fountain pen and more crayons and sketch-books, and the author and artist set out in the beginning of a warm September to fill those gaps and to reduce, if possible, that series of rambles along the now flat and now rolling banks of the broad blue Loire to something like consecutiveness and uniformity; with what result the reader may judge. Contents CHAPTER PAGE BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION v I. A GENERAL SURVEY 1 II. THE ORLÉANNAIS 30 III. THE BLAISOIS AND THE SOLOGNE 56 IV. CHAMBORD 94 V. CHEVERNY, BEAUREGARD, AND CHAUMONT 110 VI. TOURAINE: THE GARDEN SPOT OF FRANCE 128 VII. AMBOISE 148 VIII. CHENONCEAUX 171 IX. LOCHES 188 X. TOURS AND ABOUT THERE 203 XI. LUYNES AND LANGEAIS 221 XII. AZAY-LE-RIDEAU, USSÉ, AND CHINON 241 XIII. ANJOU AND BRETAGNE 273 XIV. SOUTH OF THE LOIRE 301 XV. BERRY AND GEORGE SAND'S COUNTRY 313 XVI. THE UPPER LOIRE 330 INDEX 337 List of Illustrations PAGE A PEASANT GIRL OF TOURAINE _Frontispiece_ ITINERARY OF THE LOIRE (MAP) facing 1 A LACE-MAKER OF THE UPPER LOIRE facing 4 THE LOIRE CHÂTEAUX (MAP) 9 THE ANCIENT PROVINCES OF THE LOIRE VALLEY AND THEIR CAPITALS (MAP) 15 THE LOIRE NEAR LA CHARITÉ facing 18 COIFFES OF AMBOISE AND ORLEANS facing 20 THE CHÂTEAUX OF THE LOIRE (MAP) facing 30 ENVIRONS OF ORLEANS (MAP) 39 THE LOIRET facing 42 THE LOIRE AT MEUNG facing 46 BEAUGENCY facing 50 ARMS OF THE CITY OF BLOIS 58 THE RIVERSIDE AT BLOIS facing 58 SIGNATURE OF FRANÇOIS PREMIER 60 CYPHER OF ANNE DE BRETAGNE, AT BLOIS 62 ARMS OF LOUIS XII. 65 CENTRAL DOORWAY, CHÂTEAU DE BLOIS facing 66