Enjoy some highlights of French history.

Catherine de Médicis

Daughter of Larent II of Médicis of Italy and Madeleine of Bourbon. Born in Florence in 1519. She married in 1533, Henri II, the second son of François the First. Her rival was the king’s mistress, Diane of Poitiers. Not only queen of France, she was also the mother of 3 other French kings: François II, Charles IX and Henri III. She had the Palace of the Tuileries built, as well as the chateâu of Monceaux and continued the construction of the Louvre. She died in 1589.

Les Dévises des Reines et des Rois

Many of the Kings and Queens of France chose emblems of their reign. If you look closely at châteaux (especially in the Loire) you might recognize some of the following:

Le Pélican


"Tegit virtue minores" (by his courage he protects his children) The emblem attributed to Marie de Médicis the second wife of Henri IV.

Le Cygne

Emblem of Queen Claude of France, wife of François I

L'Hermine

Emblem of Queen Anne of Brittany who was both the wife of Charles VIII and then of Louis XII

Le Porc-Epic

The porcupine was the emblem for King Louis XII.