Week One: PARIS

The Louvre is built around the ruins of King Philippe's stronghold. Pulled down in the sixteenth century, it was re-discovered in the excavations 1983 to '98 and now forms the basement of the museum. The Museum itself has many twelfth century artifacts, including Philippe's sword, used as the cover of my book 'At the King's Pleasure.'

Week Two: ROUEN

Ancient capital of the Duchy of Normandy. It held one of the four treasuries of King Richard. The famous Tour  St Romaine of the Cathedral was just being completed. It would be another 700 yrs before Monet would paint it - forty times! 
Richard inherited the Duchy from his father King Henry 11. To the south lie the woods and castles which form the setting for much of 'At the King's Pleasure.' This was the most exciting part of the trip, discovering the countryside and castles which appear in my book.

Week Three: AQUITAINE

Lionheart was killed at Chalus, near Limoges and, in the area, there is a Route Richard Coeur de Lion, which according to the French website, has a scatter of nineteen castles with links to Richard. Sadly, what was to be the highlight, proved to be the biggest disappointment of the trip. Most were fourteenth century, some are for sale (!), and many are rarely open to the public.
Mumble, French Tourist Board by Satan's warts. A pox on their pigs!

Week Four: THE DORDOGNE

The Dordogne is by far the best place to explore medieval castles of the Lionheart era. Interesting to discover that the French view of history is deeply coloured by a vision of France as she is today, rather than the small area around Paris that was France in the 12th century. They do not recognise that at the period when the castles were built they were in Aquitaine, a far larger dominion than France. The castles were, of course, continually fortified and improved, but many in this part of France, such as Beynac, did actually belong to to Richard the Lionheart, Duke of Aquitaine.