Had a slow morning - went to a few shops, had a good coffee, did some Trip Reporting ( 
) - good not to be rushing around, as I usually do.
The elephants again. Fontaine des éléphants was finished in 1838 to commemorate the exploits of General-Count de Boigne in India.
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After lunch I wandered down to the Chateau de ducs de Savoie, which was begun in the 11th Century and of course modified through the years, with major additions in the 14th and 15th centuries. Chambery and this site sits at a European Crossroads since before Roman times, so was a good place to control movements (taxes etc).
The Savoy state ran from approx Chambery to NW Italy and parts of Switzerland. And the Dukes first had their capital in Chambery but in 1563 moved it to Turin, taking the Shroud of 'Turin' with them. It was used administratively until 1600 when the French sieged the place and the French Monarch took possession soon thereafter.
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The Dukes moves their 'capital' from Chambery to Turin in 1563 - taking the Shroud of 'Turin' with them (more later).
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So in I go at the gate "Admission libre' and found the entry desk.
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There I found, in succession:
* You can't wander the castle - you have to take a tour.
OK, where do I join a tour?
* Its only in French and you join at the Tourist office in the town.
Not here? No. When do they run?
* At 2:30pm ... very soon. And they don't tour the castle, just the central courtyard and Saint Chapelle (church); its mainly a walk around the town.
So that was a waste of space. No Chateau-gazing for me. The complex is now the regional administrative centre. The other side of the castle is nice
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