Totems in the Loire Valley | Blois Chambord – Loire Valley Tourist Office

This tradition dates back thousands of years to ancient Egypt, when certain pharaohs used animals to symbolize their power, in particular the bee, which represented royalty.

In France, Childéric chose this insect to evoke royal power, while his son Clovis, the first king in our history, chose the toad as his emblem. The animal, which didn’t have the bad reputation it has today, suggested the marshy regions from which his family came. Later, Louis VIII chose the lion, symbolizing strength, as did Charles V, who changed to the less ferocious but equally noble dauphin during his reign.

A salamander amid the flames

Salamandre De Francois Ier Chateau Royal De Blois C F. Christophe 4

In the Blois-Chambord region, several monarchs have left the mark of their presence through emblems scattered on objects, paintings, tapestries, or carved directly into the stone of certain buildings. This is particularly true of François I, whose salamander can be found at the châteaux of Blois and Amboise, and is omnipresent at Chambord.

There are hundreds of them,” says Éric Johannot, in charge of research and educational activities at the Chambord estate. On the great central tower, on doors, fireplaces, ceilings, silverware, books, stationery, fabrics, there are even automatons bearing the effigy of the batrachian!”

Chosen by the monarch, who used it extensively and on every occasion, the animal illustrated his motto: “I nourish the good and extinguish the bad. In those days, the salamander was said to have the ability to extinguish or feed on fire, although this is obviously a myth. In the Middle Ages, people readily attributed special qualities to the animal, which was used as a metaphor for the king’s personality,” stresses Éric Johannot. There was a certain mysticism at the time, and the double meanings sometimes escape us today. François I’s salamander doesn’t even look like a real one – it’s completely stylized.

François I’s grandfather, Jean d’Angoulême – whom he never knew – is credited with the origin of the salamander’s use in the family. Following the Hundred Years’ War, the man had succeeded in bringing peace to the internal divisions between the kings of France, attributing to himself the imaginary faculties of a salamander, and having it said of him that he had succeeded in putting out the fire. The image was later used by young François d’Angoulême’s tutors to illustrate a line of conduct: be just, virtuous and survive fire. Once king, François I would be credited with being fiery in all things, further justifying the choice of his emblematic animal.

An intriguing porcupine

Louis XII, his predecessor and father-in-law, also chose an animal emblem, which can be found on many of the region’s ornaments. With the motto ” Qui s’y frotte s’y pique” , the monarch was represented by a porcupine.

At the time, it was an exotic and somewhat mysterious animal,” says Éric Johannot. At the time, it was believed to be able not only to throw its spikes, but also to regenerate them – which, again, was just a legend!”

Today, the animal can be found at Blois castle and on the town’s coat of arms, accompanied by a wolf, in reference to the etymology of the town whose name is said to come from Celtic, a language in which “wolf” is said “bleiz”.

Porc Epic De Louis Xii Chateau Royal De Blois C F. Christophe 5

Did you know?

Anne de Bretagne, twice queen, through her alliances with Charles VIII and Louis XII, left her symbol at the Château de Blois, where she died in 1514.

Can you find it?

See the symbol566KB

Monograms

With your children, have fun looking for the monograms in the wall decorations or on the facades, and even on the vaults of the halls. H – L – F

Now all you have to do is choose a name!