dreaming of a chateau

I thought that for the weekend we could all do with a little something to dream about.

This property has recently come up for sale, it's less than an hour west from us, deeper into Normandy.  A medium sized château and typical of the style around here, built in brick and stone.  It has beautiful grounds, stunning outbuildings, a pool and a lake!

So let's pretend we have 8 million $ to invest with,  what will it bring us?.  Listen carefully and I'll tell you .....for that bargain price, Sotheby's is offering us a pretty 17th century château ...

 that we can admire from the front and the back

(can't you just see those steps and lawn being perfect for a big summer ball!)

.....11 bedrooms with beds of all shapes and sizes,...... 

(I grabbed this one, so you'll have to look further down the hall)

.......8 bathrooms too.....

(If you need to bring a governess with you, don't worry she gets her own quarters.)

we'll have ornate plaster work on the walls and ceilings, 

and carved stone decorations on the façade

..... we get a massive hall, and four large reception rooms including a real library....

in the grounds of the house we have a pool - complete with  thatched pool house,
a stable block,  a 17thC dovecote, a 19thC guest house,
  a caretaker's house and a Norman manor.  

(now that's a real relief because I'd hate us to fill squashed in there
when friends come to visit!)

we could take afternoon tea on the terrace

(this, by the way, is my favourite shot)

 ...... and when the weather is fine we can walk (all day) around the extensive
300 acre property, and even check on the duck's eggs in the laying
baskets that will  have been carefully positioned by our gamekeeper.....

 Sotheby's rather touchingly labels this a 'luxury single family' property.  
One assumes, this is because - once you've lodged the army of staff necessary 
for maintenance -  there will only be the space for one family.

Seriously though, I think this place is stunning.  We definitely couldn't afford to buy or 
maintain it, but I am thrilled to think that some people can and will. 

Wishing you a dreamy Sunday

Another week, another chateau

When people think of châteaux in France, they'll generally think of the huge and majestic castles along the Loire valley.  Actually there are alot of areas like ours in Normandy, where the countryside is littered with smaller, family sized châteaux.   Along our small valley there are a good dozen, some totally private, some open to the public.

Here is the château de Vendeuvre.   Rather charming, built mid-eighteenth century and amazingly in the same family, passed father to son ever since.

The gardens are a joy

Indoors, life is elegant

I love this enfilade of rooms

and the kitchens

 One of the family interests is miniatures and doll houses,

like, believe it or not, this.

  

photos  chateau de vendeuvre

Visiting our valley

Since not many of my blogger friends seem to live around here, I'm going to show you a little of our valley.


We are about one hour West of Paris, firmly in the country yet within easy reach of civilisation!!

This is a farming region , and the houses range from simple to grandiose.  We have some chateaux dotted around the valley, today I'll show you le Chateau d'Acquigny, about 10 minutes drive from our house.

The chateau was built in the sixteenth and eigteenth century.

It was christened Le Chateau de L'Amour, and these beautiful clasped hands on the iron gate symbolise conjugal bliss and  fidelity.

Don't tell me the French aren't romantic

Like any chateau worth its gilt,  Acquigny has a private chapel

and beautiful service outbuildings that I would happily inhabit.

Visitors are invited to enjoy the gardens

 

including this beautiful waterfall.  Should their promenade leave 

them feeling nostalgic, they can whisper their secrets to

an angel

Soon I'll show you another nearby property, do you prefer chateaux, 

manor houses or something more simple?

 photos -  chateau d'acquigny