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