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Château
de Vendeuvre
Our main destination was the château de Vendeuvre. But first,
lunch! The plan was to picnic in the grounds of the
château, but
as the weather was cold and showery we sheltered in a
magnificent barn, with tables and chairs set out for us.
The château is a fine example of an 18th century country
residence for the Normandy aristocracy. The Count and Countess
and their family live in the chateau and it was a pleasure to
chat with the Count who was charming.
After an interesting guided tour of the
château, we looked
around the many and varied attractions in the gardens and
out-buildings.
In the basement, we looked around the restored kitchens
including a huge stone stove and cooking utensils and recipes of
the period.
Also in the basement was an extraordinary collection of beds
for pampered 18th century pooches. Some were just for sleeping
in, some for traveling, some for the beach and so on.
In the garden we encountered a number of 'eau surprises', and
you'd be lucky to avoid a wetting while passing under an arch,
crossing a bridge over a stream or just walking under a tree.
Before making our way home, we found a collection of
miniature furniture in the gate house. This is the Count's
collection and it includes many fine pieces beautifully made
down to the finest details.
You can visit the château's
web site
here.
Sunday evening saw us being wined and dined again, in
different groups to the previous evening, and an opportunity to
reflect on our interesting and varied day out.
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