Winter walks

Out for a quick walk in the forest this morning, I came across these two.  

Good way to start the day?

Have a great weekend, hope you can get out too!

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

First impressions - the hallway

They say first impressions count, and if that's true of the way someone is dressed the first time you meet, it is also true of the hallway of a house.  I love discovering a new house, and I'm always aware of  the first impression  on walking through the door and into the hall.

Too pared down and you find yourself thinking "does anyone actually live here?",  too busy and you don't know where to put your coat down.

I love it when there's a table or piece of furniture with a few objects on.  Clues about the inhabitants.

This is our hall, looking down from the stairs - on a tidy day -

and this is what we have on our hall table - the bell is for summoning
starving children to the table without having to scream!

Some other halls I like alot

and one of my favourite hall's belonging to a friend here in the valley.  I always pause
as I walk through her door, and take in the femininity and country feel to her entrance. 

photos   3,4, Homes & Garden

Le Monde Change

I always love to watch the Oscars, I can't help it, I just gape in awe at those beautiful dresses, perfect hair and make-up, I adore the meticulously rehearsed quips and jokes,  it's just a great show!

However this year I noticed something surprising and I wondered if it's just me being old-fashioned and european or did anyone else pick up on it?  Were you surprised at how many of the stars were chewing gum??!!
I hope you're not falling around laughing at me -  maybe there's some gum sponsor that I don't know about -  but in my book chewing gum and wearing designer evening dress are just not compatible!

photos Le Monde

Les affaires reprennent !!

I was so happy this weekend,  we had our first local antique fair of the season.  'La foire a tout'.  I hauled my youngest son out of bed, (my boys have always loved these fairs)  and hidden behind scarves, woolly hats, gloves, duffel coats - well you get the picture - off we went before breakfast!

We weren't disappointed, there were loads of people, but I still managed to find quite a few fun things, some of which have gone straight onto my etsy page. 

I managed to resist the turquoise rocking swan - a will of iron, I know

I steered the boy clear of the green tank, tempting but no  ....

 

but I did find some pretty china

 

 

 

And what did you do this weekend?

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

A feast for the eyes

I came across this wonderful Garden Photographer of the Year competition, organised by the amazing Kew Gardens in England.  Enjoy!!

 

This is by Michael Lowe, I think it looks like a tapestry.

as does this by Philip Coleman.

Pretty topical, this by Tim Smith,

 

so is this which I've slipped in from my daughter's collection.

While Carole Drake promises us warmer days to come.