PREFACE

The Chateau of My Dreams

They say “An Englishman’s home is his castle”. I’m an Englishman, but with Francophile tendencies. So for me there are no castles, just chateau.

Situated in southern France, it sits in a lush green meadow, on the western side of a small river, which follows a narrow valley’s southerly course. Part of the eastern side of the chateau sits on a stone bridge like structure, which juts out almost halfway across the river, creating an effect reminiscent of Chenonceau, in the Loire valley. Just two hundred meters to the south, the river cuts through a white sandy beach, to empty itself into the clear blue Mediterranean sea.

The eastern slope of the valley is rugged garigue, which is generously endowed with wild lavender, rosemary and thyme. The Western side, once similar, has now been tamed and planted with top quality grapevines. Clusters of fragrant pine trees cling to the top of both the eastern and western ridges. To the north the valley bends sharply westwards, but this is hidden from view by a dense deciduous forest, which is the home of wild boar, deer and the occasional wolf.

A tarmacadamed driveway follows the course of the river across the meadow from the forest. The driveway leads under the stone arches of the gatehouse, into the chateau courtyard, where the tarmac gives way to flagstones. In the centre of the courtyard is a large round stone trough, which is kept full of water by the gushing ornate fountain in its centre.

The chateau itself is Louis XIV era and it’s fortifications are for show rather than defence. There are three tall cylindrical towers, topped by grey slate conical roofs, almost worthy of being used as a set for a Cinderella movie. A small manicured garden in the style of the grounds of Versailles palace occupies the flat ground between the chateau and the base of the valley’s western slope.

It is impossible to say that my Chateau has a front or a back. Each of the four sides could be the front or the back, depending on ones mood. Generally you could say that which is the front and which is the back of the building is determined by the season.

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