A French chateau and a sign which makes my heart beat faster

Over at the Our Beautiful World blog, the prompt this week is SIGNAGE. Aaaah, there is one sign which always makes my heart beat faster. Want to know what that could possibly be? LOL, if you know me and have been following for some time, then you can probably guess -

Of course you got it right, it is a brocante sign! Whether it is a sign to a brick and mortar shop or a handwritten note pointing the way to a brocante held in the street or a field, doesn't matter, it makes my heart beat faster.

And that brings me quite neatly to the next subject. We went to a brocante in Vandenesse on Sunday, and as we entered the town, I spotted this oh so pretty little chateau -

Couldn't stop to photograph it then, had to get to the brocante, lol, but we did stop on the way back. There was this huge long drive leading up to it, didn't seem private as lots of brocante visitors had parked there, so I took a little womble up to the chateau. This archway seemed to lead to the main part of the chateau, as it had a Propriete Privee notice on it -

In front of the archway, however, was a huge circular drive and to the left this enormous building which looked much more like the proper part of the chateau -

I just love the iron bands around the tower. Do you think there were really needed to hold the tower in shape :-) ?

How I love round towers! They are just fairy tale stuff -

Back to the archway to the private part of the property -

The studded doors are magnificent -

Of course I had to respect the privacy of the owners and couldn't just go through the archway, but I did have to take a quick pic, because I spotted a fabulous old zinc slipper bath by their door! -

Sometimes I wish I was a little braver and would dare to knock on the owners' doors and ask whether I could take photographs. Sigh. I am too timid.

Have a wonderful week wherever you are, toodlepip xxx