Grand

I passed by this gateway on my way to SarahAtSpotty's open day at her framing workshop and just had to stop to take a photo. (As I walked up to it, camera at the ready, a pair of goldfinches fluttered away, far too quickly for me to even try to get a photo.) It's very grand, but the big park inside is completely neglected. It must date to the glory days of the wine trade here. Go large to see the carved faces above the gate and the fine wrought iron tracery.

Sarah had invited a couple of people to display artworks and other crafts, and I somehow came away with four very lovely greetings cards of watercolour prints, including one of Alaric that I just had to have. 

It was nice to get out to an area I don't often visit even though it's just the other side of Lézignan; the Minervois is not far away from the Corbières, but the landscape is quite different, with soft rolling hills and vines that are somehow neater and more regimented. It was a lovely drive back too. Make the most of it ... torrential rain predicted for tomorrow.