Chateau de la Roche Courbon

Had another lazy morning and then headed out to the Chateau de la Roche Courbon in the afternoon. This is another place we went to 24 years ago when we were on our honeymoon.

When we bought our tickets, we were offered a special tour of the pigeonnier. It was a special heritage weekend where the friends of the chateau were doing special behind the scenes tours. We declined, thinking it would nice to wander on our own. We were wandering towards the grounds when one of the 'Friends' who was about to start the tour nabbed us and manage to persuade us to go with him. I think he was getting desperate for takers.

In the end it was a great tour - we got to go into the bits of the chateau occupied by the family that own it and had an extensive explanation of how the possession of a pigeonnier was a status symbol and bad news for the tenants of the farms around the chateau. The pigeons were allowed to eat their crops but the peasants could not catch and eat the pigeons. I managed to translate most of the guide's talk and it was very interesting. The guy was lovely.

We then headed into the grounds for a look round on our own. Some of the views of the chateau from the lakes were spoiled by tables, chairs, wine and food being brought in for a wedding by lots of vans. It was still lovely and we walked along one of the avenues further from the chateau trying to photograph the numerous butterflies and dragonflies. The guide had told us that a peregrine was nesting in the castle walls and we actually saw it land on the head of one of the statues - an unexpected bonus. There was also a wild bees nest in one of the chateau's ornamental plinths.

We walked down to the caves in the chateau grounds and managed to disturb a few bats.

Managed a moonlight swim before the England match - Skyped with the boys again during a fairly dull match.