Grand entrance (Farm series #3)

This is a fantastic example of an enormous fortress-farm in the village of Thorembais-les-Beguines. It's easily one of the largest fermes-en-carré in our area. From the outside it looks little changed from the 1600s when it was built. The arched wooden gates at the entrance alone are over 30 feet high and, alas, my convent school education was wasted on me because I cannot recognise the saint standing guard above the gate. The interior courtyard is easily the size of a football pitch and the barns and outbuildings are so vast that a herd of bull elephants would look lost in them.

The first farm I blipped is positively dainty in comparison.

I thought of standing a bit further away to get a broader shot of the farm, but changed my mind when I felt the north wind whipping across the fields and right into my kidneys like daggers. Two minutes outdoors and I could no longer feel my fingers or toes. Today we have a high of minus 9 Celsius here and colder weather and more snow are on the way.