The interior courtyard. If only there were tables and chairs and a barista. I would totally have a coffee here, man.
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The interior courtyard. If only there were tables and chairs and a barista. I would totally have a coffee here, man.
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Ooo! Mysterious staircase!
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Ooo! Mysterious staircase!
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I know it's the wrong location, but for some reason this puts me in mind of Ever After.
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I know it's the wrong location, but for some reason this puts me in mind of Ever After.
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Armelle is far too tall for the servant doors. And just look at that scarlet frock! She's clearly of noble birth.
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Armelle is far too tall for the servant doors. And just look at that scarlet frock! She's clearly of noble birth.
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Omg, omg, omg! I know what this means! I've been to Paris, you see, so I TOTALLY know that this means tower, not tour. I rule at French, man.
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Omg, omg, omg! I know what this means! I've been to Paris, you see, so I TOTALLY know that this means tower, not tour. I rule at French, man.
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Uh... the Viking room?
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Uh... the Viking room?
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A note on the construction.
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A note on the construction.
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A well or an oubliette? Hmm...
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A well or an oubliette? Hmm...
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Look! It's a wee château, with its own tiny sun, even!
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Look! It's a wee château, with its own tiny sun, even!
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From the guide book: "dans la tour nord-ouest, vestiges d'un ancien parquet." Google translates that to: "in the tower north-west, the remnants of the former prosecutors." Hmm. I think we're going to need to go with 'parquet' in it's current, English usage of "...a floor composed of short strips or blocks of wood forming a pattern." I mean, I guess it would make it even more unique and, er, macabre if it was inlaid with lawyer bones, but it really just looked like wood.
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From the guide book: "dans la tour nord-ouest, vestiges d'un ancien parquet." Google translates that to: "in the tower north-west, the remnants of the former prosecutors." Hmm. I think we're going to need to go with 'parquet' in it's current, English usage of "...a floor composed of short strips or blocks of wood forming a pattern." I mean, I guess it would make it even more unique and, er, macabre if it was inlaid with lawyer bones, but it really just looked like wood.
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Prehistoric escargot.
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Prehistoric escargot.
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An early cheesemaking machine.
. . .
Ok, not really. I think it was some medieval torture device. Or maybe it was used by early chiropractors. Meh, same thing.
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An early cheesemaking machine.
. . .
Ok, not really. I think it was some medieval torture device. Or maybe it was used by early chiropractors. Meh, same thing.
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Armelle was bad and had to go stand in the corner.
Ok, that was a gimme joke. Had to be said. What's really going on is that this room has some pretty amazing acoustics. She stood in that corner and I stood in the one diagonally opposite of it and we could hear one another speaking in hushed tones, ooo! A plot to overthrow the local ruler was once discussed here during the middle of a meal or other important gathering. The conspirators had a chat across the room in the midst of the merriment.
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Armelle was bad and had to go stand in the corner.
Ok, that was a gimme joke. Had to be said. What's really going on is that this room has some pretty amazing acoustics. She stood in that corner and I stood in the one diagonally opposite of it and we could hear one another speaking in hushed tones, ooo! A plot to overthrow the local ruler was once discussed here during the middle of a meal or other important gathering. The conspirators had a chat across the room in the midst of the merriment.
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The lower portion of the well seen earlier. Alas, not an oubliette (that's such fun word to say!), just indoor plumbing.
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The lower portion of the well seen earlier. Alas, not an oubliette (that's such fun word to say!), just indoor plumbing.
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Beneath the main entry stairways.
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Beneath the main entry stairways.
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Ooo, maybe this is an oubliette!
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Ooo, maybe this is an oubliette!
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Ok, now begins the quick photos of Armelle's family's house as they are rushing me out the door to get to the airport. (Sorry for the reflection!)
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Ok, now begins the quick photos of Armelle's family's house as they are rushing me out the door to get to the airport. (Sorry for the reflection!)
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I think Armelle said she used to play out in this building when she was growing up. It was originally a pig or sheep house, I think. So cool and cute!
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I think Armelle said she used to play out in this building when she was growing up. It was originally a pig or sheep house, I think. So cool and cute!
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Le Château de Armelle! Now with satellite and dog included.
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Le Château de Armelle! Now with satellite and dog included.
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Such a sweet puppy doggy. :)
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Such a sweet puppy doggy. :)
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The oh, so scenic driveway. Wow. SO beautiful, everything there. Just lovely!
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The oh, so scenic driveway. Wow. SO beautiful, everything there. Just lovely!
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Ah, my last day in Bordeaux! Armelle came with me to see the nearby Château de Duras. We had lots of fun walking around taking pictures. Things were a bit rushed, however, as I had a flight to get to. Didn't have time for the silly multimedia presentation (in French) with animatronic figures in period costume and such. But did manage to walk through the whole thing!
I totally forgot to take pictures of the interior of her parents' house, drat! At the last minute I was running around with my camera getting the kitchen and a bit of the gardens. I utterly missed the super cool 3rd floor, which is half attic, half bedrooms (actual, separate rooms) where her brothers lived while growing up. Man, that place is so awesome. It's just begging for a mystery or fantasy story to unfold. I mean, it's exactly the sort of place you'd find a magical wardrobe or even some long lost documents belonging to the Knights Templar or something. It's really, really great.
I'll see if she'll let me come back with my Canon. ;)
Anyway, thanks, Armelle and family! Awesome trip!
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You crack me up with your fabulous French knowledge ("tour") and musings about lawyer bones, not to mention obliettes, whatever they are! Really good photos and commentary. Lucky you are that royalty in scarlet frocks lets you hang about with them!
