DOMAINE DE LA GRAUSSE.
In 1772, the Vicomte de la Grausse abandoned his ancient Chateau Fort, circa 12th Century, built on a rocky bluff to defend the narrow pass into his valley.
Re-using a lot of the stones and wooden beams from the old chateau fort, he built a small rural chateau, complete with a fortified tower and a magnificent wooden spiral staircase, on the valley floor just below the rock face.
Today, Domaine de la Grausse is a 17 acre estate, and the chateau has been fully restored and modernised.
It lies in a small tranquil valley surrounded by wooded hills, wild-flower meadows, green pastures and bordered by a bubbling tree-shaded brook.
In front of the chateau is a small lake. It is fed from one of several springs on the estate and overflows into the brook, which accounts for its clarity.
It is delightfully refreshing to swim in, accompanied by irradiant blue damselflies and dragonflies hovering all around and swifts and martins swooping down to drink on the wing. And, thanks to a 'choir' of little green frogs, there are no mosquitoes!!