We took a short break to Bagnoles de l'orne, and while there we went to visit the chateau at Carrouges. Well worth the trip if you have the slightest interest in things historical.
The route that we took meant that we approached the gatehouse via a road that leads down to it, giving a good view of it in the context of the chateau. The gatehouse was almost completely destroyed during world war 2 when a german ammunition truck was blown up near it and set it on fire. Not much survived beyond the ground floor walls, the rest was rebuilt in the original style after the war.
The castle iteslf is notable for the fact that is is made almost entirely out of brick. It was acquired by the state in 1936 when the owner couldn't pay the taxes. Is that theft? You decide. Perhaps the WEF "Own nothing and be happy" has deeper roots than I thought. In any case, enormous sums of taxpayer money are being invested in its restauration, and at least you can visit it, for a small fee.
The chateau interior is well-presented, with well-furnished rooms and clear explanitary notices. You can visit the grounds for free, (a UNESCO heritage site) but being the end of November, the weather was not encouraging.
I especially liked this HarryPotter style lockable chest. I think that it could be animated to good effect for a film. I wonder what the key looks like.
