Chateau Artigny

Sunflower happiness

In rows, they grow

Village gardens

Loire River and rooftops from a chateau window

At Chateau Artigny

After eighty five days of never staying in one place for more than two or three days, since we left Tianjin, China it was a pleasure to have a base at Chateaux Artigny, just out of Richelieu, some two hours south east of Paris, for the past week. The chateau is located on the edge of the Loire Valley where it seems chateaux and quaint stone villages are around every corner. Superb grounds, gardens and fields of sunflowers hit the eye wherever you look. Van Gogh sure knew about the beauty of the humble sunflower. Planted in rows they look like lines of happy, little faces who chase the sun and bow their heads whenever it is overcast. In full sunshine they amuse, delight and inspire.

Chateaux Artigny is the home of a charming and fun loving, Dutch born but now global, couple Emmeke and Robert, friends of Dave and Laurel. They opened their home to us and made us so welcome. The chateau is situated in 25 acres of gardens and mostly forest. It has a moat typical of most chateaux where the ducks and frogs orchestrate a crazy cacophony each evening.

Chateau Artigny was built in the mid 1500s and was later extended in 1850. For three hundred years it was the home to the Mondions. When the last Count died in the 1960s it passed to a distant relative and basically fell into disrepair. Robert and Emmeke purchased the property in 2001 and for the last nine years they have painstakingly restored it. They say it is a life time’s work but their enthusiasm, energy and love for the place is inspiring. The chateau has fourteen bedrooms, a chapel, stables and lots of interesting nooks, rooms with concealed doors and basement space.

Chateau Artigny provided a great back drop for all of us to do our own thing, for a few days, which seemed to involve lots of long lunches, dinners and coffee stops. When in France do as the French do.

Dave and Laurel’s four sons and two of their partners joined us which was a real celebration for Dave and Laurel who have spent years of their life dreaming this dream and now it is nearly complete. We had a black and white party where a local caterer provided a huge meal for thirty of us with enough food to feed eighty. The banquet included a pig on the spit.

In keeping with the tradition of the Peking to Paris run we were asked to dress in black and white. Dave and Peter vied for the best headdress. Dave wearing a black African chief’s head gear and Peter wearing a Uzbek “afro” type headdress which he seems incredibly attached to.

Peter presented awards to each car. Red Car got “the shopaholic award” and I wasn’t even trying! One award was “the worst prepared car” and NO, it didn’t go to Yellow or Red cars.

The other awards were “the spit the dummy award”, “the getting lost award,” the” late arrival and departure award” and the ” most bonnet up” award. Dave won an Olympic gold medal for organising the event. Thanks Dave, you are a real CHAMP!

The ladies had a great time with Emmeke as she is a collector extraordinaire. She buys and sells antiques, including old jewellery, a lot of which is made of old French crystal. A pity we didn’t have space in our little cars for anything of real size or significance.

We left Chateau Artigny very relaxed knowing that this adventure is almost over, as the time has almost come, but I have a head FULL of the happiest memories where endorphins and adrenaline nearly always ruled.

Gates: Chateau Artigny

The Chapel at Chateau Artigny

Bastille Day Dinner

The team leaves Chateau Artigny