CHATEAU DE FLECHERES

Yet another chateau today, we went to the nearby Chateau de Flecheres.  We had never visited this chateau and so we didn't know what to expect, but it was a pleasant surprise.

The people who own Cormatin also own Flecheres.  I am very impressed by the outstanding restoration they have undertaken and the quality of 17th century furnishings they have acquired for both chateaux.

This chateau, built in 1606, offers some excellent wall murals painted in 1632 by the Italian artist, Pietro Ricchi.  The murals were discovered when some damaged wall paneling was removed so that it could be replaced.  After studying the old records it was learned that Ricchi spent a whole year painting murals on the walls, so more work was done in the mansion and many beautiful and interesting wall murals were discovered.  Several rooms have been restored and some areas are still under restoration.

First we visited the kitchen rooms, which were underneath the main chateau.  They had some very interesting medieval kitchen tools, including a cabbage shredder, a multi-slicer, some wicked looking (but blunt) cleavers and bedwarmers hanging by the enormous fireplace.  There was also a large, and apparently well-stocked, wine cellar.

After touring several bedrooms and sitting rooms and enjoying the artwork and wall murals, and appreciating the original parquet floor which as been reacquired at a cost of $35K  we went out into the gardens.  The kids played in the maze and we walked around the grounds, enjoying the moat, the grand entrance and the kitchen garden.