Chateau de Azay-le-Rideau

As the Chateau is only 200 metres from our campsite, it would be almost criminal not to visit.
Building work was started in 1510 to turn the existing fortress at Azay-le-Rideau into a pretty Chateau in the Italian style
Unfortunately, once it was completed, the King confiscated building from the original owner and gave it to one of his friends. The Raffin family then lived in the Chateau for another 200 years.
It is a beautiful building set in the middle of a lake, although it is a bit run down and damaged in parts.
There is an intricately carved staircase at the main entrance, and Daz looks as if he is acting out a scene from Romeo and Juliet. (To be fair to him, I did make him pose there for the picture.)