Love at first sight

So on the 28th February after a long 12 hour drive the previous day I am in France to look at yet another chateau, but this time it is different - I have a good feeling about this one. It seems to have everything that we want. It sits in nearly 50 acres of parkland, forrest and also has a small lake. The style is great too and it is old, parts of it date from at least 1250.  The viewing is at 11am and I am to to meet Godefroid the agent who has already told me in an email that the price is not negotiable - price is always negotiable and especially with these chateaux because they have usually been on the market for a year or so with the owner now ken to take offers!  I

have however agreed that I can arrive an hour earlier to walk around the land and many outbuildings. As I drive up the approach road to the chateau it is amazing, it looks fantastic - I love it! It does look a bit tired, a grand old  that has seen better days but still with so much class. There is so much land, I explore it all and then decide to check the forrest too. After 30 minutes of wondering through the trees I decide it is time to come out and head in the way I think the chateau lies. I arrive at an ancient wall over looking a garden of a house that I do not recognise - I am lost!! Thank god for google maps which helps me to orientate myself and eventually find

my way out! From the edge of the forrest the chateau looks great, amazing. At 11am Godefroid arrives and we talk a little about the chateau, one of my first questions to Godefroid is "how long has the chateau been for sale?"....... "two weeks"...... shit!! negotiation is going to be hard if it has only just come onto the market. Any way we go inside, it is dry but very dark. Once we open a few windows and let the light in two large salons come to life. Everywhere is old and untouched in almost 20 years but I am looking at it not as it is now but how it could look when brought back to life. There are three different parts, what much have been the original building with the two round "pepper pot" towers, then an addition which according to the date on one of the wooden pillars is 1769 and then finally a newer wing from the 1800's. Some rooms are in a right mess with plaster

falling from the walls and ceilings, other rooms are almost habitable. The views across the lawns from the upper windows are amazing, there are original old iron window fittings too. There is great potential here but soooo much renovation work. As the viewing ends I tell Godefroid that I am definitely interested and that I wil be in touch by email once I have spent a few days thinking about what I have seen. In reality I want it and am trying not to be too enthusiastic! Yep love at first sight.