so having a whole room is absolutely
priceless,” says Corrigan.
Even the gardens offer “rooms” of their
own. As you step out of the limestone
walls of the chateau the formal gardens
(parterre) begin, with “green rooms” drawn
in a maze of boxwood and garnished
with assorted sculptures and a glistening
antique waterfall. Descend a level to find
a section of exotic gardens that offer
unexpected tropical plants, followed by
kitchen gardens, replete with squares of
planted fruits and vegetables. Past the
gardens, the enchanted landscape unfolds
into an ungroomed, natural terrain with a
lake and a 42-acre wooded park.
The chateau is its own private sanctuary,
but nestled up against the property on one
side, just outside its main gates, is a small
village — a common occurrence given
the economic abutment of wealth a grand
estate brings. “My favorite thing about the
chateau is you can walk outside the gates
and get a baguette or a croissant at the
bakery,” says Corrigan. “On the property,
it’s like your little country, but then outside
you have this wonderful village. You get the
best of both worlds. It’s definitely one of
the best selling points.”
With
symmetrical,
classical
French
architecture that achieves an ideal “peak
standard of beauty,” and an interior that
Corrigan describes as a “comfortable”
signature touch in an otherwise formally
planned home, Chateau du Grand-Lucé is
ready for its next owner and subsequent
part of history.
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