"+LIFE IN THE FRENCH+ +COUNTRY HOUSE+" by mark girouard >is a an extremly valuable examination of life inside the french chateaux with many exellent graphic illustrations. +OUR DUKE de CHOISEUL's >CHATEAU CHANTELOUP AND (near amboise >ADJACENT COW PALACE >is shown in a painting on pp 274-75 and reveals the duke's love for +F A R M I N G+ >i immediately thought of lou reminding us of the degruy penchant for chickens +& SYLVIA'S INTEREST IN COWS+ >THE FRENCH COLONIAL PLANTATION & THE FRENCH COUNTRY CHATEAU were in addition to being elegent country houses were also to varying degrees working +F A R M S+ +WITH COWS AND CHICKENS+ >we must remember marie antoinette was a great farming enthusiast >AND THE DUKE de CHOISEUL WAS (friend of both marie de antoin- ette & madam de pompadoer) >SO ARDENT HE BUILT THIS HUGE COW PALACE W/ A FLAT ROOF >so guests had a roof terrace to (GIANT, PURE BRED) >meditate on 120 swiss cows >WHICH I BELIEVE WERE PROBABLY ( right place, right time ) >PURCHASED FROM OUR VERY OWN +COUNT de GRUYERE+ >cows in gruyere are of course >VIRTUALLY SACRED< >how well i remember these magnificent pure bred cows of gruyere and each >WITH ITS PERSONALISED BELL<. >in september marianne and i are planning a safari to france and (LOIRE & CHAMPAGNE) +we shall stay in the duke de choiseuls chateau near +A M B O I S E+ >not chanteloupe but another one +CHATEAU de PRAY+ >THIS CHATEAU WAS THE COUNTRY RESIDENCE OF SEVERAL MEMBERS of the french royal court which shall be interesting to study. "LOUISE de SAVOY" >i have just discovered that louise de savoy, mother of king francois 1st, >( de GRUYERE RELATED)< >lived in the chateau clos luce at amboise before leonardo. >THIS CHATEAU PROBABLY HOUSED (8 years as apprentice knight) >MICHAEL deGRUYERE AS A YOUNG STUDENT AT THE FRENCH COURT. >the choiseul dukes had many chateaux AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO STAY AT THE CHATEAU CHOISEUL-STAINVILLE which is n. of magny fouchard some distance in the meuse >THIS CHATEAU WAS ALSO HOME TO +THE DUKES OF LORRAINE+ >and this history important to us. +LANGRES WALLED CITY+ >of the middle ages is southeast of +MAGNY FOUCHARD+ >and 15 km north of the ancient +CHATEAU de PRANGEY+ >which is where we shall probably stay on the sept. photo safari. +G O D W I L L I N G+ +NEW FACTS OF IMPORTANCE+ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 1) the choiseul chateaux date from the 14th century but it is etienne francois de choiseul (pr,shweesul) 1719 -1785 who has caught my attention as he >WAS FRENCH EMBASIDOR TO THE DUCHY OF>HANAULT< (dutch gruyere branch) and he was marquis of stainville- >SEC. OF STATE FOR LOUIS XV< lorraine having dealings with the +PRINCE OF GRIMALDI+ (monaco/les baux) (VALENTINOIS) >the most fascinating connection for us is his history fighting to save THE KINGDOM OF NAVARRE (jeanne de albret) >FOR FRANCE WITH OUR +DUKE de ALBRET+ guess who his ally in that conflict was +THE DUKE de PAMPELUME+ (later navarre) >+( PAMPLOMA )+< +JEAN 2nd de PAMPLUME+ #38 in the ahnenfafel of +ANTOINE JEAN BAPTISTE VALENTIN+ +VERLOIN de GRUY+ was the husband of charlotte de gennes they were +LORD & LADY OF deEPOTHEMONT+ in about 1550 >ANOTHER STRONG CONNECTION OF THE VERLOIN deGRUY to +EUROPEAN ROYALTY+ gene ray, san diego, california