Lovely warm morning. C+P enjoy the leisure of no having to rush away from a France Passion. We say goodbye to the owners and drive back through Cravant les Coteaux, stopping at the boulangerie for bread and goodies.

Pretty ride to L'ile-Bouchard to use the service point and supermarket then along more pretty roads of vineyards and farms to the chateau at Usse. We have lunch then Ali, Chris and Paul go fo 'a quick look' at the chateau. The quick look turns into a full two and a half hours visit.

Usse was the inspiration for the Tale of Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault and this historic monument clearly exploits this connection for visitors. Within some of its upper floors in the towers, passages of the book are brought to life with scenes using life sized models set within the chateau's rooms.

High in the lofts there are views of the substantial carpentry structures and many dust-covered discarded items previously used by chateau residents. Out on the balconies there are panoramic views of the formal gardens, green grass and red and begonias.

In the lower living quarters the chateau displays its grandeur, with palacial rooms decorated with mannequins in period costume which bring a sense of scale to the rooms and add to its 'lived-in' ambience.

After the visit it's a quick drive down the road to the Maurice Dufresne Museum, arriving only minutes before the 17:00 deadline.

Once the last visitors have left it's a quiet night among the poplar trees except for the wind blowing through the leaves.