We made a decision this morning after Lille to avoid staying in cities. We were forced to do this for the rail journeys but there was no reason with the car not to stay out in the countryside, so we used the booking.com map, zoomed into some green and found the Chateau de la Râpée and booked it. We had breakfast in a beautiful square in Arras. A croissant, a pain au raisin and two coffees for about seven euros. Got talking to a chap who had just done a festival weekend at the colliseum nearby. Headed through pretty roads to Beauvais visiting medieval villages and roman theatres. Wonderful. Super lunch of pan bagnat which is like a salad nicoise in a wide bun. Visited Beauvais cathedral which is quite shocking when it looms over you, after hiding for so long. We both exclaimed 'Oh my God' when we saw it so perhaps it does the trick!
It is architectural madness. The roof so high it has double sets of buttresses to keep it aloft. It has collapsed three times and remains unfinished. Opening the door, the a wind appears from nowhere behind you to fill the cavernous space. Birds fly unimpeded and it seems to have it's own atmosphere. Incredibly impressive in it's folly, sadly the other highlight which is a huge horological clock of 90000 working pieces was being renovated.
After this we headed lazily up the Seine valley to the chateau. We crunched up the gravel drive and were shown by friendly owner and, it turns out chef, to our huge room. Such a contrast to last night. We swam in the pool and sunbathed for a while reading our books, then dressed for dinner which was elaborate but relaxed. Highlight was my beef fillet with pomme anna. And a superb apple crepe with calvados sauce anglais. It's all about the apple here in Normandy. Service was gracious but slow. Sadly someone opened a window mid meal and we were attacked by flies which I managed to distract away from the table with a bread roll. We sat outside to watch the night sky, then wobbled to our bedroom to have, it turns out, serial nightmares. Must have been the local cheese.