French chateau experts: where is this?
 

Hi all,

Does anyone know where these photos could have been taken?
I think it might be in France or in Belgium.

Thanks a lot for your help!

http://tinypic.com/r/nybouo/5
http://tinypic.com/r/34jf3np/5

That is Azay-le-Rideau.

Both of them?

@kerouac and Dukey1

Thanks for taking the time to help me.

Though Azay-le-Rideau looks like it, I think it's not entirely the same?

http://travelinitiative.files.wordpr...-le-rideau.jpg

This chateau has a lot more ornaments. The building in my photo is a bit more boring..

Any other ideas?

I do not believe these are photos of Azay-le-Rideau. This structure is much older than is Azay-le-Rideau which was build of larger limestone blocks, has larger windows, and much more ornate detail in the window casements and roof trim.

There is not much to really evaluate in this singular profile of photo 1 but I should guess the construction is early 18th century if not the 17th century. The ironwork in photo 2 looks more typically 19th century and the rising terrain in the background is not typical of that which is found in the Loire Valley. With the exception of châteaux built along the banks of the Loire: Blois, Chaumont, Amboise, Langeais, etc. most of the others are on relatively flat ground.

The moat in picture 2 looks a great deal larger than the moat in picture 1 but these two photos are probably of the same location. The walls around the moat look identical in both pictures. Interestingly, the moat wall in picture 2 look as though it has flood lights in it which would indicate that this is a location of some notability. However, I am very sure however it is not Azay le Rideau.

Sarastro is correct, I do not believe that it is Azay-le-Rideau for the reasons he states, and I suspect that the hills of the second picture also argue against the Loire valley.

I wonder if that water in the second picture is actually a moat or part of some garden feature.

Are we even certain it is in France?

Actually, the very simple reason that I understood that it is not Azay-le-Rideau after all is because the windows have shutters.

It's not Azay - it's not made of tufa rock. Azay and the Loire Valley chateaus are made of white tufa, which is soft (hence the innumerable "ornaments" in most of them).

It looks kind of périgourdin to me, especially the shutters, but I can't think of one that has a moat like that.

the first one looks rather Belgian for some reason - the rough stones I guess.

The rooflines are very SW France. The rest? Hard to tell, as it looks like it's been carefully restored.

Medieval Périgord chateaux tend to be upgraded with Renaissance cross-like windows similar to the ones in Azay-le-Rideau, not with a single stone lintel between the two windows.

the trees in the background of the first one look very Belgian - wind breaks border fields - I'll go for Belgium.

outfalling - why is this such a big deal for you? Just being curious not negative!

ttt