Speaking of old...

I was invited to lunch by a friend of a friend who owns a small castle near Brantome in the north of the Languedoc.

According to him they're a dime a dozen, with no less than four like this in this area alone. Good to know they're available should one feel like undertaking a lifelong renovation project!

This particular one dates back to the 14th century and comes complete with it's own well and turret - clearly if one was a rich landowner one needed somewhere to lock up one's errant daughters.

And this was the original wine vault which Steve has turned into a pool house. Even if you do own your own castle I suspect the cost of stocking a cellar of this size is fairly prohibitive, unless you happen to own your own vineyard to go with it. Shame.