It would be hard not to love the chateau - from the windows of the ground floor grand salon with its comfy sofas and grand piano you can see the chateau vineyards. Family photos line the piano and there's one of the late British Queen Mutoo. I tell him they have a photo of her at the Chateau du Lude not too far away. "She certainly seems to have got around" I say and he tells me she loved France and made many private visits.
Another photo is of the Duke's wife, a former ballet dancer with the Vienna ballet, in it she is being held aloft by a male dancer in tights "not me" the Duke says hastily. In the chapel is his wife's wedding dress and press cuttings showing their fairy tale wedding. It's an intimate view of the life of an historic chateau that you don't often get.
En route to the wine cellar for a tasting of the wine that the Duke produces from his vineyards, we spot a dog looking longingly at us through a door. The Duke lets him out and the friendly dog is exuberant, panting with pleasure to meet new people.
"19" says the Duke "behave".
Clockwise from top left: Sitting room, kitchen 1, dining room, theatre, kitchen 2