Vintage furniture arrives for my study & Pavlina finds something creepy in the woods

The Chateau Diaries Episode 445 ✨🏰✨
Escape to the chateau with ’The Chateau Diaries’ 🏰
This channel follows the adventures of chatelaine Stephanie in her French 16th century home, the Chateau de Lalande, in the heart of rural France ❤️
We share our life in this ancient chateau in the heart of the French countryside, and show you the diy, renovations, crafts, cooking and gardening that are needed to bring a home like this to life!
A very special thank you to all of you who have become Patrons of the Chateau de Lalande. You have made The Chateau Diaries one of the top 400 Patreon accounts in the world, and have transformed not only our lives here, but the future of this beautiful chateau! I’m overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity. On behalf of this beautiful chateau that will continue to survive and flourish because of you, thank you!!!
If you're interested in becoming a Patron of The Chateau Diaries, click here: / thechateaudiaries
#chateau #chateaudelalande #château #chateaudiy

[@katherinecormack5727]

It is great to see Pavlina in her element - what a wonderful addition to the LaLande family.

[@SCNYC]

Pavelina seems so terrifically happy at De La Lande & I am always so happy to see her joyful face too.

[@foretb1162]

Regarding the cauldron and lid. I believe you have found the remnants of a "summer kitchen" either the bread oven or the outdoor oven period. Except it is in disrepair as it has crumbled on itself. I doubt someone could live "in the hole" unless a child. The 2nd item Pavlina picked up might have been used for canning summer produce - like a funnel for glass jars or earthenware amphora. Usually a summer kitchen was located far away from the main home kitchens so that the heat from the cooking would not be overwhelming in the chateau during sweltering hot spells....(no witchery pun intended)

[@dianayavetz6286]

Pavlina is the most beautiful, amazing woman. I so enjoy watching what she creates, helps with, dresses up with, etc, etc, etc!!

[@freedomwalksinbeauty]

The twisted stick is created by honeysuckle or another climbing plant attaching itself to a sapling to be carried up to the light as it grows. I find many in the woods and make walking sticks and wands to sell. Very beautiful, natural and a wee bit witchy too.

[@kathleensmith8365]

So interesting! It is beautiful as well as unique. Thanks for the information.

[@paulrosa6173]

Do you ,mean the vine becomes part of the tree? If so, trees don't reject foreign bodies? Because they're not protein? I've seen vines wrap but I've never seen them fused. Does the vine have to be dead to stop growing with the tree?

[@jennifercampbell7698]

Amaury would love making that branch into a walking stick

[@charisoutofTexas]

@@paulrosa6173 I bet those are good questions for Nick the tree surgeon.

[@carolsledgewalker6903]

The dogwoods in our forest have a lot of these twists. Caused by vines constricting the growth. Love them. We use them as walking sticks.

[@suzanneevans746]

Pavlina is just lovely😊

[@carolinebcollier]

I love Pavlina’s patriotism. Slava Ukraini! If you lived in Appalachia USA I’d think y’all had stumbled across an old still where someone once made moonshine.

[@MaryEllen_of_OBX]

That's a possibility

[@charisoutofTexas]

🤣🤣🤣

[@tinathene]

Pretty sure that was that. Could be rosehip moonshine and perhaps the neighbor knows…😂

[@UDUMBARA_Helsinki]

😂 Just what I was thinking, here too❣🥳

[@jennifercampbell7698]

?apple cider

[@sandrapugh1373]

I must say I started to get concerned when Pavlina took Stephanie into the woods with a saw. 🤣🤣🤣

[@clarefoskett9959]

Chop chop😢😢😢😢😊

[@sf9145]

The thought crossed my mind too but then I thought, "no, it's Pavlina". 🤣🤣🤣

[@CKLee-rs4kl]

LOL!

[@TheKonchesky]

Ha ha ha, yes, that and the random apple by the door.

[@shannonstone2690]

😂

[@ccoeurjoli]

Bonjour les heureux LaLanders, Pour l’étrange four à chaudron, je pensais à un four à charbons de bois 😉, à l’ancienne ! Si maintenant vous faites vous même votre charbon de bois pour le barbecue 😄 Ce cartonnier est ravissant 🤩, en plus de fournir de jolies surprises ! Nul doute qu’il sera bien rempli ! À bientôt ! 🌸🌸🌸

[@aleta5873]

"Can you ride it home ?" lol !!

[@katehobbs2008]

Nick the Magician! A man of many guises. He is also at Dan’s today.

[@peggydustin6607]

I watched a show that explained how to make clay tiles. The fire pit looked just like the pit you and Pavlina found. With openings on the roof and on the sides. Perhaps this was where your original tiles came from.?

[@junkogreene5644]

Pavlina and Stephanie's banter in the woods made me laugh out loud. A great way to start the day, thanks! It's wonderful to see Marie turning a corner flowers first, and Nick giving us a look at how that log splitter works. Fun!!!

[@EEN63]

Don’t wish to pick sides... but a lamp on top of your new filing chest would always allow a bit of extra light to help find or return the file to its rightful place. The fact that things will also look neat and tidy is just a plus! 😉🥰😍

[@stephaniedavis6531]

Nick's portable SAW MILL is a mechanical marvel.

[@debrasaumur6592]

Hahaha. “I’ll just take the saw, I’ll be more comfortable with that.” Hahaha Stephanie you and Pavlina are hilarious!

[@laughalot61]

this is an ancient fire pit. the fire in the middle, and the openings in the surround keep air flow to feed the fire .its beautiful 😎

[@joycesalamone4601]

Love Nick. He is the hardest worker and a genius.

[@boucephales]

The kiln might be for lime - “Lime kilns were constructed to convert limestone to quicklime, by burning it. Quicklime was used in construction for mortar, plaster and limewash, but mostly it was used as a dressing on fields to reduce the acidity of the soil.”

[@oldmaninthewood]

Hi, the hazel Pavlina found is caused by wild honeysuckle growing round it when it's very young, almost cutting into the stem. As the tree grows, it swells over the parts where the honeysuckle isn't wrapped round it, giving that beautiful corkscrew effect

[@elaineguest926]

Just love Nick at work , what a guy .

[@annettebaker4357]

I just love Nick too,❤ He is one of those people that makes life more interesting!

[@kitkahley2575]

Pavlina, you are blossoming! Stephanie, you are a marvel of empathy. And clearly your love and persistence is an inspiration to others. The château demands thoughtful care and maintence. Your oversight provides a home and a refuge. The vagaries of life are kept in perspective when community is strong and interdependent. Bravo! Brava! Bellissima!

[@jac1797]

If you pick the rose hips and lay them out to dry you can save them in jars and then make rose hip tea. It's the highest form of vitamin C that you can find in nature besides citrus.

[@sarahyates6055]

There’s something quite mesmerising about watching Nick at work but especially when he’s chopping wood!

[@vickinoeske1154]

The cooking pit is awesome! And, Pavlina's stick is truly magical. We need to hear ghost/witch/scary stories from the Ukraine. ❤

[@amyeaton4467]

I wonder if there are maple trees around. it could be where they cooked down the sap for maple syrup.

[@vickinoeske1154]

@@amyeaton4467 Good thought.

[@lynneh9744]

I'd love to hear some old folklore, herbal remedies etc, from Pavlina too. You can just tell she is a child of nature and happiest outdoors.

[@tadeuszoltarzewski]

Lamp wins every time😀sorry Stephanie😂 ❤Mrs O England 🇬🇧

[@elisabeth6108]

I think Nick may have become a forester/landscaper/hardscaper because he realized it would entail the ownership of the maximum number of engines. And he is a master of them all! Always interesting to watch his precision work.

[@patrickdemarcevol]

'Bubble bubble toil and trouble', says Stephanie, a quote from Shakespear's sonnets. You should listen to these sonnets sung by Cleo Laine, the most incredible British jazz singer from the 60's and 70's. An extremely rare find. I'm very proud to own the LP which is now an incunabula

[@lyndablack3438]

Pauline is such a delightful person.xx❤

[@chrischute]

I love seeing Pavlina. She is so beautiful and cheerful

[@valerielester7210]

I have been a wallpaper enthusiast my whole life. I am not a blue person, but that wallpaper in your downstairs bathroom may be the most beautiful paper I have ever seen. With that gorgeous mirror your bathroom is breathtaking! I wish you would go in there do a project and continuesly show us the bathroom for several minutes as you work. It is just so inspirational. ( the frogs are perfect in there too)

[@debbiebroughton8325]

Maybe a charcoal pit, lots of big estates had there own in the woods x🇬🇧❤️

[@marilynkarriker4514]

Love hearing from Lalande almost everyday. Hi all

[@lukehartman9386]

Me too! Hi Marilyn! Keri💜

[@endeavouringit]

Me too !!!!!

[@Ago2904]

Me four❤

[@suepopoff3159]

🤗🇨🇦

[@nuttienattie1]

Absolutely x

[@risalangdon9883]

I love the concept of the vintage filing cabinet. But for bill / invoices etc. It doesn't seem practical. However, to use for crafts or your sewing would be a whole different story!! lol. Nothing like romancing the ordinary with office décor.

[@wendymorrison5803]

The fire/stove in the woods may have been built by seasonal workers. Foresters, harvest workers etc. To slow cook a midday meal. Reused every year.

[@kungazopa2831]

Nick is the coolest dude!

[@josephinetetley-jones2727]

Lovely lovely cabinet! Funny Pavlina! I love finding old things to wonder about in the woods, as long as there are no skeletons! Sorry I watch too many muder mysteries!😀

[@amysimonbiz]

Stephanie, you should ask Nick about what trees are surrounding the cauldron. The trees could be Maple trees. What they used to do (Maybe they still do, I honestly don’t know how they do it now.) is after they harvested it in buckets off the wooden “taps” in the tree they would boil it in a large scale operation until the syrup reached a certain temperature and consistency before they would cool it down and then can it or however they kept their food staples:)! Or it could be near an old barn and the fire was for the farrier or blacksmith fire:). Anyways, it’s fascinating what you can find in the woods. Much love and positive vibes from across the ocean in the US State of Montana. ✨💖✨

[@ludovica8221]

Sugar maple isnt native to Europe

[@frankiesfrog1354]

Love Pavleena, so sweet and has grown so much in confidence! Phillip your a sweetheart but boy your a perfectionist!!!

[@aixucruc]

Stephanie you are sooo inspiring! You bring me a lot of energy with your positivity! Your videos are great and you know how to manage a château. You have the French chic and the British culture. Merci beaucoup de partager une partie de ton quotidien :-)

[@gnarbeljo8980]

My mum has a few young Rowan trees that are twisted like that due to tons of eild honeysuckle on the other side of the border of her property. Honeysuckle is lovely when flowering but incredibly invasive and will wrap around any vertical plant near it and suffocate it in the process if not chopped down, I do it every year, and it grows back fast! That fire pit loojs like it's been carefully built with stones from the ground up, to be fired inside (that flat lid for the opening on the side, the large round one for tge opening up top in the center (like a wood burning kitchen stove). It's too far away from the chateau to be used for regular household needs like boiling linnen, and seems to have been in use not too far back in time, definately in the 20th century, although might be made earlier. So the question is, for what use? I'm thinking if the Chateau had hunters and woodsmen who used it to cook meals for seasonal gatherings (work) it would have been alot further away from the Chateau, so I'm very curious. Ask older locals, they probably know! Do share if you find out! I'd clear it from debris if I were you, to get a look at how it was, and see if you find more clues. It's a smart way to have a fire in the woods without the threat of wildfire spreading, which is always a risk with an open fire even with a simple stone border. Also way easier to light a fire in the snowy, damp wintertime. The cauldron isn't bigger than it would be used for food, and it's certainly not a foundry or thered be remnants of structures nearby and more to it than that... 🤔 Rosehips! The best thing you can eat for arthritis and a vitimin C boost that puts oranges to shame! Pick them and dry them! Once pitted and dry you can grind them up at take two heaping tablespoons as a fantastic daily supplement for better joint health, a month down the line you should feel the difference! Also good to make soup from to eat hot and sweetened, with a dollop of thick cream and little macaroons (Nordic tradition and so warming and good for breakfast or a warming snack). You can use the powder on your yoghurt (has a slightly sour flavour) or put pieces of dried fruit in your tea, very healthy. That cabinet is awesome! 😍👌

[@teepeeX]

Pavlina is not only beautiful but clever and funny x

[@TubeDeJohn]

Cartonniere is a great piece of french furniture. Always learning something new when watching. Thank you.

[@lunalouhoo]

Pavelina is such a delight!

[@lorelebeverland5585]

You mentioned clay and granite in the area. It resembles a clay kiln, possibly. Or some kind of kiln. Found some online with and without holes on the top.

[@ehpeachylove]

I just love Pavlina. Her laughter and mischievous ways are endearing. How exciting to find the cauldron. Nick is one of a kind. So fun to watch. Hard working for sure and a huge asset to LaLand and Dan. His knowledge of trees and the health of the forest at both château’s is amazing. Comes from all the years of working with them. That cauldron could be used somewhere in the garden with plants growing out of it. Love the curling wood and would be a fab walking stick. ❤❤❤

[@Zillah82]

All those rose hips can be dried and used for tea. Rose hip tea is great for a girl's time of the month for alieviating cramps.

[@gayebickle1725]

I love the find of the cauldron. Maybe you should investigate that further.

[@normamurray4450]

Gosh, I hope Pavlina will be unearthing the caldron Stephanie! What a great branch you found Pavlina! Nick the wondrous woodsman is a clever man! I love the 'different' filing cabinet...makes perfect sense!

[@sandicarpenter2658]

Loving Pavlina's woodland finds!! Well Done Philip.......Sandi x

[@Adriana_mg]

I love Pavlina’s find! How cool is that, all covered in moss. Very witchy indeed 😊

[@aletverster]

I just love that you've been living in the chateau for several decades, and you're still discovering new mysterious places!

[@mavep2855]

Mysterious fire pit! It could be a very spooky Halloween this year at LaLande. Thanks for the daily Stephanie🙏🏼❤️

[@laurenglass4514]

Equipment is a miracle. So wonderful to have the right equipment and the people that know how to use it!

[@florentinalily]

What happened during the war at lalande? perhaps someone was hiding out in the woods..the Maquis? Thanks for the vlog; another joy

[@jillipepper5353]

A teaspoon of Rose hip jelly is the equivalent of 6 oranges for vitamin C content. You pick them after the first frost and I prefer jelly to jam, way too seedy for me. The cauldron in the woods might have been to make soap with lye and ash so it would have been stinky and undesirable in the house or…….it might have been part of a still making moonshine. 😂🤣 you’ll have to be on the lookout for foxes, ravens, black cats and owls come Halloween. 🧛🏼🧟🧙🏽🧌🧛‍♀️

[@sharongaines3043]

What a beautiful filing cabinet, it with grace any room with its presence. At bit like you Steph. A thing of beauty what graces any room. Xx

[@jefflawrentz1624]

What a cool piece of furniture you have! That’s such a practical and beautiful way to store important papers. I enjoyed seeing the cauldron and fire pit. I wonder if the cauldron could possibly date back to 1600s? It looked to be a bit large for cooking. I think it would be a great curiousity for your collection of historical artifacts of Lalonde’s past, like the remnants of the old fireplace in the grotto under your terrace. Such super cool finds!!

[@antonellaarcadolan6004]

A daily dose of reassurance, there is beauty in this world❤

[@energygirl9588]

It is a smokeless fire pit. The holes create ventilation. Fire in the middle. Google or KZbin them. People still build them.

[@lovereikiASMR222]

A cauldron in the woods!!! Wow! Very mysterious! Can't wait to walk in the La Lande woods one day. Love to all xx

[@Kiwichick138]

I think you should uncover the moss etc on the firepit to see what it is and how old? Might be worth knowing historically?

[@CarlHood-k4l]

Hi Stephanie! I really love having you guys around every evening since you’ve started doing dailies. I always look forward to seeing progress on the restoration of the chateau! She has come so far. Since day one of viewing C D’s I have dreamed of her new facade. I thought for sure it would happen over the summer, but now it appears that another year will slip away without her new appearance. Are there any words of encouragement on the situation? Btw, if you haven’t seen Anna & Phillip’s new facade, as well as the new gates, you have to have a look…it is so exciting, beautiful & stately! Thank you for sharing so much of yourselves and the magnificent Chateau De LaLande! ❤

[@susanmeister1092]

I absolutely love this daily behind the scenes snapshot format. Thank you 🙏

[@Undwn_onyx_]

files vs lamps for decorating, you two are so cute

[@luceaschild]

What a beautiful CARTONNIER!!!

[@kathysykora1195]

He really is very thoughtful and intuitively knows you ❤

[@CKLee-rs4kl]

Can you ride it back? Cheeky, quick witted. Love the wood cutting/splitting equipment Nick has -- amazing!

[@lorrainethomas241]

Steph: "What do you suppose they were cooking?" Pavlina: "Naughty children." 😂😂

[@Lea-bw9wj]

Crazy that you are still finding new things in around the chateau after all these years. The fire pit could have been huntsmen/ woodsmen or if the woods were ever a field shepherds. It would be good to look back in the old maps and see what the land was being used for at that time to help narrow it down.

[@blakehahn-atlantaga8510]

Really enjoyed the walk. I would also love to watch an interview of Nick- how he got started as an arborist, family, how he got to France- he seems like a really interesting person.

[@pamelagimson1822]

So good to see a lot of pavlina now some of Maria

[@lieuwina]

Pavlina's stick is truly a beautiful find. Some vine must have been growing around the young tree and has twisted in the growth trying to get sun I think. Beautiful stick though. I think that was an out door cooking pit and the one item I think Pavlina found was a funnel for glass jars for preserving, to pour jams or liquids into glass jars. Beautiful find. Loved your filing cabinet.

[@hollyrose1505]

I would 100% restore that outdoor oven. Soldiers or Grounds Keepers could boil water, soups, bread inside etc… I’d love to see Pavlina restore it. Awesome find! The branch is twisted because a vine grew into it. A climbing flower possibly.

[@anita-ti5ll]

That staff is perfect! It even curves over at the top!!

[@alisonsneed3707]

That’s going to make for some great pictures.

[@mocarra100]

Stephanie's channel is my favorite of all! She should have 1 million subscribers. Much love from Oklahoma USA Jackie 🇺🇸💖

[@klmjtr]

I completely agree!

[@Seth-gd4mz]

Me too!!

[@chrissih4046]

Agree 100%

[@brunfree]

Hello LeLanders I don’t miss a day seeing you all, love it❤, I’d love to come do metal detecting on the chateau’s grounds and woods to unearth more treasures. There would be lots of things, old coins, nails, horseshoes, so much history lies beneath 😂❤much luv to all

[@penihavir1777]

I love the new furniture - I’ve never heard of that before. Amazing price too! 🤔 I may have to make one. I don’t see anything new like that available in the US. I don’t see anything online besides antiques, and the cheapest $2,300. But I’m a bit handy, thanks to my parents. Dad taught me woodworking and building, and mom taught me the decorative side of things. I could probably find instructions for making covered cardboard online, for the box-drawers. And I have some gorgeous paper from Japan that I haven’t used because I hadn’t found a purpose, but they were too beautiful not to buy. My drawers won’t match, except in general style, but that aesthetic is very Japanese, so I think it will work. 😁

[@lynneh9744]

The twisted treetrunk is just where one sapling started to grow up and around another. Ivy etc does it. My young niece found one in Wales and I was so jealous! (lol- and me a grown adult at the time! I was tempted to long term borrow it from her, but of course, didn't) I am sure as they are a bit of a rarity, that there must me mystical significance to them. The firepit and cauldron I think may have been used for smoking food, or possibly, I wondered if it was some sort of kiln, for primitive pottery, or even drying clay into brick, or maybe small scale charcoal burning, extracting resin from trees, etc....or maybe just as a oven/stove for forest or farm workers to cook or heat up water and /or food.

[@loisblais3431]

I have found the very same twisted tree! Three of them in the same area. They are so unique. One still has the vine wound around it. Love it that Pavlina has found the very same kind. Friends from Canada.

[@thelmanijman1116]

So much fun and I enjoy the daily Chateau Diaries vlogs🥰OMG!! Love it !! Looking forward each day just like The Patherick's.. Crack On👍👍👍

[@kimvoogel9152]

You should make potpourri with all the flowers. I would definitely buy it lol xx

[@tiffytattoo2450]

"Can you ride it home?" 🤣👻🧙‍♀️

[@christmasczar]

What a great find in the woods! That new piece of furniture is so useful!!

[@cgp1442]

Looking forward to the Calderon/ Firepit in the woods being restored and curved benches made to go around it. Great place for a Bar-B-Q Pit or Bonfire in Summer or Winter.

[@trishecoole8421]

I think between you and Dan, Nick will never run out of work! Love Pavlina and her staff/broom. She is such a joy :)

[@juliehilton1701]

Do you know, I just noticed, I always have a smile on my face after watching your videos ❤❤ thank you x

[@Kitty_cat2001]

Rose hip jam tastes beautiful!

[@lindagage7315]

Loved that twisted root, great walking stick! That was fun today! Thanks Stephanie!

[@Jennifer62389]

It could be the previous owners garbage, burn pit. You may find bottles, China, all kinds of treasures. And that tree could be future walking stick, my dad had one.

[@SusieMonk-jh8tj]

Good luck with the fosses! Please get an experienced installer. Our first was put in by a good builder but not an expert in the regs. Take two was another experienced builder and the expert from the water company assured us he would be on call during the works. Alas he was on holiday. When they came to check it they decided it was still not up to regulations. An expensive episode so please learn from our mistakes. Love your animals and your sense of humour. A prerequisite of restoring an old building❤❤😁

[@temelynytvideos]

You got wonderful shots of Nick's activities. 👏👍

[@melissmalek9855]

I love getting to know each of the Lalanders a little more through the dailies. Loving every minute. The Travels with my friend vlogs recently released were absolutely amazing! I would encourage people to check them out if they have not already. The channel has really evolved into something incredible. Thank you, Stephanie!

[@susiemartin3144]

Fire Probably put there by people quarrying! Found a similar thing but much much older by an old quarry area in Brittany. It had a clay pot on top of a mound of rocks. The pot had burn marks on the sides!

[@claudine1928]

The practicallity of the filing cabinet is so great. So much better than draws, and i like how it closess too without a key. Very infantive. Stylish and practicall.

[@carolepurshouse417]

Fire pit could have been used as a lime kiln as it is close to the old quarry

[@tuhesse]

Loved the adventure with Pavlina, and the cabinet. Every file cabinet should be that pretty!!

[@sharonadlam3195]

'A nice lamp on top' - I'm with Phillip on this one 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Arkay66]

Definitely with Phillip here. The nice lamp on top would provide lighting for when Steph needs to look for a particular file.

[@sindysimms4001]

That was fun Pavlina. Love new ? filing cabinet.

[@cindy-wo4qt]

Wow i would have gone and got the tools to clear off all that growth and see more of that fire pit!!!! So cool. That thing is old .... Cheers from Sugarland Texas 🇺🇸