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After a hearty Sunday morning breakfast, the winners of the last Broughtons GT, Chris and Carol Kzrak in car number one, a Bentley Continental GT Convertible, crossed the start line at Ashdown Park and led the way to the Channel Tunnel. Greg Hollamby's team had not let anyone off lightly though, there was a full page of tantalisingly cryptic clues to solve before reaching the tunnel.
Once across the channel the journey into the heart of France began. We emerged from the Tunnel just after lunchtime and set off towards Rouen on a very empty A16 motorway! The evening was spent near Chartres in the beautiful surroundings of Château d'Esclimont. This building is a magnificent example of renaissance architecture situated in 64 hectares of parkland.
Château d'Esclimont was built in 1543 by Archbishop Etienne de Poncher of Tours and is located just sixty kilometres from Paris. After a drinks reception on the terrace overlooking the stunning Château gardens, we made our way to the oak panelled dining room for a fabulous six course dinner and enjoyed some very palatable wines. Much of the conversation over dinner was about the thoroughly enjoyable driving in the afternoon and the antics observed by others during the clue hunting! After much puzzling over the answers, Greg Hollamby was on hand to take us through the answers and mercifully relieve us of our anxiety, this occurred partially to the sounds of loud cheering, but mostly to the louder groans of those that had not worked some of them out!
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