In technicolor...

... walls. At sunset, the walls of the Château de Dame Carcasse take on an orangey glow. In fact, the walls were recently refreshed by the association Terres et Couleurs when 100 volunteers came together for the day to coat the walls in 500 kilos of ochre and return the monument to its original splendour. Best seen on a balmy summer evening...

To see at the ramparts et château in Carcassonne.

The young man's bedroom at the Villa Cavrois is painted bright yellow, a strong, bold choice and the perfect complement to the black details and raw materials used to build and decorate the room. The fireplace in the hall/lounge is also in yellow-orange tones.

To see at the Villa Cavrois.

Green

... pastures. The best time to visit this Château, built by Abbott Terray from 1754, is on a nice, clear day. The Château takes its name from the lime trees (tilleul in French) that grow all around. Green truly reigns supreme here. The original plans from 1755 were used by Count Rohan-Chabot to model the garden, which he divided into four distinct lawns, in 1910. This majestic Château stands on over 60 hectares of lush grounds.

To see at the Château de la Motte Tilly.

... as in Delft. With the windmills, you could be in Holland. The blue of Wim Delvoye's circular saws in Delftware colours the first rooms of the Château d’Oiron. And feel free to explore the other rooms, you might bump into Morio, the robot dressed all in red who is there to show visitors around.

To see at the Château d’Oiron.

... the Carolingians. This indigo frame gives a vivid blue outline to the words explaining what the reliquary holds: the bones of Charlemagne. One of the major treasures conserved in Reims, this reliquary is set with precious stones that emphasise its value.

To see at the Palais du Tau à Reims.

... angels. The stained-glass windows of the Sainte Chapelle at the Château de Vincennes reveal their shimmering colours when the sun's rays hit. We have Nicolas Beaurain, a painter and glass maker who also worked on the royal châteaux of Fontainebleau and Saint Germain en Laye, to thank for the stained glass fitted between 1556 and 1559. They depict the Apocalypse as prophesied by the Apostle John. On the upper section of the first window in the apse, the violet vestment of the angel stands out facing John.

Another "Viollet", the architect, also comes up in the Centre des Monuments Nationaux network…

To see at the Château de Vincennes.