Pardon me...

...would you have any Montpoupon? That's what I think of whenever I see this château out in the countryside near where we live. For the non-Americans among you, the line is from a television advertising campaign for the dijon-style mustard called "Grey Poupon." That commercial has gone down in the annals of advertising history, I'm sure.

The Château de Montpoupon in its picturesque country setting. Click to pouponify.

Once, in San Francisco, I was in traffic on what was apparently "Prom Night." A rented limousine filled with teenagers was in the traffic flow. While waiting for a stoplight, one of the young revelers, all gussied up in a tuxedo, stood up through the car's moon roof and yelled, "Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?" It was pretty funny. Of course, I checked my glove box but I was fresh out.

The Château de Montpoupon is home to a renowned hunting museum. Two towers remain from the original thirteenth century castle; most of the current building dates from the fifteenth century. Montpoupon is privately owned and lived in.