The charm of French window shutters

One of the joys of walking in a city, or a country village is that it lets you get a close-up look at the architecture.  In France, wooden or metal shutters are typically used on windows to keep out the light at night, dampen street noise, and provide protection from the elements when the weather turns nasty.  Besides being functional and practical, they can also turn a simple building into something with enough charm to make you stop and take a second look.