8 top château hotels in France
Staying in a château is surely the ultimate French holiday experience, and there are some truly exceptional hotels that you can choose to stay in. The Good Hotel Guide shares 8 of its top château hotels in France
This five-star hotel in Saumur is full of olde-worlde charm and is set in four acres of magical gardens. With 10 rooms and suites there’s an intimate feel to the place – you can almost pretend it belongs to you! Inside you’ll find period furniture and original features galore, but there’s a contemporary addition too – the spa in the vault complete with a whirlpool, sauna and treatments is for guest use only. There is also an outdoor swimming pool and other amenities include a library, bicycle hire and free parking.
Surrounded by 220 acres of grounds on a hill overlooking the rural Creuse countryside, Château de la Cazine has been beautifully converted into a hotel. Large bedrooms, state-of the-art bathrooms, exquisite chandeliers, and food prepared by Michelin-starred chef, Pierre Guilhaud, are all part of the many attractions. Enjoy a stroll to the nearby village of Noth, go cycling in the two regional nature parks or drive to regional capital Limoges which is only an hour away.
Located between Dijon and Beaune in Côte-d’Or, on the banks of the Burgundy Canal, Château Sainte Sabine offers the best of contemporary hospitality in an authentically traditional setting. The Le Lassey restaurant serves homemade regional specialities and of course, the wine is superb. You can also spend your days touring local vineyards, which is a treat, as are the stunning views.
Owned by the Bricault family since 1865, this former inn stands in the village square in Cour-Cheverny and is just 800 metres from the Loire Valley’s Château de Cheverny. Bedrooms range in price from €110 to €170 per night, and the hotel’s Les Trois Marchands restaurant serves seasonal dishes featuring locally sourced ingredients.
Nestled among the famous Médoc vineyards on the edge of Pauillac, this 17th-century Carthusian monastery is brimming with character, fusing contemporary design and historic architecture with finesse. The hotel’s restaurant was awarded a BIB Gourmand by the Michelin Guide and with a cellar stocked with over 1,800 wines you’ll be spoilt for choice by the wine list.
This 17th-century château in Courcelles-sur-Vesle is full of intriguing details – for example, legend has it that Jean Cocteau designed the staircase banister and Napoleon met Marie-Louise of Austria here. Interiors are old-fashioned in the best way possible, while the ample grounds provide lots of space to roam. Swim in the outdoor pool, play tennis, ride bikes, or if you prefer to stay inside, sample champagne and attend the cookery school!
Surrounded by a moat and a large park where hens and cockerels roam the grounds, the 17th-century Château d’Étoges in Marne is rather a grand place to stay. It is said that French kings sometimes stayed here, while today it’s owned by Anne Filliette Neuville, whose family has a champagne estate in the village. Rooms all have their own features, and one of the larger ones includes a marble fireplace, wall paintings and wood panelling. The restaurant is well regarded and the champagne cellar tour and tasting are highly recommended.
Dominating the surrounding village, Château de Trigance is a 10th-century fortress in the heart of the Regional Natural Park of Verdon. Everything here is impressive – views from the battlements, the architecture, the sense of history, and the food served in a medieval dining room, formerly an armoury. Bedrooms have four-poster beds and are reached via steep stone staircases, and it’s so peaceful you can almost hear the silence.
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By Vicky Leigh