Château de Bagnols, near Lyon, France, is a really quite magnificent 800-year-old Beaujolais château now serving as a 5-star luxury hotel.
It has some terrifically opulent rooms and suites, beautiful gardens, top-of-the-range spa facilities, and terrific fine dining at a Michelin Star-awarded restaurant.
Those factors alone would make it a wonderful place to stay but what makes Château de Bagnols extra special is its remarkably well-preserved castle structure and the extremely impressive interior design which weds perfectly the historical and the modern.
It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful chateau hotels in France.
The Rooms:
They have a range of suites on offer, in the chateau itself and the adjacent outbuildings. They come in various sizes with the smallest, the ‘Classic Suites’ being around 40 m² and the largest, the Lady Hamyln Suite being over 100 m².
They are all beautifully old-style with a host of original historical features on display; medieval frescoes, sturdy wooden beams, and stone fireplaces.
Add to that some choice antique furniture and art pieces, four poster beds, wall tapestries, and Italian marble bathrooms with elegant, old-style bathtubs, and a very much Renaissance-era ambience is created.
If that sounds like a perfect fit for you, you should avoid the modern style ‘Chai Suites’, terrific though they may be in their own right as modern luxury hotel suites, they absolutely lack the unique beauty of the historical suites.
Prices:
Check out all the details – prices, reviews, and more photos – on the booking page here.
Facilities & Things to Do:
Château de Bagnols is an architectural delight, with beautifully preserved historical features to be admired at every turn, and outside the landscaped gardens are equally lovely, with lawns, flower beds, orchards, covered walkways, and terraces overlooking the Beaujolais vineyard hills.
Their lovely spa has a hammam, four treatment cabins, and an indoor pool. It offers a range of health, beauty, and relaxation treatments using luxurious, eco-friendly, Sothys brand products.
There is a fitness center/gym at the chateau too and a large outdoor swimming pool in the gardens.
Chef Jean-Alexandre Ouaratta has transformed Château de Bagnols into a top gastronomic destination with his Michelin Star awarded 1217 restaurant.
There you can enjoy beautiful and meticulously presented French cuisine in lovely surroundings, be it in the main dining hall with its huge Gothic fireplace or outside on the terrace overlooking the gardens and surrounding hills.
The 1217 is open daily for lunch and dinner, while other light meals, snacks, fine wines, and other drinks can be found at the chateau bar throughout the day.
The daily breakfast at Château de Bagnols is a fantastic feast and though it is unfortunately not included in the room rate it is very much worth the extra charge.
The Location:
Château de Bagnols is on the outskirts of the 15th-century village of Bagnols, in the heart of the infamous Beaujolais wine country.
The nearest town, and train station, is Villefranche-sur-Saône, and the chateau is also just 30km from the lovely city of Lyon.
The main Lyon Paris route the A6, runs nearby too, with the journey from Paris taking just over four hours.
Some Guest Reviews:
“We are seasoned travelers and this is our favorite hotel in all the world. The 800 year old Château is its own adventure; every room a masterpiece. The fireplace in the main dining room is said to be the largest in France and was built for one of the popes of the Middle Ages in anticipation of his visit. Chateau de Bagnols has 3 eating venues and all are excellent. You won’t want to leave….It’s heaven on earth….”
“Oh my god the food is sublime and the rooms are a delight – pure medieval heaven with 4 poster beds and immense stone everywhere….”
