Best Castle Stays in France - Our Choices for 2023

Chateau de Chantore is a truly gorgeous 18th-century era Norman chateau B&B, with a view on the Mont-Saint-Michel, and surrounded by nearly fifty acres of peaceful woods and parkland which includes a lake. It has a selection of tremendously elegant rooms and suites that really are a treat for the eyes and, though modern with some touches, they are so in keeping with the historical fabric that you’d be forgiven for a waking dream that Louis XV is still on the throne. The eye for design – the attention to historic detail in particular – is very impressive indeed. There are no duvets – only traditional linens and wool blankets on the beds, and certainly no TVs, though there is WiFi. If you’re looking for a thoroughly authentic French chateau stay, but with the comfort levels of today, then this is it. REVIEWS: “Chateau de Chantore is a magical place! Everything about it is wonderful – the most beautiful grounds to walk and experience calm and peace – peacocks, swans and fish in the lake, beehives, horses, beautiful apple trees (organic cider!) and the most sumptuous breakfast you will ever experience. Thank you to our wonderful hosts….” “I truly felt READ MORE

The 4 Star Château de la Caze is a very romantic, Renaissance era chateau hotel with a fairy tale like setting in the Gorges du Tarn near Rodez, a canyon gorge that is one of this area of France’s most well known natural wonders. The chateau has an intimate, boutique hotel feel and a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere. It also some lovely gardens, a heated outdoor swimming pool, a spa bath, a gym and an excellent gastronomic restaurant amongst other things. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a choice of rooms and suites available from standard double rooms to 40 m² suites. Most of them are in the chateau itself with some suites also to be found in the Maison de Martine, an adjacent converted old farm building. All the accommodation choices are doubles but in the Maison de Martine suites you can sleep an extra two people using the sofa bed (though for an extra charge). Some people have reported that some of the standard double rooms are a bit on the cramped size, to be certain of adequate space you can go for the superior rooms or above. Of the suites the only thing to decide is whether to take one READ MORE

The 4 Star Château de Labro is a luxury vineyard hotel & spa near the town of Rodez in central France’s Occitanie region, previously known as Midi-Pyrénées. The medieval château oozes old world elegance and the grounds have charming gardens, a swimming pool, orchards and vineyards. There is a very fine restaurant at the château too and the food and the wine is superb. For an extra novel stay, if a medieval château bedroom doesn’t appeal, you can also spend the night at the luxury treehouse in the gardens. THE ACCOMMODATION: The treehouse is a very popular choice so can get booked out months in advance. It is a fine piece of engineering, architecture and design and once inside it feels more like luxury studio apartment than what you might imagine a treehouse to be. The 16th century château itself has charmingly romantic rooms, with antique furniture pieces and four poster beds. The rooms are mainly doubles but there is also a family room which can sleep up to four, as well as a self catering apartment to also sleep up to four. Being a luxury hotel you can expect the accommodation to be high quality. Comfort is paramount, and READ MORE

Most Famous Former Guest: King Louis XI. Le Manoir de Champfreau has a three bedroom manor house and a one bedroom cottage for holiday rentals on a 15th-century, partially moated, estate near Saumur and the city of Tours, in the heart of the Loire Valley. The accommodation is spacious, comfortable and full of historic character with sturdy old stone walls, wood beamed ceilings and a great array of classic antique and art pieces. ACCOMMODATION: The main building is the 200 m² (2100 ft²) Manor House which has three comfortable and spacious double bedrooms, one of which is en-suite and all of which are beautifully, and individually, decorated with antiques, Persian rugs, mirrors, paintings, prints, tapestries and floor to ceiling curtains. Adjoining one of them is the Turret Room, a small room which served as the Manor Oratoire (private chapel) in olden times and is still now designed and decorated as such. The entrance hall has deep red upholstered walls, a large oak table and many fine antiques, paintings and prints, a wrought iron, candle holding chandelier, and an 18th-century era library filled with books, mainly about history, art and architecture. The main room of the house is the large ‘Great READ MORE

The Napoleon III era Château de Sacy is now a sophisticated boutique hotel near Reim in the heart of France’s Champagne region and just over an hour from Paris. With just 12 rooms and suites it is a homely, intimate place, which has friendly, helpful staff, an excellent restaurant and sweeping views over the surrounding vineyards. THE ACCOMMODATION: Your choices are between classic, superior and deluxe rooms and two lovely 50 m² suites. All are individually decorated, opulent and chic, and get the balance just right between modern and period style. They are also spacious with even the most basic rooms; the classic rooms, covering a minimum of 23 m². Of all the room choices these Classic Rooms probably represent the best value behind just a tad smaller than the Deluxe Rooms but equally stylish and comfortable, though their bathrooms have just a shower and no bath, if that’s important to you. Speaking of bathrooms and baths, those of the suites are really quite something, and come with classically romantic roll top baths. Modern conveniences include Wifi and cable TV but, oddly enough for such a plush looking place, no mini-bar or tea coffee making facilities, though this may be READ MORE

Château de Fonscolombe is a magnificent 18th-century château built in the Italianite Quattrocento style, now a 5 Star boutique hotel in Provence, France. It has wonderfully elegant accommodation, beautiful botanic gardens, a vineyard and winery, spa facilities and an excellent restaurant. ACCOMMODATION: They have a 50 B&B rooms and suites at the château, from doubles to quadruples, with the rooms being classed as Standard, Deluxe and Superior, and the suites; Junior and Prestige. The Prestige Suites are the ultimate in style and class, and a lavishly romantic feast for the senses, but even the most standard rooms at Château de Fonscolombe, though more minimalist, are also elegant and chic. The entire château is immaculately restored, in formal 18th-century style and is a great pleasure to wander around. It has numerous lavish salons and intimate spaces to lounge in, and a great array of old art and antique furniture to be admired. There is a fine restaurant here, a separate lounge bar, spa facilities and an outdoor heated swimming pool in the beautifully tended gardens. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos – on the booking page here. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: L’Orangerie is the hotel READ MORE

The 400 year old Château de la Pommeraye is a wonderfully atmospheric boutique hotel near Caen, and the D-Day landing beaches, in Normandy, France, with an intimate, friendly atmosphere and a gorgeously peaceful rural setting. It is a relatively informal place and in common with many great boutique hotels, a stay at the chateau feels more like being in the company of distant relatives than being in a hotel. ACCOMMODATION: They have a choice of rooms and suites, all of which are doubles/twins and which range in size from 36 to 85 m². There are no ordinary or standard rooms here, every one is either in the ‘luxury’ or the ‘prestige’ category, and are broadly similar except in terms of extra space. Broadly similar means polished wooden floors, large windows with old style tie-up curtains, regal looking beds, plump soft fabrics and an array of classic art works and antique furniture pieces to accentuate the romantic, historical ambience. With even the smallest room having 36 m² to play with, space becomes really not much of an issue and so the lower cost choices should be more than adequate for most people. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews READ MORE

The very pretty Chateau de Maraval is where 15th-century design meets 21st and somehow they get along quite nicely. Its unashamedly contemporary interior design is so well done it doesn’t seem at all incongruous on a five centuries-old canvas. The chateau is a boutique hotel but with only four rooms (book as quickly as you can!), very friendly hosts and a down-to-earth atmosphere, it feels more like a gathering place for long-lost friends. The breakfast here is a great feast and is served up until noon, later on you can enjoy complimentary homemade cakes and snacks, coffee and tea etc. The owners sometimes organize evening dinners for the guests too and there are also some great restaurants in the surrounding area. The chateau itself looks fairytale-like from the outside, especially as it is surrounded by some lovely deep, peaceful woodland – very inviting to explore. There is also a swimming pool at the property, a small gym and spa facilities. Note: neither children nor pets are allowed at Château de Maraval. REVIEWS: “The chateau exceeded our very high expectations in every way possible. The location is peaceful, the air fresh and invigorating. The house itself stunning, with a fun spa, READ MORE

The four star 19th century Château Hotel Grand Barrail lies among some beautiful countryside near to Bordeaux and nearer still to Saint-Emilion in the heart of South West France‘s Aquitaine Dordogne. The estate is surrounded by beautifully tended gardens and acres of vineyards, and is particularly known for two things, its food; the kitchen, run by Chef Romain Gondras serves up some of the most innovative cuisine in the region, and its extensive spa which has two hammams, two saunas, a hot tub, various treatment and fitness rooms and a wide choice of Cinq Mondes body treatments. THE ACCOMMODATION: Between the château and its three neighbouring annexes there is a choice of over 40 rooms and suites. Check out all your options on the booking page here. Most of them have a terrace or balcony from where you can enjoy views over the surrounding vineyards and all are extremely comfortable and clean. Though these days they are quite modern in style they still retain a certain, quite old fashioned, opulent charm. They have the usual modern comforts of course; flat screen TV, WiFi, study and seating area, as well as some beautiful en-suite bathrooms. The château itself is of course very READ MORE

Chateau Mareuil, as UK visitors may know from the Channel 4 series Escape to the Chateau DIY, is a very charming 15th-century chateau with a lovely setting overlooking the Asse valley in the Hautes Vienne region. It has, as fans of the series will know, been painstakingly restored and the result is a chateau guest house with an authentic look and feel. The environment is gorgeous too – the chateau’s flower gardens and lawns are flanked by a river, and surrounded on all sides by silent green fields in this deeply rural part of central France. THE ACCOMMODATION: There are three guest suites in the chateau itself – The Princess Suite, referred to on the booking page as Deluxe Family Room with Private Bathroom is the largest, sleeping up to four (one double and two singles) over a full 64 m² (689 square feet) space, but somehow still feels cosy and intimate. The two other suites – referred to as the Deluxe Triple Room & Comfort Triple Room have one double bed and one single each are smaller but still perfectly formed. Lastly, there is a double studio apartment with a kitchen in an adjoining, also historic building. Check out READ MORE

Château de Cop-Choux is an atmospheric, authentic, late 18th century château hotel lying between Nantes and Angers, on the old border between Brittany and the historical province of Anjou. It may be a little rustic for some but others will appreciate its homely, family like atmosphere and its lovely sense of the past, two things that can be lacking in many of France’s more corporate château hotels; hotels that consciously aim to be more hotel than château. THE ACCOMMODATION: You accommodation choices range, in terms of price, from Classic rooms to Prestige and Deluxe rooms. All of these are doubles but there is also a Family Room which sleeps up to four, with two king size beds, in semi-separate quarters. Check your options on the booking page here. All of the rooms are very spacious and have a distinct old fashioned elegance, with many classic decorative features. They generally eschew the modern (though there is WiFi, there is no TV or mini-bar etc. for example) in favour of classic styling, though you may find the odd modern furniture piece looking slightly adrift here and there. Comfort is not spared. The beds, all of which are king size, are terrifically comfortable to sleep READ MORE

Known as one of the most beautiful chateaux in Deux-Sevres, Aquitaine, the majestic Château de Saint Loup, which was commissioned in 1609 to honour Good King Henry; Henri IV of France, is now an intimate boutique hotel. The chateau is a stirring sight, it still has a wonderfully medieval atmosphere and, though you may be paying for the pleasure, it feels quite a privilege to stay there, knowing that in times gone by such a property would have been out of bounds for all except the highest levels of French aristocracy. ACCOMMODATION: They have just nine spacious rooms to choose from; doubles, triples and one larger ‘family room’ which has two separate sleeping quarters and can sleep up to four. All of them are carefully decorated to maintain the medieval ambience with some lovely four poster beds, antique furniture and art pieces, and private bathrooms with old style bathtubs. The chateau has much lovely common space to explore too, with a library, a music room with piano, sitting rooms and a drinks bar at your disposal. The estate surrounding the moated chateau covers over 120 acres and includes some stunning 18th century landscaped grounds, including lawns and flower beds, an READ MORE

Tiara Chateau Hotel Mont Royal Chantilly, to give it its full title, is a lavishly beautiful, 5 Star chateau hotel near Paris, France with a sublime hilltop setting overlooking the ancient royal hunting grounds of Chantilly Forest. The chateau is quite a sight from the outside and was certainly built to impress. It is towering and commanding and yet elegant and refined. The interiors are more simple and understated than you might expect for such a lavish building but have oodles of old style, Belle Epoque charm. Their rooms and suites are suitably luxurious and elegant, and the hotel has superb facilities including a fine dining restaurant, a spa, swimming pool, tennis courts, pétanque course and more, plus the surrounding forest is perfect for long leisurely strolls and cycles, with bikes being available from the hotel. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a total of 108 sound-proofed rooms and suites at the chateau, all of which are doubles and range from classic rooms through executive and deluxe rooms right up to Royal/Presidential Suites. They vary greatly in size from 25 to 115 m² but they all share the same sense of old fashioned French style and class, with lots of period decor READ MORE

Château Monteil is a beautiful private chateau, with an outdoor heated swimming pool, to rent in the Dordogne-Perigord region of southern France. It is just over two hours from Bordeaux, in the eastern Dordogne, and close to both the beautiful medieval town of Sarlat-la-Canéda and the Lascaux Caves. THE ACCOMMODATION: The château is very spacious and can sleep up to seventeen people without much fuss. There are six bedrooms with various numbers of beds (take a look on the booking page here), five bathrooms, spacious lounge areas (which include, amongst other things, an open fireplace, a snooker table and a TV), a nice, fully equipped, kitchen, and finally outside you have gardens and terraces with sun loungers that overlook the aforementioned heated swimming pool. The château owners live close by and will always be on hand should you have any issues. They are also very good cooks and if you tire of cooking at the chateau they can arrange meals for an extra charge. With some advance notice they can provide breakfast and in the evenings a tremendous multi course home cooked meal featuring local recipes and ingredients. Wines can be ordered too, with the latest wine list from the READ MORE

A former 12th century Knights Templar castle, Château Saint Martin is now a magnificent, 5 Star luxury hotel retreat set high in the hills above Saint Paul de Vence and the French Riviera. It has magnificent views, spacious, comfortable rooms and suites, over 30 acres of beautifully tended gardens which include a swimming pool and tennis courts, a Michelin Star Restaurant, opulent spa facilities and dedicated staff who offer a personalised service that is really second to none. To top it all Château Saint Martin also has an amazing array of art adorning its walls, art which includes works by such iconic figures as Picasso, Matisse, Renoir and Chagall. ACCOMMODATION: They have a huge range of accommodation options at the chateau, from double rooms and suites at the chateau itself to luxury private, self catering villas on the hillside nearby. They are all classically styled, comfortable and spacious, with even the smallest of rooms being roughly 25 m². All too are airy, bright and clean with pastel shaded walls, country-chic Pierre Frey fabrics and large windows offering superb views. Internally the rooms might almost be a match for the suites but for the lack of terrace space which comes as READ MORE

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 a terrific fine dining, 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 doubt one of the the most beautiful chateau hotels in all of France. ACCOMMODATION: They have a range of suites on offer, in the chateau itself and in 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 READ MORE

The 17th century era Château de Tourreau is without doubt one of the finest châteaux for rent in Provence, and indeed one of Provence’s finest properties in general,  It has been beautifully renovated, in keeping with its historical spirit but with 21st century conveniences and facilities, and the interior design is immaculate at every turn. It also has 17 acres of private parkland which include a historic consecrated chapel, meticulously designed gardens (with a large swimming pool and tennis courts), as well as woodlands, orchards, streams and a small lake. THE ACCOMMODATION: Note: There is a 3 night minimum stay at this property. The interiors cover at least 800 square metres, with nine double and twin bedrooms in total. On the ground and first floor you have three master bedrooms with queen sized beds and ensuite bathrooms. And on the second, six more bedrooms all of which are also ensuite; one with king size bed, two with queen size, two with standard doubles and one with twin beds. Other rooms at the property include a lovely formal dining hall, a library, a large kitchen and three reception rooms. The Château’s internal courtyard is an extra charming feature with its fountains READ MORE

Near to St Tropez and the French Riviera, this 5 Star château hotel is a slice of heaven in rural Provence and a place guaranteed to greatly please lovers of nature, wine and food. The vast majority of the 1,235 acres estate is left to the supervision of Mother Nature and is a classic Provençal mix of garrigue and centuries old trees. They have some charming gardens too, which include a swimming pool, and a vast 320 acres of vineyards. Their vineyards have been producing Provençal wines and rosés for over three hundred years, with their wines being consistently well rated. There are two fine restaurants at the hotel to enjoy too, one of which, Jardin de Benjamin, was awarded a Michelin star in 2017. They also have top of the range spa facilities and lots of activities on offer. Wine tasting, cellar & vineyard tours etc. are the first to spring to mind but also things like reiki and yoga, guided botanical walks, quad biking and the traditional French sport of Pétanque (boules). THE ACCOMMODATION: They have 27 spacious rooms and suites which generally have a rustic, country-chic vibe. With tiled floors, floral fabrics and much elegant antique furniture READ MORE

Chateau De Piedouault is a wonderfully authentic old chateau for rent near the Loire Valley and the cities of Nantes and Angers. It has 700 m² of internal space, can accommodate up to 15 guests, and has all the ingredients in place for a relaxed, leisurely stay. The location is ideal too for exploring the very iconic, and very beautiful, Loire and Anjou regions of France. ACCOMMODATION: There are a total of eight bedrooms at the chateau, a mixture of double and twins except for one single room, and it can accommodate 15 guests comfortably. There is also a large living room/ lounge area plus a dining room and a fully equipped kitchen. Outside you have acres of space with gardens, which include a heated swimming pool, lovely woodland walks and views of the surrounding countryside. The house feels both spacious and cosy at the same time and is the type of place that begins to feel like home very quickly indeed. You’re find the owners, who live nearby, welcoming and friendly and will on arrival offer you a nice gift pack of food staples and wine. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos – READ MORE

Most famous former guest: King Henri IV of France, aka ‘Good King Henry’. Château de Chanzé is a beautifully authentic old château for rent near Angers in the heart of the Garden of France; the Loire Valley. It has history going all the way back to the 11th Century and still retains a huge amount of medieval ambience. There are five spacious bedrooms and suites in total, and the château can sleep up to fifteen people comfortably. THE ACCOMMODATION: There are three spacious suites with en-suite bathrooms and lounge/seating areas, and two smaller bedrooms with shared bathroom. Two of the suites have one double bed and one single while the other has one double bed and two single beds. Of the two bedrooms, one has one double and one single bed and the other has just one double bed. Thus the château can sleep a total of up to fifteen people. The centre piece of the château is the very atmospheric 100m2 ‘Banquet Hall’ which has a five metre long solid oak dining table, an enormous, 17th century era fireplace, candelabras, handmade lead-light windows, a Young Chang grand piano and some lovely old antique furniture and art pieces. There is READ MORE

The 15th century era Château de la Motte is an authentic and charming French castle B&B near Châtellerault where Poitou-Charentes meets the southern Loire Valley. It is a special property, with a rich local history and a carefully maintained old world atmosphere. At first glance the interior design barely seems to touch the 21st century, such is the authenticity of the place, but modern comforts and facilities are also here. THE ACCOMMODATION: Though the building is large Château de la Motte has just 6 rooms in total for guests; 3 cosy double/twin rooms and two ‘deluxe doubles’ which have more space, an extra bed and the added perk of a spa bath in the bathroom. Finally there is a ‘family suite’ with two extra beds. Check your options on the booking page here. All of the rooms come with views, and some also come with a nice romantic open fireplace, put a note in the booking form to request if you’d like. The decor of all is beautifully old fashioned; all the double beds are four poster for example and almost every piece of furniture is antique. The breakfast at the château is a great feast to be taken in READ MORE

Château La Breteche is a rustic French chateau for rent near Orléans and the Loire Valley. It is a spacious and elegant five bedroom property that can sleep up to fourteen guests comfortably and though fully renovated internally it retains an alluring sense of the past. The setting is idyllic and deeply rural; the chateau is hidden away between the woods and the meandering River Cosson and you don’t have to stray too far to find yourself immersed in the peace and tranquility of nature. THE ACCOMMODATION: There are five bedrooms at the chateau, five bathrooms, two large living rooms/dining rooms with satellite TV and a piano, a fully equipped kitchen and outside a furnished terrace area and barbecue facilities. Three of the bedrooms have two single beds, one other bedroom has three single beds and another five single beds. This brings the total occupancy up to 14, though of course they all can also be used as double rooms if that is what you would prefer. The chateau was built back in 1840, on the site of a previous, centuries old chateau. It has of course been renovated on numerous occasions since then and now comes with central heating, READ MORE

Château de Sédaiges near Aurillac, Auvergne, France is a gorgeously rustic property with an interesting mix of medieval and neo-gothic architecture, and a history going all the way back to the 12th century. It is situated in 17 acres of parkland with its own pond and woods and, in the neat gardens, a swimming pool. The hotel is family run, it has been run by the same family since 1230 in fact, something which certainly makes a stay here extra special. You’ll find the service extremely warm and personable; the owners show a genuine interest in their guests, and a great sense of pride in the château and their associated family history. THE ACCOMMODATION: All the accommodation is B&B and they have a mixture of rooms and suites, from double rooms to a two double bed suite. All of them are comfortable, neat and clean, and classically decorated with many antique furniture and art pieces. Check your options on the booking page here. There is a tangible ambience of staying in a château bedroom as opposed to a hotel bedroom here, without much in the way of obvious modernity to distract from the experience (apart from WiFi and relatively modern bathrooms); everything seems, READ MORE

Known in the U.K. as one of the chateaux from the Channel 4 series – Escape to the Chateau DIY, Chateau Lalande is a very charming property dating back to the 15th century that has been tastefully, carefully renovated by its – now TV famous – owners. It is a family home with some very lovely, old-style chic, guest rooms, and you can expect a warm welcome and an informal familial atmosphere. THE ACCOMMODATION: Note: There is a minimum stay of two nights.  The accommodation ranges from singles, twins and double rooms to more extensive suites and self-catering apartments – one one-bedroom apt. and one studio. Their family suite being the largest which can sleep up to four. Check out all your options, plus reviews and more photos, on the booking page here.  All are tremendously well decorated and furnished and wouldn’t look at all out of place in a period movie. They are also spacious and comfortable and have plenty of modern home comforts, just no TVs to spoil the historic atmosphere. You’ll be treated to a very fine breakfast in the morning, with lots to choose from – fresh baguettes, pastries and croissants, an array of French cheeses, READ MORE

Château Marteret is a fairytale-like, luxury chateau for rent in the heart of Gascony, South West France, near to both Bordeaux and the foothills of the Pyrenees. It has eight bedrooms and can sleep up to fourteen people very comfortably. The beautifully renovated interiors are minimalist and chic, and maintain loads of historical charm. Surrounding the chateau there are over 400 acres of estate to be explored which include orchards, woodland, meadows, a lake and a small herd of Meren horses. ACCOMMODATION: The chateau has a total of six spacious double bedrooms and one twin. It also has five very nice bathrooms some with romantic bathtubs, an elegant, French country style kitchen (catering services can also be arranged though if you don’t feel like cooking), dining room, and lounges and sitting areas with comfortable seating and stylish furniture. The chateau itself is undoubtedly beautiful and atmospheric but for many the estate’s private grounds make a stay there extra special. They cover nearly 450 acres in total and you can go swimming and sailing (there is a small boat there to use) in the large lake, sunbathe on its sandy shore, wander for hours around the meadow fields, orchards and woodland, READ MORE

Château de Sadillac is an exclusive, 11th century era, château for rent near Bergerac in the Dordogne department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It has 6 bedrooms 3 of which are en-suite, a spacious kitchen, living & dining room, bar and a large outdoor terrace area. It also has nicely tended gardens, barbecue facilities, a huge chess board, a kid’s play area, a trampoline, a fishing lake, an outdoor swimming pool, a Finnish sauna and, most note-worthy of all, a 9 hole, 27 par golf course, which guests at the chateau have exclusive, private use of for the duration of their stay. ACCOMMODATION: There are 6 bedrooms at the property, 3 of which are en-suite, a spacious living room with comfortable seating, a wood burner, TV & DVD player etc. and an adjoining bar-room. The kitchen is also large and fully equipped, and apart from the more general kitchen facilities it also has a coffee machine, a dishwasher and a washing machine. The property is secluded and private with an ancient wall and lines of trees protecting it from the outside. Around the large terrace area there is a children’s play corner, oversize chess board, table tennis, barbecue facilities plus pizza/bread making oven, READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Grace Kelly, Jacques Chirac, Queen Elizabeth II. The magnificent walled city of Carcassonne, France, is certainly a wondrous sight. The words ‘walled city’ can be used to refer to a huge number of cities around the world but in Carcassonne’s case the ‘walls’ are more castle ramparts than walls and so, rather excitingly, it could be said that Carcassonne is a city within a castle. So popular is it though that the hordes of tourists that descend on it every summer can take somewhat from the experience that such a stirring sight can promise. The walled city of Carcassonne has though a, not so little, secret that those in the know can use to take in all that medieval atmosphere without the masses. The secret is Hotel de la Cité, a beautifully crafted Neo-Gothic castle hotel tucked into the ramparts of the ancient walls that apart from being, in itself, a gorgeous and atmospheric property and the city’s only five star hotel, also gives access to the walls around which you can wander freely in the peace of the evening or night when all the tourists are gone. THE ACCOMMODATION: Hôtel De La Cité is undoubtedly Carcassonne’s READ MORE

Château Secretary is a beautifully authentic chateau for rent on the borders of the Dordogne and Lot et Garonne, near Bordeaux, France. The building is elegant and spacious, can house up to fourteen people over 6 bedrooms, and has an acre and a half of outdoor space which includes, gardens, parkland and an outdoor swimming pool. The minimum stay is seven days from Saturday to Saturday, and be aware that the chateau gets booked out months in advance so reserve as early as you can! THE ACCOMMODATION: As mentioned the chateau has six bedrooms, all with extra large double beds and one with an extra two single beds to make a total occupancy of fourteen with extra cots also available for infants. There are six bathrooms too and spacious common areas which include a fully equipped kitchen (catering though can also be arranged), lounge room with satellite TV, library, dining hall and outside a furnished terrace for al fresco lounging and dining which also has barbecue facilities. In the 1.2 acre grounds there is an outdoor swimming pool, sand floor volleyball court and table tennis. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos – on the READ MORE

Most Famous Former Guest: Louis XIII of France. Château de Brissac, near Saumur and Angers, is one of the Loire Valley’s, and indeed France’s, best known chateaux and sees many day visitors both French and international. With seven floors it is the country’s tallest, and its sheer scale alone makes it quite a jaw dropping sight. It is also though an incredibly beautiful building, an elegant masterpiece of architecture that is still thankfully with us after over 400 years of service to the Dukes of Brissac, with the thirteenth Duke of Brissac being your welcoming host today. The chateau is the Duke and his family’s main home and so, despite the chateau’s vast size (its has a total of 204 rooms) only a number of its bedrooms are available to B&B guests. This makes a stay here feel quite special and even more so when the day visitors disappear in the afternoon and the entire chateau and estate is left to you, your fellow guests and the Duke. ACCOMMODATION: You have three choices for overnight stays, all of them suites, with the classic double suite being the pick of the bunch in terms of opulence and sheer romantic beauty. It READ MORE