Château de la Côte, nr Périgueux, Dordogne
This spectacular 15th-century château has been owned and run by the same family since the last century. Travel past golden sunflower fields and it emerges through a forested hilltop. The interior pile oozes grandeur with original stone walls, wood panelling, a suit of armour in the hall, and huge fireplaces. Bedrooms are old-fashioned but impressive with antiques and numerous four-posters to choose from. Breakfast can be taken in the “tower room” or on the front lawn. There’s also a pool, children’s play area and a secret arbour within the 20 acres of grounds.
• Doubles from €108 room-only, +33 5 53 03 70 11
Le Château, nr Lens, Pas-de-Calais
This tranquil manoir lies in a private park in the village of Fresnoy-en-Gohelle. It was built in 1928 to replace a chateau destroyed in the first world war, and the Vimy War Memorial is close by. Light pours in through art deco windows and interiors have been enhanced by the owner’s modern taste. Sofas face a log-burner in the monumental hall, bedrooms are immaculate (satin sheets, electric shutters, smart antiques), and wonderful breakfasts are served at a table set with porcelain. Also on offer are a sauna, a gym, and simple-but-elegant dinners in each first-floor bedroom.
• Doubles from €120 a night B&B, +33 6 22 19 87 25
Château d’Étoges, Marne, nr Epernay, Champagne-Ardenne
Etoges, used as a stopover by French kings on journeys east, is a moated 17th-century château: you pass through the wrought-iron gates then over the footbridge to a little island fortress. The grounds have fountains, lawns and ponds. It is, indeed, fit for a king, from the rooms with their delicate fabrics and linen to the elegant meals with home-grown veg. Opulent bedrooms glow with antiques and fresh flowers. The restaurant, in the orangery, has a fireplace – and if you fancy breakfast in bed, staff will bring it to your lace-covered table.
• Doubles from €99 a night room-only, +33 3 26 59 30 08
Château de Prye, nr Nevers, Burgundy
This château, in the village of La Fermeté, dates back to the Middle Ages and has an intriguing history: the Queen of Poland, Marie-Casimire, lived here at the tail end of the 17th century. It was enlarged in the 19th century, with vast rooms and palatial stables that even have marble-panelled walls, and the corridors heave with antlers and stag heads. Cavernous bedrooms are en-suite and furnished with unusual antiques; breakfast is taken in the oak-panelled dining room with views of the park. Head out to explore the woodlands and river contained within the seven kilometres of walls.
• Doubles from €115 a night B&B, +33 3 86 58 42 64
Le Château de Mazan, nr Avignon, Provence-Alpes
The Marquis de Sade’s father and uncle were born in this château in an appealing little town at the foot of Mont Ventoux. Though the infamous Marquis preferred Paris, he often stayed at Mazan, organising France’s first theatre festival here in 1772. These days, it is a family hotel and Frédéric, who speaks good English, runs it while his mother takes care of the décor. There are frondy palms and secluded spots in the garden and a beautiful terrace for dinner; the chef has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants and is keen to win his own.
• Doubles from €125 a night room-only, +33 4 90 69 62 61
Château les Oliviers de Salettes, nr Valence, Rhône Valley-Alpes
After three years of renovations, the hotel now runs like clockwork. The building, athree-storey house with a turret at each end, lords it over five hectares of landscaped parkland, with dining terraces, boules pitch and infinity pool. For the doers there are cookery lessons, wine tastings and electric-bike rentals. Uncluttered bedrooms are full of lofty splendour and furnished in classic French style. But dinner is the highlight here – beautiful food accompanied by heavenly views. The menu-de-midi is great value.
• Doubles from €99 a night room-only, +33 4 75 00 19 30
Château Touny les Roses, nr Albi, Midi-Pyrénées
If you’re on the trail of local hero Toulouse-Lautrec, then this pretty country estate will be right up your street. Set in seven hectares of garden and vineyard, the château’s traditional exterior gives no hint of what awaits. Inside, art is everywhere: in the flagged entrance hall and the striking red room, where breakfast is served, is an ever-changing backdrop of modern paintings. The big bedrooms meld old-fashioned comfort with contemporary touches, and the château’s verdant grounds are no less impressive – 300 roses bloom in the formal garden, and there’s a pool, woodland to explore and a pathway that leads to a private jetty on the Tarn.
• Doubles from €99 a night B&B, +33 5 63 57 90 90
Château de Tanay, nr Lyon
This château is surrounded by acres of parkland with pool, and inside is equally splendid. A sleek modern decor illuminates fine stone work and medieval beams, there’s a games room, a grand piano and, beneath the great carved fireplace, a breakfast table. In summer, you can tuck into croissants, hams and jams by the moat beneath the willow. Spend the day in old Lyon or treat the family to the Parc des Oiseaux... return for a château tour with your hosts or trot off for dinner at the local pizzeria.
• Doubles from €95 a night B&B, +33 9 53 36 87 42
Château de Potelières, nr Avignon, Languedoc
This château is surrounded by organic olive groves and orchards, which supply the fruits for homemade jams, there are benches under vast trees, and a pool with loungers and parasols. Inside is a hallway flooded with light, a wide stone stairway to galleries above, off which are terracotta and parquet-floored salons. The dining room opens up to a balustraded front terrace, glassed-in for autumn and spring and open in summer, where buffet breakfasts are taken, and there’s a library and a music room, a billiard room and a scarlet salon with a fire that can be lit on cooler nights.
• Doubles from €110 a night B&B, +33 4 66 24 80 92
Château de Cop-Choux, nr Nantes, Western Loire
This elegant house was built just before the French Revolution, with towers added in the early 20th century. It has 18 hectares of park, a pool, rolling lawns and ancient trees. Chestnut trees line the approach, a river runs through the grounds, there are lakes and woods for ramblers, farm animals – and even dromedaries in summer. Several bedrooms have windows on three sides and all are spacious. Breakfast comes with a selection of teas in a pretty panelled room or on the terrace; dinner is at separate tables.
• Doubles from €95 a night room-only, +33 2 40 97 28 52
All places can be viewed and booked at sawdays.co.uk. Sawday’s new Special Places to Stay: French Châteaux & Hotels is available now, at £15.99
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