C18th Burgundy Chateau

Description

The chateau is a Grade I listed, 18th Century family home located in the heart of Burgundy, close to the Morvan hills and 50km north of Beaune, the wine capital of the region.
An outstanding venue for memorable family celebrations and idyllic getaways with friends, the chateau comes highly recommended by best-selling wine expert Hugh Johnson as an ideal base for wine-tasting tours of the Burgundy vineyards.
Situated on its own private island surrounded by broad moats, the chateau is approached through an avenue of lime trees, with a large kitchen garden alongside it, an orchard and private woods.
Inside the chateau, you will find 9 spacious bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, several of which are en-suite and all but one have a shower. On the ground floor, you will find a magnificent entrance hall; two dining rooms and a fine panelled salon leading through French doors onto the back terrace, facing westwards towards the tranquil and unspoilt valley. The salon, dining room and servant's hall all have fabulous open fireplaces. A ping-pong room can be found in one of the towers and board games, playing cards, a croquet set and a chest of children's games are also available in the chateau.
To top it all, you will be welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine and tea and will enjoy delicious complimentary breakfasts throughout your stay! Cleaning service and general maintenance are also provided free of charge.
The chateau can sleep from 14 - 18 guests. Prices are based on 14 guest sharing. For additional guests please enquire for rental rates.

#### Features
The chateau has retained its 18th Century period decor, with beautiful large fireplaces, original panelling and staircases throughout, while the exterior is largely unchanged since 1760, the towers since the 14th Century.
The ground floor has a magnificent entrance hall with a grand piano and a sweeping stone staircase. Beyond is an elegant wood-panelled and mirrored salon with open fireplace, leading on to a terrace, which is ideal for a before dinner aperitif overlooking an ever-changing sunset over the valley. Also on the ground floor is a double bedroom with en-suite bathroom.
The first floor comprises one single bedroom, four double bedrooms (three en-suites, one of which has an adjoining single bedroom), one double/twin bedroom and one twin bedroom. There is also a large dormitory bedroom with five beds for younger guests, a shared family bathroom, and an informal sitting room with TV and DVD player, as well as Wi-Fi access.
Every room has a beautiful view, looking out onto the grounds of the chateau and beyond; agreeably spacious, with high ceilings, the bedrooms are cool and welcoming after the heat of a typical Burgundy summer's day.
Guests have exclusive use of nearly five hectares of private grounds, including a 30 year-old avenue of lime trees, a croquet lawn on the island, woods for children to explore and play in and a superb kitchen garden with home grown produce. There is a rowing boat for those who wish to while away an hour on the water and in the centre of the kitchen garden is the “bassin” - a circular, stone-lined, shallow pool that is ideal for children to splash around in and for adults to cool off in, in the summer heat.
Guests will be provided with the following extras:
- Bathroom toiletries: each bathroom comes equipped with essential toiletries selected by Cult Beauty, to lighten your packing load.
- Bedroom comforts: comfy down filled pillows, latest reads, magazine monthlies to catch up with, and some special Missery postcards.
The chateau is equipped with:
- Hairdryers
- Adequate wardrobe and storage space in each bedroom
- Showers (in all but one of the bathrooms)
- Cards and board games
- One high chair
- Two cots
- CD stereo system and bluetooth speakers
- Wi-Fi
- Ample car parking space is available on the island and in the grounds.

#### Location
Situated in the Cote d'Or, mid-way between Paris (260km) and Lyon, the chateau is easily accessible by the A6 or by the TGV train to Montbard. It is also conveniently placed in relation to Paris Orly Airport, which is 210km to the north, by the A6.
Places to Visit
It is in the centre of the three principal wine regions – Chablis, the Loire and Beaune and the Cotes de Nuits, and adjacent to the Morvan Natural Park.
Beautiful, unspoilt villages and towns abound in the Auxois and the Morvan, the two regions which envelop the village. The local market town is Saulieu, 13 km to the west, where there are a range shops and services, a Saturday morning market, numerous restaurants (including the Michelin 3* Relais Bernard Loiseau) and the fabulous Basilica St Andoche. It also has a beautifully refurbished cinema, which is good value, and sometimes shows films in the original language.
Avallon, Semur-en-Auxois, Flavigny–sur-Ozeron (as seen in Chocolat), Chateauneuf-en-Bourgogne and Nolay are other small towns or villages worth exploring. At the heart of the Burgundian vineyards, Beaune, the ancient seat to the Dukes of Burgundy, boasts colourful roofs, the famous Hospital and ramparts, and acts as a perfect base for wine tastings. The Beaune Festival of Baroque Music takes place there during the month of July, with concerts every week end.
Burgundy has always been known for its elegant chateaux, family homes which have evolved over the centuries. Those most worth visiting locally are Bussy Rabutin, Commarin, Sully-en-Bourgogne, Epoisses, Bazoches and Chateauneuf.
Certain abbeys and religious sites also make fantastic visits, in particular Fontenay (where the film Cyrano de Belgerac, with Gerard Depardieu, was shot), Vezeley, Citeaux, and Cluny, which is further to the south.
Activities
Burgundy offers a host of activities, including horse riding, tree climbing, golf and balloon riding - one of the best ways of seeing the countryside is from the air! A canal trip, followed by a picnic and then a cycle ride back to Pouilly-en-Auxois is one of our guests' favourites, as is a visit to the Grottes d'Arcy or to the MuseoParc Alesia, which brings the Roman conquest of Gaul to life. A bit further afield is the fascinating experiment that is the construction of Guedelon Castle from scratch, using only techniques and materials used in the middle ages. Well worth a visit.
Events
A series of events enliven the spring and summer months, such as regular brocantes (car boot sales/antique fairs) in surrounding towns and villages; Saulieu's yearly Salon Gourmand (a gastronomic fair) in May, the ‘Fete de la Musique' (21st June); the Festival of Baroque Music in Beaune (July); the Cajun Nights in Saulieu (start of August); and the Musical Encounters at Vezelay (end of August).
Further Information
A Welcome Booklet with further information on the chateau and the local area will be sent to you on booking, and we will be happy to advise or help organise any of the above in the run up to your holiday.