Castle life in New Aquitaine

Nell Giroir | 4/4/25, 3:36 PM

The experts at Gault&Millau have selected six chic ports of call in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

Château d'Urtubie

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History buffs, this is the address for you! Built in 1341 and owned by the same family from the outset, the Château d'Urtubie has been extensively transformed over the years, and now offers the charms of a cosy family home, with ultra-comfortable rooms decorated with 18th-century and 19th-century furniture.decorated with 18th and 19th century furniture, a swimming pool hidden away in the magnificent 6-hectare park, which also boasts a beautiful rose garden, all cooled by the Untxin, a delightful little coastal river. An ideal base for exploring the Basque country, close to Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Ciboure with its beautiful Socoa beach.

https:// chateaudurtubie.fr/

1300 D810, 64122 Urrugne

Hôtel du Palais

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Opened in 2021 after two years of restoration, the legendary palace (the only one on the Atlantic coast) has regained all its charms, as you'll discover when you enter this spectacular hotel with its immense Empire façade and panoramic view over Biarritz's Grande Plage. From the exteriors to the roofing, from the restaurant to the bar, everything has been subtly renovated by teams of craftsmen who have taken turns to refresh and refresh the interior.They took it in turns to refresh the trompe-l'œil doors, the painted columns and the bar chandelier, which required 250 hours of work. Now perfectly equipped for contemporary comfort, the hotel has retained its character, as evidenced by the 86 rooms and 56 suites with their sober lines and refined luxury. Also worthy of mention are the Californian swimming pool with seawater heated to 28°C overlooking the ocean, the Guerlain-branded Spa Impérial, spread over 3,000 m2 and, of course, the gourmet cuisine of the young and talented Aurélien Largeau. A nugget, a member of the Hyatt group.

https:// www.hyatt.com/fr-FR/hotel/france/hotel-du-palais-biarritz/biqub

1 Avenue de l'Impératrice, 64200 Biarritz

Hôtel Domaine des Etangs

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A 13th-century château and ponds, a mill and herds grazing on some 1000 hectares of unspoilt land... Everything here invites you to reconnect with nature and rediscover balance and serenity. This is the raison d'être of this former family estate, transformed into a holistic refuge by collector Garance Primat. The 30 rooms, suites and apartments (from 104 to 393 m2) are named after planets or seasons, and the restaurant celebrates produce from the surrounding orchards and vegetable gardens. Various spaces host artists and craftsmen for exhibitions, while the spa is transformed into a Roman thermal bath, with steam baths and frigidarium. You can come here for a weekend or a few days for a retreat combining yoga, shiatsu or naturopathy. Add to this soothing setting the fact that children are welcome here: swimming pool, huge playroom and walks in the woods, everything is (also) designed with them in mind.

https:// domainedesetangs.com/fr/

Domaine des Etangs, 16310 Massignac

Château de Brindos

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Loyal guests of this fine address are relieved! Alexandra and Philippe Monnin, co-founders in 2014 of the Millésime hotel group, fell in love with this legendary château, set right on the water. The couple carefully restored the 29 rooms and suites, but also chose to take advantage of the exceptional location by imagining 10 floating lodges, each answering to a fairy name of this legendary lake. These enchanted refuges are reached by small electric boat, and guests are dazzled by the luxury of the rooms and the beauty of the terraces, where they can laze and listen to the lapping of the water. And to make sure your stay is a memorable one, the Monnins have also designed cabins on the water offering massages and treatments by the Gemology brand. And let's not forget the restaurant, led by chef Hugo de la Barrière, which serves creative cuisine and also boasts a panoramic view of the lake. Magical at sunset...

https:// www.brindos-cotebasque.com/fr/restaurant-panoramique-anglet/

1 Allée du Château, 64600 Anglet

Château de la Cazine - Wyndham Halcyon Resort

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Perfect for getting away from it all, this 17th-century château nestles in the heart of an incredible 90 hectares of forests, ponds and clearings. Remarkably restored, it boasts 19 rooms and vast suites, all of which boast a cosy refinement with thick carpets, luxurious bedding and vast bathrooms. Guests come here to savor the ideal natural setting, whether walking or mountain biking in the park, or to recharge their batteries with a game of tennis or a swim in the heated pool, all before heading to the château's sumptuous dining room to savor the gourmet cuisine of chef Pierre Guilhot. An establishment that celebrates the famous French art de vivre and allows you to discover the treasures of the region, the banks of the Cregion, the banks of the Creuse river so dear to Claude Monet, the medieval town of La Souterraine or the city of Limoges, famous for its porcelain and enamels.

http://w ww.chateaudelacazine.fr/fr/

Domaine de la Fot, 23300, Noth, France

Gallery and Spa - Château de l'Yeuse

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@LesCollectionneurs

Close to Cognac and the banks of the Charente, this 19th-century château has been given a new lease of life by Céline Desmazières, who commissioned graffiti artists to take on an ambitious challenge: transform the rooms into works of art, while celebrating the soul of the site and the surrounding nature. The challenge was met with splendid frescoes that give each of the 24 rooms and suites a singular charm. The spa, designed with the same spirit, is linked to the château's grounds, which have been transformed into a "respectful garden" of biodiversity, with an organic orchard and vegetable garden from which the plants used in the treatments come.The plants used in the treatments are sourced from the orchard and organic vegetable garden (with a special mention for the massage using a tonic, regenerating bamboo-based oil). After a break in this bubble of well-being, you can head to the restaurant, which showcases local produce, or the cognac library, with its 180 varieties...

https:// www.yeuse.fr/hotel_respectueux.html

Quartier de, 65 Rue de Bellevue, 16100 Châteaubernard

Find our selection of hotels in our Nouvelle-Aquitaine guide, in bookshops and stores.

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There are villages that you can only reach by slowing down. Listed, yes, but above all, they've remained intact, clinging to the hillside, curled up in a river bend or set at the end of a path that nobody takes by chance. You often arrive at the end of the day, when the light is catching on the tiles, the shutters are slamming gently and the smell of wet wood is wafting up from the alleyways. And there, behind a wrought-iron gate or a monumental portal, is a hotel. Sometimes it's a three-bedroom attic hotel, sometimes it's a five-star hotel in a lovingly restored former maison de maître. Marble has replaced cob, swimming pools have taken the place of former orchards, but the soul has remained. You'll sleep in the folds of the landscape, between centuries-old stone and precise service, in a rare luxury that doesn't seek to outshine the place. Les Bories & Spa in Gordes Here, ancient bories still dot the fields, as if the shepherds had just left. Some have been discreetly integrated into Les Bories & Spa, without breaking the line of the dry stonework. The farmhouse extends over eight hectares of olive and cypress trees, and under the roof tiles are 34 light-filled rooms, some of them in an old farmhouse. Luxury is discreet: plant-covered terraces, an enveloping spa and a glazed pool overlooking the Luberon. A peaceful address, just a few bends from the ochre silhouettes of Gordes and Roussillon. Price: €342 per night Where? 9 Route de Senanque, 84220 Gordes. Tel. 04 90 72 00 51See Gault&Millau's review of Les Bories & Spa Le Bailliage in Salers at the entrance to Salers, a listed village with gray lava houses and sculpted balconies, Le Bailliage has been perpetuating a sincere art of living for three generations. Since 2020, Antoine and Marion Bancarel, heirs to the house, have taken over the reins with discreet elegance. In this 23-room hotel, everything has been thoughtfully redesigned: intimate spa, homemade cuisine, no-frills welcome. The meat comes from the family's own farm, the rooms overlook the old gardens, and the air, at an altitude of a thousand metres, has that taste of meadows that you never forget. A warm and welcoming address, in the image of the village. Price: €124 per night 31 Rue Notre Dame, 15140 Salers. Tel : 04 71 40 71 95See Gault&Millau's review of Les Baillages La Capitelle in Mirmande Behind the light-colored walls of a house once inhabited by painter André Lhote, La Capitelle watches over the rooftops of this Drôme village with its Provencal palette. Eight sober, peaceful rooms, with views of the Ardèche mountains or the Rhône valley, extend the discreet charm of the sloping streets. Just eleven simple, bright rooms, a restaurant with slates that change according to the season, and the quiet attention of Ludivine and Sylvain Croce, who run the house with constancy. Price: €102 per night 1 rue du Boulanger- 26270, Mirmande. Tel : 04 75 63 02 72See Gault&Millau's review of La Capitelle Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa in Bonnieux Set in the heart of a 30-hectare vineyard, this hamlet unfurls its 63 rooms and suites, with their sober, mineral lines, over the landscapes of the Luberon. The Tata Harper spa, 2,000 m² of calm and light, offers lavender and grape treatments in a plant-based atmosphere. In the kitchen, Pierre Marty, a Ducasse disciple with Monaco and Macao experience, orchestrates the Avelan gastronomic table: five-course menu, raw-marinated sea bream from Grau du Roi, poultry Pithiviers... Patisserie by Aurélien Trousse, medallist at the French Dessert Championships. Here, Provence is expressed with precision, right down to the plate. Price: €497 per night Route du Perrotet, 84400 Gargas. Tel. : 04 90 74 71 71 See Gault&Millau's review of Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa Château de Troplong Mondot in Saint-Émilion Restored in 2019, Troplong Mondot cultivates the art of entertaining as an extension of the land. The main building, with its sober, warm lines, houses a communal lounge where the fire crackles on winter evenings. Here you can read, chat or simply watch the day fall over the rows of vines. In summer, the private terrace of each house opens onto the paths lined with low walls, typical of the local landscape. The rooms, divided between several of the estate's buildings, combine blond wood, deep fabrics and unobstructed views as far as the Saint-Émilion bell tower. In the morning, chef David Charrier serves a generous breakfast of seasonal fruit, homemade jams and warm pastries. Nothing ostentatious, but attention to every gesture, in a place that invites you to retreat. Price: €250 per night Château Troplong, Mondot - 33330 Saint-Laurent-des-Combes. Tel : 05 57 55 32 05See Gault&Millau's review of Château de Troplong Mondot Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey in Sauternes Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey watches over the vines like a peaceful old soul. The estate, a famous premier grand cru classé, is now home to a hotel signed Lalique, thirteen rooms and suites subtly laid out in a 17thᵉ century château. Walls in reds and pinks evoking wine, antique beams and chiseled crystal faucets: every detail is a delicate nuance. Settle into the small lounge to enjoy a drink before joining, under the luminous glass roof, chef Jérôme Schilling's gastronomic table. A rare place of discreet elegance. Price: €504 per night 1707 Route des Gourgues, Lieu-dit Peyraguey- 33210 Bommes. Tel : 05 24 22 80 11See Gault&Millau's review of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey Les Sources de Cheverny in Cheverny Les Sources de Cheverny is a gentle hamlet designed for sharing, in the wine-growing lands of the Loire Valley. at reception, the lacquered green box recalls the forest rangers' kiosks. The 49 rooms and suites, designed by Alice Tourbier and studio be-pôles, feature antiques, a bohemian atmosphere and lush natural views. The Caudalie spa, with its sober lines and recycled materials, has slipped into the old building, like a contemporary echo of the neighboring château's beams. On the terrace, sip a wine from the estate, the prelude to a Michelin-starred dinner in the Favori dining room. An elegant address, anchored in this Sologne village with its rich Loire heritage. Price: €279 per night 23 route de Fougère- 41700 Cheverny. Tel : 02 54 44 20 20See Gault&Millau's review of Les Sources de Cheverny Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa in Champillon Behind the walls of a former coaching inn lies another world: a vast 10,000 m² contemporary hotel, designed by architect Giovanni Pace, where champagne flows more often than coffee. The 49 rooms, suspended between vineyards and classified forest, offer the luxury of not rushing into anything. at the table, Christophe Raoux, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, orchestrates gourmet cuisine served on a terrace bordered by rose bushes and a very real kitchen garden. The spa, immense and hushed, is as much for guests as for curious neighbors. And if you listen carefully, you can still hear Dom Pérignon whispering from the bell tower of Hautvillers. Price: €1,041 per night 9 rue de la République- 51160 Champillon. Tel : 03 26 52 87 11See Gault&Millau's review of Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa

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