Need to know
Rooms
49, including 25 suites.
Check–Out
Noon. Earliest check-in 3pm.
More details
Rates don’t generally include the buffet breakfast, served either in the Auberge restaurant or delivered to your room in a basket – it’s €30 an adult and €15 a child.
Also
The hotel is in the process of producing its own organic house wine: La Grand Vigne Vintage (it takes its name from the famous restaurant at sister property Les Sources de Caudalie). The variety is Romorantin, a crisp and delicate white wine that was a favourite of King Frances I of France, who made it into his mum’s good books by having the vines imported to the Loire from Burgundy as a gift for her.
Hotel closed
The hotel closes for a few weeks every winter – exact dates vary annually.
At the hotel
La Grand Vigne winery, farm, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, spa, hammam, gym, Pilates, yoga and fitness classes, wellies and bikes to borrow, on-site parking and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: tea and coffee, plug adaptors, Caudalie bath products.
Our favourite rooms
The stand-out suite is Le Baron Perché, a wooden cabin that stands on stilts and overlooks the lake. It takes its name from the Italian novel The Baron in the Trees by Italo Colvino about a young aristocrat who rebels against his parents by climbing into the trees and remaining there for the rest of his life, vowing never to set food on the earth again. You’ll understand how he feels after a night in this haven with its private Nordic outdoor bath tub, panoramic views of the estate and tasteful interiors – it’s nearly impossible to clamber back down to reality.
Poolside
The family-friendly heated outdoor pool in the grounds is surrounded by forest for sylvan swimming sessions. To use the indoor spa pool, wooden jacuzzi and hammam, you’ll need to book a treatment (a minimum of €154 a person a half-day) or buy a pass (€39 for two hours’ access).
Spa
A hand-painted forest scene welcomes you to the tranquil spa complex where treatments use all-natural Caudalie products that harness the anti-aging and antioxidant power of grapes. Indulge in a Premier Cru facial, a crushed Cabernet body scrub or a half-day ritual in one of the seven treatment rooms (three are double cabins designed for couples). Afterwards, swim blissful laps in the spa pool housed in a double-height wooden atrium and soak away any remaining stresses in the oak Jacuzzi that resembles a wine barrel. Speaking of wine, you can undo all of last night’s liquid excess in the fully-equipped fitness room – don’t worry, despite the oil paintings in gilded frames on the wall, it is permitted to work up a sweat in here. Or, go slower during the weekly yoga session on Saturday evenings (€26) that’s held in a high-ceilinged salon in the original château – reverse warrior has never looked so regal.
Packing tips
Leave room in your suitcase for your new favourite wines and bring plenty of activewear if you’re planning to make use of the gym, yoga studio or cycle routes.
Also
All common areas and two bedrooms (a Superior room and a Prestige room) are adapted for wheelchair users.
Pet‐friendly
Dogs are welcome for a charge of €30 a night; bowls and treats are provided. See more pet-friendly hotels in Loire Valley.
Children
All ages are very welcome. Cots (€20 a night for ages three and under) and extra beds (€50 a night for ages 3-12) can be added to all except Superior Rooms.
Overview
All ages are very welcome. Cots (€20 a night for ages three and under) and extra beds (€50 a night for ages 3-12) can be added to all except Superior Rooms.
Best for
There’s plenty of distraction on offer for all ages: pony rides, child-sized bikes to borrow and feeding the goats on the farm. For tiny Smiths, the indoor playroom has soft toys and games galore.
Recommended rooms
Larger families will need to book the Suite which can sleep a maximum of two adults, two children and one baby; all other rooms and suites can accommodate a maximum of two adults and one child under 12 in a cot or bed.
Swimming pool
They can splash to their heart’s content in the family-friendly outdoor swimming pool.
Meals
The laid-back L'Auberge restaurant has a children’s menu and high chairs to borrow.
Babysitting
Babysitting can be arranged with a minimum of two days’ notice – available for €50 an hour (two days notice). Minimum of two hours a booking.
No need to pack
Cots, baby bedlinen, changing mats, bottle sterilising equipment and high chairs are available on request.
Sustainability efforts
The hotel is committed to a light touch on the local environment – all food is locally-sourced and seasonal and food waste is composted; the chemical-free Caudalie bath products are made from recyclable and refillable bottles; there’s also a waste-water treatment facility on-site.
