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The 5 best French vineyard hotels
Check into a chateau with views over the vines and lessons in viticulture
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Your support makes all the difference.Chateau Pierre de Serjac, Languedoc
The Irish owners of the historic Château Pierre de Serjac teamed up with Frenchman Laurent Bonfils to create this sensitively restored wine-producing estate set in the vine-draped landscape of the Hérault, in the Languedoc. Opened in March, its focal point is a romantic 19th-century chateau that was owned for generations by the aristocratic de Crozals family. There are eight guestrooms in the main building, with a further 36 self-catering properties among the estate’s outbuildings, ranging from two-bedroomed apartments to four-bedroomed villas - some with their own pools. There is also a restaurant, pool, kids’ club, spa and a winery with a tasting room. The chateau’s first vintage will be harvested later this year.
Puissalicon (00 33 4 67 93 12 34; serjac.com). Doubles from €220, room only.
Les Sources de Caudalie, Bordeaux
A cluster of traditional buildings set among the manicured vines of the prestigious Château Smith Haut Lafitte winery just outside Bordeaux, Les Sources des Caudalie is a picturesque spot. The 69-room hotel is also home to the original spa of the cult beauty brand Caudalie, whose wine-based products harness the antioxidant properties of grapes. The hotel has just unveiled a new look for L’Ile aux Oiseaux, an over-water suite on stilts, built to resemble the 19th-century dwellings of the oyster farmers of the nearby Bassin d’Arcachon. A new kitchen garden will also to supply the restaurant and an update to the spa will be unveiled this summer.
Chemin de Smith Haut Lafitte, Bordeaux Martillac (00 33 5 57 83 83 83; sources-caudalie.com). Doubles from €300, B&B.
Chateau de Rochecotte, Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is dotted with whimsical chateaux and wine producing estates. Right in the heart of the Unesco World Heritage-listed stretch between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes is the imposing Château de Rochecotte. Built in 1816 and the former home of the Duchess of Dino and Prince Talleyrand, the Italianate mansion has welcomed more than its fair share of distinguished guests over its 200-year history, including Honoré de Balzac and King George IV of England. This year also marks the 37-room property’s 30th anniversary as a hotel. Surrounded by the vineyards of the Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas, Chinon and Saumur appellations, the estate also produces its own red wine.
43 rue Dorothée de Dino, Saint-Patrice, Loire Valley (00 33 2 47 96 16 16; chateau-de-rochette.fr). Doubles from €136, B&B.
Domaine de Fontenille, Luberon
The vineyards of Domaine de Fontenille, overlooking a sweep of the Durance river on the southern slopes of the Luberon, have been producing wine since the 17th century. But a new era recently began at this charming estate surrounded by vines, just 25 minutes from Aix en Provence. Converted to organic viticulture two years ago, in 2015 this quintessential Provençal mansion with its duck egg blue shutters and pale ochre exterior also opened its doors as a 17-room hotel and restaurant. Surrounded by ancient cedar trees, there is an outdoor swimming pool, a spa, yoga classes and an on-site wine shop offering wine tasting and oenology lessons.
Lauris (00 33 4 13 98 00 00; domainedefontanille.com). Doubles from €180, B&B.
Château de Mercuès, Cahors
Built in the 13th century by the Comtes-Evêques, Château de Mercuès’ fairytale good looks and views of the Lot Valley are reason enough to check in. But another reason to visit is to enjoy the high regarded wines, thanks to its current owner, winemaker Georges Vigouroux, who set about restoring the chateau’s sprawling vineyards when he bought the property in 1983. One of the pioneers of the Cahors appellation, Vigouroux also installed a monumental wine storehouse dug out of bare rock under the estate’s gardens. The 30 rooms are done in a suitably grand yet restrained style with views over the grounds and down to the valley.
Mercuès (00 353 5 65 20 00 01; relaischateaux.com). Doubles from £135, B&B.
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