The grandness of Le Chateau des Marquis as you approach it is all encompassing - the sheer size of it is impressive and the excitement builds as you drive down the avenue and see the imposing.
The grandness of Le Chateau des Marquis as you approach it is all encompassing - the sheer size of it is impressive and the excitement builds as you drive down the avenue and see the imposing facade. Welcome to Chateau des Marquis. Our home is your castle.
History has played an enormous part in the life of this chateau. Generations have come and gone, and now the aim is to give guests the ‘The Chateau Experience' and experience historical glamour and royal charm in this palatial country residence. After many years of neglect, the new owners have taken it upon themselves to bring back the former glory of this magnificent building and recreate the luxury offered by such a beautiful estate.
The newly renovated interiors within the well-preserved facade have been redesigned to provide elegant living in a beautiful old building with modern kitchens and bathrooms, yet feeling very much part of an old world. The rooms are large with high ceilings so you enjoy the freedom of space. The furniture style is Country French, and the bathrooms are traditional, so you immediately feel you are in a lovely old Country Home.
This castle boasts 17 elegant apartments spread over four floors, where guests can live like royalty, in their own self-contained accommodation of either a studio, one, two or three-bedroom suite. The ground floor offers communal salons, a large banquet hall, a chapel and a large dining area, as well as a large front terrace to enjoy the sunlight while sipping a good glass of local French wine or bubbly from the many vineyards around Saumur.
Outside in the formal gardens you can enjoy the large swimming pool, play boules in the petanque court, find a seat to read a good book, enjoy the fruits from the orchard, smell the roses and sample herbs from the garden. In the broader grounds, you can take a walk in the forest, visit the grotto, enjoy a BBQ picnic out in the side garden or explore some caves in the moat.
Chateau des Marquis enjoys a fabulous location in the heart of the Loire Valley in the outskirts of a little village and just 19 km from Saumur. The Loire River is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and the whole region offers countless of places to visit, from its famous Chateaux to wine tasting tours and plenty of outdoor activities.
Chateau Interior
Maison de Fretigny (Clock Tower) - 136m2
Independent 3-storey stand-alone suite located in the front lawns of the chateau.
Master bedroom with en-suite bath
1 double bedroom with en-suite shower
Mezzanine area with 3 single beds
Fully equipped kitchenette
Entertainment area
Outside Grounds
Semi-heated swimming pool (size: 20x8 m / depth: 1.1-1.7 m) with child-safe fence (open from May to October from 9 am to 7 pm)
French Gardens: the front lawn offers an area in which to view the moat and the front of the chateau. The main gardens are found through the main building to the back, where the area is divided into four sections – the topiary walk, the swimming pool, the orchard, and the garden walk.
Forest: 22 acres of forest, in which our guests can take walks along the pathways and accesses that are within our guided map. Low hanging branches and fallen trees make it a ‘nature walk', so care needs to be taken – do so at your own risk. Wild flowers and chestnuts can be found on the ground. A Pilgrimage Grotto is also in the forest, to view and read about.
Change room, sunbeds and parasols
Picnic area with 2 gas-lit BBQs
Petanque court
Caves: exploring the caves is a fun past time, but you will need the Caves Map to find your way around, and you need to let one of our team members know you are going down to the moat to explore. You will need to be guided in the right direction, particularly on your first visit.
Cycling: the chateau bikes can be used on a first come, first served basis. Cycling down to the village to collect your morning croissants or baguette for lunch is a popular thing to do. Having a coffee enroute is a very French thing to enjoy.
The Plants: a herb garden is near the foot bridge across from the back of the chateau and guests can help themselves to what is in season, for their personal cooking pleasure. The orchard is to the back of the formal gardens, and when in season, pickings can be made by our guests of the fruit on the trees, or some of the vegetables in the veggie patch.
Off road parking space
Facilities
LCD Flat Screen Satellite TV
DVD player
PC with internet access
Safe
Chateau des Marquis is just outside a pretty village with three bars, restaurant, hairdressers and pharmacy. The nearest town is lovely Saumur, which is only 19km away. Less than an hour away you can visit the cities of Angers, Le Mans and Tours.
Centred on the mighty UNESCO World Heritage classified Loire river, guests can zig-zag through a veritable cornucopia of wonderful things to see and do from the thrill of the Le Mans racing circuit to the astonishing horsemanship of the Cadre Noire Riding School. For a family day out there is Joyful Valley Lake or the leap back in history at Saumur Castle.
The area is perfect for visiting the Loire Chateaux, for wine tasting (particularly sparkling wines) and for rambling and cycling in the National Park.