Le Château de Thauvenay

A Timeless Castle Meticulously Renewed

Old and new intertwine gracefully within the vast halls of this castle in France’s Sancerre wine country within the storied Loire Valley.

Two years were spent preserving the generous château, realigning the space to its magnificent past. Serene and mesmerizing, the castle's interior renovation is unexaggerated yet stylized, evoking the simplicity of the mid-century modern era through its warm woods and spare furnishings.

Capturing the timeless, elevated essence of “la vie de château,” the property transports guests to nobler times, offering a life of leisure in its unobtrusively elegant ensuite rooms and scenic, pathway-lined private park. A pond-sized saltwater swimming pool fills a hushed clearing and a wood-fired outdoor spa and Nordic bath hide in a lush cloak of greenery within the castle's gated, manicured grounds, the region's undulating vineyard landscape extending in every direction.  

Read all about Molly Baz and Ben Willett's stay in our POV magazine.

Around

Behind its stately gates, this fairytale chateau occupies a clearing within a forest of 200+-year-old trees, lush ground cover and luxurious landscaping, cut through with scenic footpaths that meander about the woods. The estate’s vast poolscape is poetically dappled with filtered sunlight that shines through centenary pines and statuesque oaks, and the château’s immediate outdoor space offers a generous dining table and manicured lawn. Located less than two hours’ train ride from Paris and an approximately two-hour drive, the castle is set on the left bank of France’s Loire Valley, within the wine region (AOC) of Sancerre, famed for its quilted hills of mostly Sauvignon Blanc vines. The vineyards date from Roman times and were actively cultivated by monks in the Middle Ages. The château’s name is on the label of a Sauvignon Blanc vintage made from neighboring vineyards, and walking out the castle gates leads directly into the vineyards that cover the hills for miles. 

A great way to explore the area is on bike, cycling the Loire River canal path. A 12th-century cathedral is located only minutes away in the picturesque village of La Charité-sur-Loire, and the nearby town of Apremont-sur-Allier has been designated one of France’s “Most Beautiful Villages.” The historic old town of Sancerre village spreads below the remains of a medieval castle and its photogenic Tour des Fiefs tower. Wine makes up the region’s tourism, and tasting rooms and tour possibilities are easily found in Sancerre village and throughout the region. The pretty flowering village of Aubigny-sur-Nere holds a special designation for its well-tended French and English gardens, a large park on the site of its former town castle. And the chance to visit the region by pleasure boat can be found in Briare, a Loire River town and canal village with a small port and beautiful historic bridge.

Location

Nearest airport: Paris Orly (2 hours); Paris Charles de Gaulle (2 1/2 hours)

Best time to visit

May to September

Photography: Benjamin Colombel

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Read about Molly Baz and Ben Willett's stay at the Chateau in our POV magazine here.