Located just a 55-minute train ride from central Paris, Hotel Château in the village of Le Grand-Lucé has opened in the Loire Valley.

A former country home of the Baron Jacques Pineau de Viennay, the château has been returned to its 18th-century splendour after a careful private restoration under the guidance of the French government.

One of the finest remaining examples of French neoclassical architecture to date, serving as a stunning tribute to its noble provenance and rich history, the château offers elevated French style and elegance throughout.

The 45,000-square-foot Hotel Château features 17 rooms and suites, a ballroom, authentic French restaurant Le Lucé, a bar, spa and fitness salon, an outdoor pool and classic French gardens.

“Voltaire, Mozart, Diderot and Rousseau were guests at the château, and I’m humbled when I look out from their rooms to the same panorama,” said chief executive, Marcy Holthus.

“I’m looking forward to sharing this celebrated historic property with discerning travellers seeking an unrivalled, authentic experience in one of the most beautiful settings in France.”

History

In 1760, Baron Jacques Pineau de Viennay instructed architect Mathieu de Bayeux to construct a summer palace on the site of the baron’s medieval castle with the most au courant in design to represent the pinnacle of 18th-century extravagance.

Numerous statues commissioned by King Louis XV, exact replicas of statues at Versailles, were placed on the Château grounds as a gift to the Baron.

In 1764, the Château du Grand-Lucé was completed – a stunning representation of classicism and modernity.

In 2003, the Château was sold by the government to American interior designer Timothy Corrigan.

Much of the Château was in its original state and Corrigan masterfully renovated the 45,000-square-foot Château for use as his private residence before transferring the Château to new owner and chief executive of Pilot Hotels, Marcy Holthus, in 2017 to reimagine the property as Hotel Château.

Known for its incredible splendour, the Loire Valley was once a region of critical strategic importance to kings, queens, dukes and barons.

With easy access from Paris, and perfectly situated between northern and southern France, the valley is sprinkled with hundreds of châteaux, originally built as opulent aristocratic estates, dotting the countryside.

The entire area is deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site, with over a thousand years of rich architectural history and artistic creativity.

Having a near-perfect climate for a variety of grapes, the Loire Valley produces some of the world’s finest reds and rosés in addition to the fabled Sancerre.

There are a multitude of tiny wineries throughout the rolling landscape of the valley.

Images: Adam Lynk