Chateau Alarie

Details of the Chateau

Chateau Alarie is a stunning French castle with deep roots in the history of the region. Here you'll find traditional luxury, and an authentic experience yet with plenty of amenities close by in the picturesque town of Villeloin-Coulange and an array of modern comforts on site. The property is in the heart of chateaux and vineyard country in the Loire, part of the commune of Montresor, recently voted one of the two most beautiful villages in France. It is only a 20 minutes' drive from the world famous zoo at Beauval and from a train-touristique. So there are activities for all the family! The house was, until the French Revolution, the residence of the Abbots of the Benedictine Monastery of St-Sauveur in Villeloin-Coulange, founded in 850 AD in the reign of Charles the Bald. Situated South of the Loire Valley, the area attracted the Kings of France who came to hunt boar and deer in the surrounding forests and Louis XI, on one of his visits, stayed in the house. This is the region where Charles VII kept the first official royal mistress, Agnes Sorel, from whom much of the royalty of Europe is descended, and where Joan of Arc persuaded him to go to Reim to be consecrated in 1429. There is a bi-weekly market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, much enlivened by an active cafe life with the arrival of crowds of shoppers from the surrounding area who come to buy their provisions and socialize while doing so. #### Features Ground floor: - Large dining room with possibility of seating 20 - Drawing room with fireplace, library, grand piano and sitting area - Fully equipped kitchen/breakfast room with all amenities and batterie de cuisine (plenty of cutlery, crockery, cookware, coffee machine etc.) - Bedroom with four poster bed for one guest and en-suite bathroom First floor: - Paired suite with one room with a double bed and the other with a double bed and child's single bed - Double bedroom - Twin bedroom (plus room for a cot) - Triple bedroom (three single beds) - Three bathrooms Loft: - can be used as additional living area/playroom or as an extra double bedroom Tower: - Library and writing room with views. Grounds: - Fabulous two-level walled garden. - Upper level with easy access to the kitchen for dining al fresco, well shaded by trees and enjoying the sunset. - Two large terraces, and one gazebo. Extensive basements with washing machine, dryer, wine cellar, central heating boiler (oil) and additional freezer capacity. Garage with table tennis. Barbecue area. #### Location One of the attractions of the area is its proximity to not only the chateaux of the Loire but also many churches, abbeys and historic gardens, without itself being too much of a tourist destination, though the neighbouring village of Montresor (2.5 km), categorised as one of the most beautiful villages of France, boasts an agreeable restaurant/bar, a mini-supermarket, bakery, chemist, and petrol pump. For daily requirements, such as fresh produce, bread, newspapers etc, Villeloin itself has all this within a few paces walk, whilst for more serious shopping, Loches is 19 km away, with two large supermarkets, and all the amenities of a small provincial town. Loches itself is a place of substantial historical significance, with its massive defensive keep, chateau and royal residence, and cathedral. The main transport hub in the area is Tours, about 50 minutes' drive, where there is a small airport and rail link to Paris (56 minutes) and southwards by TGV. Tours is also connected by regular bus service to Loches, and Eurostar/TGV from London via Paris or Lille is some six hours, whilst driving from Calais is in total about six and a half hours with good motorways all the way until about half an hour from Villeloin. An additional facility available is a secure underground parking space operated by remote next to Tours station, useful for leaving a car if traveling to Paris or elsewhere by train. Both St Pierre des Corps Tours and Tours mainline stations have car hire places where you can book vehicles that carry up to nine passengers. Some of the most famous Chateaux in France are only a short distance. There's a beautiful old Chateau in the next door village which is open to the public. That is within walking distance; it's a little over a mile. Others are within cycling distance or a short drive. The best place to hire bicycles is the Peugeot Garage on Rue des Moulins in Loches, the nearest town. This has a good selection and they are cheap to hire. If you hire your bikes in Loches we strongly recommend cycling around the Royal Forest which has some glorious rides. You might usefully stop off on your way to Loches at the tourist office in Montresor which has a good selection of cycle route maps. There is also a tourist office in Loches by the station and it is a beautiful market town with a historic castle and keep, just 12 miles away. Chenonceaux, the Loire's most famous Chateau, is just 21 miles away. Chaumont is 28 miles away. Blois is 37 miles away. The beautiful gardens at Villandry are just 44 miles away. The imposing fortress at Chinon is 51 miles away. Many other historic buildings are within easy reach too.