In the heart of the Loire Valley, attached to a grand chateau, Le Clos Lumiere is an elegant and stylish home in an idyllic rural setting surrounded by vineyards.
The owners have recently restored this wing of their own chateau and what they have created is remarkable. Step up to the main living space where light floods in from the south-facing garden and you are greeted with sophisticated style and character around you. The original fireplace and wood beamed ceilings are a nod to the home’s historical past whilst cool, modern furnishings and fittings allow you to live in 21st Century comfort.
There are four bedrooms here, each of them furnished gracefully with beautiful features and contemporary bathrooms. Three are on the first floor, two doubles and a twin, whilst there is a delightful garden double bedroom outside that offers guests a little privacy from the main wing. The three doubles have king-size beds and TVs to add to the sense of luxury around you.
Guests at Le Clos Lumiere have their own private south-facing garden with a pretty al-fresco dining area by the ancient walls. You are also free to use the chateau’s tennis courts and explore the owner’s estate if you wish to soak up the mesmerising views of the rural surroundings.
It’s only a few minutes in the car to a local restaurant and a little village with a boulangerie for your morning bread and pastries or head to the nearby town of Bourgueil, just ten minutes away, especially on market day on a Tuesday and Saturday morning. Famous for its excellent red wine, there are also some lovely restaurants and shops selling delicious local products that the ‘Garden of France’ is so famous for such as truffles, cheeses and rillettes.
Canoe along the Loire river and sample the sparkling wine in Saumur (32km), home of the Cadre Noir equestrian school or explore the wine caves in the winding lanes of pretty Chinon (32km). This is of course the land of magical chateaux such as Chateau de Langeais (14km), Chateau de Villandry (23km) and Chateau Royal d'Amboise (66km) all within an hours drive.
Or you could just revel in the fact that you’re staying in part of a stunning 17th century chateau, which has been listed as a French historical monument, as you sip fine red wine from the surrounding AOC Bourgueil vineyards.
Le Clos Lumiere is in the heart of the ‘Garden of France’, only a five-minute drive from the Loire river. Visit fairy-tale chateaux, beautiful vineyards and rural villages so typical of this region. Discover fine regional foods such as amazing cheeses, truffles, excellent meats and preserved pears. Within 2km of Le Clos Lumiere you can pick up your morning pastries and bread from the boulangerie in the local village, where you will also find a pharmacy and a doctors. There’s an excellent restaurant serving local specialities within 1.5km.
For further facilities, head to the local town of Bourgueil (9km) where you can hire bikes and visit the historic 10th century abbey. The covered market on a Saturday morning is lovely whilst there is also a street market on a Tuesday morning. There are also many wonderful local restaurants and shops as well as a supermarket. The town is especially well known for its red wine (alongside the nearby village Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil) and there are many opportunities to sample the excellent local wine.
In the afternoons in July and August there is a leisure park just south of Bourgueil with a lake where you can swim when the lifeguard is present as well as a beach, games for kids, petanque, volleyball, ping-pong and bike paths connecting to the Loire à Vélo (a cycling trail along the Loire riverside). This is also a lovely area for hiking.
Indeed, there are many fantastic activities around the region from golf within thirty minutes near Saumur or Fontevraud and horse-riding in the area.
Resting on the banks of the Vienne River to the south, the medieval town of Chinon (24km) is a wonderful place to visit for the day. Follow the winding streets full of little shops and restaurants up to the castle and appreciate the history all around you. It’s another wine producing town so be sure to stop off in one of the town’s caves where you can sample some local produce! Hire canoes for a leisurely afternoon by the river.
Another amazing town to visit is Saumur (32km), resting on the Loire River. It has a fine reputation for its excellent restaurants, its famous equestrian school Cadre Noir and the delicious sparkling white wine which you can sample in the area. Visit the romantic chateau, take a boat up the Loire river or hire canoes.
Other highlights to the south-west include the Fontevraud Abbey (28km) and the fascinating Troglodyte caves in Rochemenier (53km).
There is yet more fascinating history to discover in Tours (38km), also an excellent place for its high-end gastronomy with amazing markets across the city. Wine-lovers should continue to the famous vineyards of Vouvray (58km).
This is of course the land of magical chateaux, many of them near Le Clos Lumiere such as Chateau de Langeais (14km), Chateau de Villandry (23km), Chateau Royal d'Amboise (66km) and Chateau de Chenonceau (70km).
A little further but worth the drive is Chateau de Chambord (123km) which should be combined with a visit to the utterly beautiful town of Blois (111km) on the Loire river.
Clos Interior (220m2)
Ground Floor (main entrance via steps)
- Open-plan living room with TV, Bose music system and fireplace
- Open-plan dining room
- Open-plan kitchen, well-equipped including fridge, freezer, induction hobs, wine cellar, mixer and Nespresso coffee machine
- WC
- Cloakroom
First Floor (some low/sloping ceilings)
- Laundry room
- Double bedroom with king-size bed (180cm), TV, desk and bathroom with bath, shower and WC
- Twin bedroom (beds 90cm each) and bathroom with bath and WC
- Double bedroom with king-size bed (180cm), TV, desk and bathroom with shower and WC
Independent Bedroom (Garden Level)
- Double bedroom with king-size bed (180cm), TV, desk and bathroom with shower and WC
Outside Grounds
- Weber gas barbecue and Plancha
- Al-fresco dining area
- Sun-loungers
- South-facing garden
- Tennis courts in chateau’s grounds (rackets and balls available)
Facilities
- Wi-Fi
- TV (local and international channels)l
- Bose music system with Deezer (music streaming service)
- I-Pad available
- Board games
- Baby monitor
- Changing mat
- Bottle warmer
- Bathrobes and slippers
- Hairdryers
- Washing machine, dryer and ironing facilities
- Pool
