Stay in a family-owned French château in the Loire valley, a wonderful historic abode whether relaxing with family or friends, around half an hour from the Pays de Loire town of Cholet.
As seen on Escape To The Château, Château Cendrillon is set in 20 acres of rural parkland which affords guests ample space alongside a high degree of privacy. The estate also features a seasonal heated outdoor swimming pool, surrounded by a poolside terrace and sun loungers. The interiors are traditional and welcoming. Step in to the lounge with its comfortable sofas, satellite TV and DVD player whilst children play in the games room with toys, table tennis and other family-friendly activities. On the other side of the château, the kitchen is brilliantly equipped for keen cooks or hire a private chef to prepare feasts to be served beneath the chandelier in the formal dining room.
Château Cendrillon sleeps a maximum of 15 guests. There are flexible sleeping arrangements over the nine bedrooms on the first and second floors, eight of which feature their own bath or shower room. The master double with its turret bathroom is especially impressive whilst there is also a first-floor double accessed via a lift, ideal for members of your party who may struggle with the stairs. Finally, the top-floor is also home to a mirrored fitness studio with gym equipment.
Indeed, this French château has been restored to a lovely condition, and while it retains the feel of a traditional French château, it also provides guests with a great level of comfort and superb range of amenities.
Less than an hour from Nantes Airport and easily reached from ferry ports of north-western France, this is a superb base for discovering the local surroundings as well as exploring further afield across the Loire valley, known as the ‘Garden of France’ with its meandering river, cycling trail, grand châteaux and vineyards.
In the Maine-et-Loire department of western France, Château Cendrillon is less than an hour from Nantes Airport and only 212km from St Malo’s ferry port.
There is a small rural village around 1.5km away whilst the nearest amenities can be found in Villedieu-la-Blouère (3km) with its bakery, small supermarket, café and bar. Saint-Macaire-en-Mauges (6km) is larger with a small handful of restaurants, tennis courts and other useful facilities whilst Cholet (20km) is a small town with everything else you may need including a hypermarket and leisure centre with swimming pools and an ice-rink.
Clisson (32km) is a medieval town which has a popular food market on Fridays and is a picturesque place to wander around. It has a ruined château open to the public.
Shoppers will be thrilled to discover La Séguiniere (18km), an enormous factory outlet village, home to 80 major brands, from fashion and sports to kitchenware, as well as a chocolate shop which offers free samples.
The Japanese Gardens (Parc Oriental) at Maulévrier (33km) are a wonderful place to visit for all ages. Originally built in 1899 but then left to decay, a restoration programme started in the 1980's has resulted in stunning garden filled with Japanese architecture, bridges, water features and traditional Japanese trees. The gardens are the largest of their kind in Europe.
One of France's major tourist attractions, Le Puy du Fou (43km), is less than an hour away. Its medieval themed ‘park’ includes an impressively large Roman amphitheatre with chariots, fighting gladiators, jousting knights on horseback, falconry and much more. In the summer they have evening sound and light shows.
This is also great base for exploring further afield across the Loire valley with its beautiful river and grand châteaux. It goes without saying that there are many vineyards in the Loire region which you can visit for wine tastings, and they range from large commercial wineries to small farms.
Try the sparkling white wine in the vineyards surrounding Saumur (83km) and visit the historic town’s château and Cadre Noir equestrian school. Not far from here is the Rochemeiner troglodyte dwellings and the impressive Zoo de Doué, home to 500 animals and located in an old quarry.
Cyclists can take advantage of the ‘Loire á vélo’ and there are many bike rental places along the route for those who haven’t brought their own bicycles with them. The trails are easy to follow, and it is a carefree way to pass the day through the unspoiled rural towns and villages of the Loire Valley.
Château Interiors
Ground Floor (some steps)
- Entrance hall
- Living room with three sofas, satellite TV, DVD player and iPod docking station
- Games room with table tennis, PlayStation, board games and children’s toys and games
- Dining room with table for 14-16 guests
- Kitchen, fully-equipped including breakfast bar, table (for 8-10 guests), electric range oven, gas hob, croissant oven griddle plate, microwave, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, mixer/blender and pantry
- Laundry room (in turret) and wine fridge
- Porch
- Shower room and WC
- Guest WC
First Floor
- Master bedroom with double bed, small balcony and en suite bathroom (in turret) with shower and WC
- Family bedroom with queen-size double bed, two single beds and en suite bathroom with bath, shower and WC
- Bedroom with king-size double bed and en suite wet room with shower, sink and WC (accessed via a lift in turret)
- Bedroom with double bed and shower room
- Bedroom with double bed, balcony and en suite bathroom with bath, shower and WC
- Bedroom with twin beds and en suite bathroom with bath and shower
- Bedroom with double bed and en suite bathroom with bath, shower and WC
Second Floor
- Bedroom with twin beds
- Bedroom with double bed and en suite bathroom with bath, shower and WC
- Mirrored fitness studio with gym equipment and shower room
- Owner’s quarters (unoccupied, no access to guests)
Outside Grounds (20 acres)
- Heated swimming pool (5x12m) with electric cover and access via childproof gate. Heated via heat air source. Open approximately May to September.
- Sun loungers
- Built-in barbecue
- Parking
- Electric gate
- Parkland (20 acres)
- Old ruins (not accessible to guests)
- Two ponds
Other Facilities
- Lift (direct access to one first-floor double bedroom)
