A beautiful Loire chateau, between Tours and Nantes, available for a big group to hire as a self-catering house for reunions, weddings, mini-conferences and holidays. The rooms are big and comfortable, the bedrooms wonderfully spacious, the kitchen superbly equipped and the whole house very private.
Within the gardens, which are quite stunning, is a pool with a deck area with a large Orangery, and an all-weather tennis court with an adjacent court for bocce (Italian version of bowls).
The house often hosts wedding parties and small conference groups (with chef if required), and makes a really beautiful venue for big group gatherings.
The spacious Coach House is a multi-purpose structure, a place for overflow guests, a family that wants its own separate living quarters, or a very comfortable house for staff members who accompany the group.
Detilly has 11 bedrooms altogether, and it sleeps up to 24 (with the possibility of a further five on rollaway beds, by prior arrangement).
In the Chateau there are five king size bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, three twin rooms, and a single sofa bed in the study. The Coach House has one queen size room, two twins and a sofa bed in the living room. The nine bathrooms (and four WCs) are all modern and central-heated.
There are various lovely reception rooms in the Chateau, with lots of lounging space for a large group, including a salon, library/card room, TV room, study, hall, dining room and a breakfast room with kitchen.
The ground floor is elegant and intimate, with high ceilings and long windows. Most walls are covered with stretched silk tissue “tondu”. There are large period mirrors over marble stone fireplaces, oil paintings and chandeliers. The floors are limestone or slate, tapestries adorn the flagstone hallway and main staircase, and there is full central heating throughout.
A cosy TV room has a long, L-shaped sofa where you can watch satellite TV or videos. Next door is a sunny, comfortable study with a large desk, fax machine, printer, telephone answering machine and dedicated Internet line. This room has a single sofa bed, with a bathroom and shower next to it (ideal for a guest who prefers not to use stairs).
Your big group can choose to dine formally at a long mahogany table in the dining room, where French doors can be opened to let in the breeze from the courtyard; or in the more informal Breakfast Room, a light and sunny room with lots of windows and glass terrace doors. The aged-pine farm table here can seat up to 14. Alternatively, it can be extended so that up to 24 can sit in a formal setting with a white linen tablecloth. The breakfast room is a good place for younger children to gather when parents are entertaining in the dining room.
The kitchen is beautifully equipped and large enough to give cookery classes, with a huge granite slab workspace-cum-table dominating the centre of the room. For barbecuing there is an open fireplace with a rotating spit, and next to that a professional-level La Cornue stove with five gas burners, a griddle and two ovens.
The bedrooms are luxurious, and no couple will feel it has inferior quarters. Each room is exceptionally large with high ceilings, a fireplace with a marble mantle, thick wall-to-wall carpeting and lovely views. One bedroom, up in the tower, is often used as the honeymoon suite. It has a canopied super-king-sized four-poster bed with a large fireplace, steps up to an en-suite bathroom and far-reaching countryside views.
The Coach House feels like a country house, its décor simple beamed ceilings and white tiled floors, and the overall atmosphere refreshingly contemporary. There is a living and dining area, a well-lit conservatory and a modern kitchen with all mod cons. Adjacent to the Orangery there is a new laundry room fitted with four American washing and drying machines and stainless steel tables.
There’s plenty to do at the chateau. Without even leaving the grounds you can enjoy badminton, gym equipment, tennis (coach available) on the all-weather court, table tennis, snooker/pool, swimming and table hockey. Various classes can be arranged at the house too - cookery, painting, wine-tasting and flower-arranging. Alternatively, you can simply chill out - read in the garden, watch a video, relax in the games room or listen to music.
Kitchen facilities include two dishwashers, a microwave, three fridges and an ice-maker. There are washing machines and separate tumble dryers in the kitchens of the Chateau and Coach House. The Coach House has a television with satellite reception (including CNN) and a VCR that plays British, American and European formatted tapes, full stereo system and telephone with intercom to the Chateau.
The idea behind the Orangery is that it provides everything you need for a completely luxurious day poolside, without the need to return to the chateau. So you’ll find lots of lounge chairs, a hammock, parasols and a barbecue as well as a shower and lavatory, an exercise machine, the table tennis table, and a proper kitchen. The pool can be heated but a charge is made for extra fuel.
If you would like one or more meals cooked for you, a chef is available, but please give the owners prior notice.
Children are welcome, as long as they can swim, and babysitting can be arranged. Pets are unfortunately not allowed.
Weddings: The Chapel is an impeccably renovated little jewel of Gothic architecture, standing some 40 metres from the Chateau. The English wedding co-ordinator will ensure all arrangements are carried out smoothly and efficiently while you and your guests relax. Your wedding party can cook for itself, hire a chef or have cooked food delivered. Arrangements can be made for bigger parties of up to 80 on the Big Day (groups larger than 80 will be considered by special arrangement). The owner prefers only a maximum of 24 be offered accommodation. For more information on weddings at Chateau de Detilly see: Chateau de Detilly weddings
Conferences: mini conferences can be set up in either the Orangery or the chapel.
Chateau de Detilly stands in the little hamlet of Detilly, on the flat land between the rivers Loire and Vienne, which is in the centre of the Loire-Anjou-Touraine national park. The area is well known for its fine wines and agriculture, and is frequently referred to as “The Garden of France”. The ancient cities of Nantes, Angers and Saumur lie to the west; Tours and Orleans to the east. Detilly is ten minutes from Chinon.
Being relatively flat, this is an excellent area for walks and bike rides through the countryside. There are 12 bicycles available at the chateau, and others can be hired locally. You can also go jogging on soft ground beside the rivers or through the woods, kayaking and horse riding. Golf is available at Loudon (20 mins, please bring your own clubs).
Several Renaissance Chateaux make interesting days out, including Chambord, Chenonceau, Amboise, Blois etc. There are also the Tombs of the Plantagenets at the Abbaye Fontevraud (15 mins), and the Ecole Nationale d’Equitation, home of the Cadre Noir highly trained horses.
If you simply prefer to relax, you could picnic beside the river Vienne, visit open air markets, flea markets and brocantes, shop in Tours, and meet the owners of small, non-touristy local wineries.
Other activities and sights groups love to do round here include ballooning, boat trips, canoeing, coarse fishing, sailing, shooting, vineyards, 4x4 driving, quad biking and visiting the Arboretum, museums, national parks and the local theatre.
Longer daytrips include Paris (55 minutes on the TGV train from Tours), Futurescope at Poitiers (one hour), and the world famous gardens at Villandry.
Airport: Tours
Station: Tours, Saumur or Port Boulet
Chateau: Euros 10,135 per week high season
Euros 7,100 low season.
Coach House: Euros 1875 high season
Euros 1030 low season
Prices are self-catering, chef available if required.
Wedding tariff: please enquire