With its honey-toned stone walls and sage-green shutters, the 18th Chateau de Masburel wine domaine and B&B, has a timeless, unhurried feel to it. It’s a working winery and wine has been produced here since before the French Revolution. Today’s wines are award winning and AOC. The chateau is just thirty minutes from Bergerac, forty minutes from Saint-Emilion and ten minutes from the bastide town of Sainte-Foy-la-Grande on the banks of the River Dordogne in the Gironde. It’s the perfect base to explore the area and enjoy a relaxing break.
A historic B&B
The chateau was built to be a residential home in 1740 by the wine loving Jean de Sambellie, King Louis XV’s consul and tax collector in Sainte-Foy. He had the sunny south facing slopes of the property planted up with vines.
This B&B home from home has no formal reception and the nicest hosts imaginable who are only too happy to share their chateau and spoil their guests. Stay here and you’ll get a sense of serenity and space in an exquisite setting among the chateau’s own vineyards.
Sit in the elegant courtyard and relax. Explore the lush grounds with velvet green lawns and centuries old majestic shade-giving trees, surrounded by vineyards, woods and fields. The bedrooms are softly decorated with period style beds. The silk carpets, antiques and paintings plus striking original features add charm and authenticity, but with the luxury of air conditioning. The view from the windows overlook the verdant vineyards.
Sumptuous mirrors and antique furnishings decorate the gorgeous but comfy guest sitting room. There are dreamy Oriental style frescoes, cosy couches and a wood fire for colder evenings.
The dining room with its oriental frescoes is the perfect place to enjoy breakfast. Plus you can order dinner in advance. The chateau can provide a chef service and a choice of menus or bespoke dishes featuring local and seasonal produce.
It’s the ideal place for a romantic get-away and as a base to explore the famous wine producing area. Bikes are provided for guests, perfect for exploring the vineyards or to visit the nearby picturesque villages where there are many fabulous restaurants, and lots of attractions.
The wine
Guests at the chateau are invited to take a tour and a tasting. The 33.4-hectare Chateau Masburel estate sits on a ridge of hills above the Dordogne river. Just 80km east of Bordeaux, the area shares the same limestone-clay soils found in Saint Emilion, around 30km away. No one knows if Consul Sambellie was shrewd enough to realise what wonderful terroir it is. Maybe he just got lucky. Whatever it was that made him choose this area, the vines today produce superb wines including Montravel appellation wines and AOC Bergerac.
A rural relaxing retreat
Drink like a lord. Feast like the gods. Sleep like royalty. And enjoy the very best of this stunning part of France at Chateau Masburel, a glorious and historic rural relaxing retreat.
Find out more and book your stay at: chateau-masburel.com
