Chateau l'Etoile

The historic luxurious Chateau l'Etoile is situated in three acres of land, walled and gated.  Its a perfect 5 star venue, price includes chef and maid.  5 Mins from a market town, 15 mins from a beach.  No hidden extras!

The Château has a dreamy quality that resonates throughout the whole house. On entering the large oak doors you will find yourselves in a magical setting that has a certain 'Famous Five' feel to it. In addition there is an abundance of swings, tyres on trees, dens and even an animal cottage housing a variety of furry pets, such as rabbits and guinea pigs - perfect for the children. Feeding the animals is a ritual enjoyed by the children and adults alike.

The abundance of extra services at the chateau is designed to add that special something to your holiday. The chef organises a fresh delivery of breakfast croissants, bread and chocolatines daily and prepares luncheons and early tea for the children based upon the guests shopping instructions, repayable against receipts. This service ensures that you are managing a sensible budget during your stay without lifting a finger!

Upstairs there are six bedrooms that lead off the main corridor that runs through the length of the chateau. The three double rooms are all en-suite whilst the three twin bedrooms share a large family bathroom and loo. Each room has a unique colour theme and all are furnished with big pieces of antique French furniture.

The only sounds you hear are country ones and there is a magical silence at night. All the adult beds have orthopedic mattresses and all the children’s beds have roll out guards. There are also numerous cots at the house that can be placed where required as well as a mobile play pen that can be used for afternoon naps or play time for a tiny tot.

The adult bedrooms are all en-suite and there is an overflow family bathroom on the upstairs corridor. The bathrooms have been carefully renovated to retain as many of the original features as possible, including the roll top baths and generous sized basins. The general quality of the adults bedrooms is 5 star and the children’s bedrooms are like something out of Alice in Wonderland with beautiful murals and stuffed full of toys and games.

One of the joys of the Chateau is the huge amount of outdoor space available for eating and dining. One of the main areas for breakfast is on the terrace outside the kitchen where long leisurely mornings can be spent. The terrace at the front of house also seems to be the favourite spot for the children’s tea but is also used by the adults who enjoy high tea or a coffee break there.

Although there are many lovely areas at the property, including several good places to eat, the most favoured area seems to be the tropical garden area in front of the swimming pool. It has seating for 10 and is truly romantic in the evenings with lovely subdued lighting and even its own sound system.

*Please note, locations shown on the maps are approximations only

There are numerous children’s activities in and around the surrounding areas that are not age restricted. The canoeing is 5 minutes away but restricts the age of participants to a minimum of 3, this is the case with all canoeing in the Dordogne.

Within a 5 to 20 minute drive:
- The town of Riberac has a very well organized water activity centre for days out on the river. 5 minutes away from the house.
- There is an equestrian centre close by and hacks are organized on a daily basis.
- There are bicycles at the house but in the case of larger numbers or bicycles with children’s trailers and the like there is a local hire shop with a large selection and at a reasonable price.
- The town of Riberac has six municipal tennis courts that are maintained to immaculate standards.
- Lake Jamaye is less than 15 minutes away from the house and has a beautifully maintained sandy beach with free boating activities, a floating raft, two play areas with swings and climbing apparatus, sand pits and slides. Tthere are quite nice restaurants/bistros at the site if you haven’t arranged a picnic. There is also a volley-ball area and beautiful walks around the lake.
- The beautiful town of Aubterre is very close and makes for a splendid excursion. There is a leisure complex at the river’s edge and a controlled swimming area with diving boards, boating activities, restaurants and even a monolithic cathedral carved secretly into the mountainside in the centre of the town. You could always visit the glass blowing factory afterwards. The town is lovely and boasts superb restaurants and snack bars making it a perfect venue for a day out.
- The town of Brantome, called the Venice of the Dordogne, boasts a wonderful church cut into the mountain side, numerous water activities, glass blowing factory, riverside walks and some of the best restaurants in the Dordogne.Just 10 minutes away there is the wonderful cave at Villars with its historic cave drawings, stalactites and stalagmites.
- Less than 20 minutes away is a lovely water park with slides, go-carts, boating, trampolines, swings, swimming areas and a children’s adventure playground.

Further afield:
- There are numerous world famous prehistoric caves and the Dordogne is at the very centre of these, at less than 40 minutes away.
- For the more adventurous there is a harnessed tree climbing activity site. 

Very local:
- Although markets are, traditionally, the love of adults, the market at Riberac (every Friday) has terrific children’s activities within it. There are usually roaming knights enacting the crusade paths that passed through the Dordogne on their way to Arabia and all sorts of hurdy gurdies, jugglers and balloon artists - a lovely family day out.
- Adults may wish to take in a concert, a myriad of which occur to all tastes throughout the summer, there are baroque evenings, jazz nights and many other things to do - antique street markets, night markets and organized town street parties.
- There are several pizza houses and restaurants which all accept children.
 
National carriers all fly to Bordeaux which is just over an hour away but there are numerous alternatives which are much closer. Easyjet, Flybe and Ryanair fly into Bergerac which is just 35 minutes from the house.

If you decide not to hire a car for the holiday you can use the free shuttle service that we provide. In such circumstances we are able to pre-arrange a taxi service to meet your party at the airport.

Adults evening dining is a gourmet experience, all food at the house is prepared and cooked for you and the food bill is settled at the end of each week on a receipt basis (there is no charge for the chef, simply the cost of the food itself which you will be shown the receipts for). The quality of the cuisine is to the highest of international standards.

Should you decide to go out, perhaps to dine or take in a concert, the maid is more than happy to babysit. The babysitting service is made easier because the children will have got to know the maid, ensuring you and your children’s peace of mind.

The maid and babysitting services are free of charge (evenings only), as are the services offered by chef.  Indeed the chef’s services are of a non-profit making nature, both chef and maid are pleased to assist you with any matters including food shopping, just let us have your list and all will be done for you.

Breakfast
Usually breakfast is collected fresh on a daily basis directly from the bakery and when not cooked consists of fresh croissants pain au chocolate and fresh bread. A selection of marmalades and jams all locally made and breakfast cereals. Sometimes adults request a cooked breakfast & chef is happy to oblige.

Lunch
Lunch is prepared daily for children and adults alike and the menu is usually decided during the evening before or in the morning. This service is free of charge, you only pay for the shopping, against receipts, for food purchased.

On many occasion the adults prefer to have the children fed and then placed in the children’s room for their quiet time before the adults food is served. Any special request for food is best requested on the day. During the year certain fish and seasonal meats are available at local markets and clients can always request that we are on the lookout for more unusual meals.

Dinner Menus
There is an extensive menu at the house consisting of seasonal fish dishes, vegetarian dishes, meat dishes and desserts that are all home made. Soups, pastas, risottos and salads – all of which are purchased and prepared on the same day subject to seasonal availability. All accompanying sauces are made to order and as for the speciality dishes such as sweet and sour Singapore ribs you will get a taste of some during the free dinner reception.

At this time chef will make a variety of side dishes usually a risotto accompanied by a selection of fish dishes, moule marinier & a further selection of meat dishes, salads and vegetables, which is followed by several homemade desserts. Topping the evening off with a glass of port or cognac and an espresso coffee.

With the exception of prawn and fishfingers the house does not use frozen products. All produce including fish and meats are purchased and used on the day.

The children’s menu has all the usual children’s favourites along with homemade lasagne, pasta dishes fish fingers, risottos, soups and the like.

Shuttle Service
We offer a free relay service to the town so in combination with the free babysitting service this enables guests to spend time out in the evenings with peace of mind that the children are in good hands, and no drink drive restrictions for those times of celebration.

- Security deposit: €1000. This is paid prior to arrival and will be refunded in full after departure subject to damage inspection.
- Linen & towels: All linen and bath towels are included in the rental price.
- Energy costs: Included in the rental price.
- End of stay cleaning: Included. Please leave the property in the state that you found it.
- Arrival time: 4pm onwards.
- Departure time: 10am.
- Pets: Please enquire.
- Smoking: No smoking in the property.
- It is recommended that all guests take out insurance to cover against potential cancellation and any accidental damage caused during your stay at the property.