The Château du Riau is a family property. We took it over from my husband's parents in 1980.
Le Riau forms a harmonious 15th, 16th and 17th century ensemble, built on a feudal motte, with a complete fortified enclosure and surrounded by a moat. The courtyard is accessed via a drawbridge and an imposing entrance tower flanked by two turrets. The outbuildings and dovecote tower complete the ensemble, protecting the dwelling, with its classical facades behind. Outside the enclosure, a testament to the importance of the Riau seigneury, stands a barn built by the carpenter Nicolas Roger in 1584, a showpiece for châteaux and tithe barns from this period in France. To the left of the tower there is a medieval-inspired garden.
Anne de Beaujeu, the daughter of Louis XI, acquired a small 14th-century château on whose foundations Charles Popillon built the Château du Riau in 1480. He became one of the richest and most powerful lords in the province. It belonged to this family until 1700. In the 18th century, the Château du Riau came into the family of Admiral de Charry, before being bought by René Le Roy de Chavigny, Prefect of the Allier and our ancestor in 1826. The Château du Riau has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1943.
We provide our visitors with a stay in a site full of history, and in an emblematic part of the Bourbonnais region. The harmonious, calm, peaceful and unspoilt setting, surrounded by large grounds, is ideal for relaxation. We welcome our guests as if they were our friends and offer them a timeless moment to discover the history of a region and property with a glorious past.
In Moulins, a town of art and history, visit the unmissable National Costume and Stage Centre: the Noureev Collection, costumes from the Comédie-Française and the Paris Opera, and spend some pleasant time at the Grand Café in an Art Nouveau atmosphere. Visit the delightful medieval village of Souvigny and its exceptional priory complex housing the funeral chapels of the Dukes of Bourbon. Discover the Tronçais forest, the most beautiful oak grove in Europe, some of which are listed as ‘remarkable trees’. Explore the hiking trails on the heights of the Bourbon mountains or in the Sioule gorges.
On the first floor you will find the Yellow room and the Tilia suite, with a double bed and a single bed. On the second floor, the Victoria bedroom has a double bed that can be separated into two twin beds. The smaller Juliette room can sleep two children and forms a suite with the Victoria room. It can also be rented out with the Yellow room or the Tilia room, located on the lower floor, with which it shares a bathroom. Guests have access to the lounge and dining room on the ground floor of the château.
ref 451473
The château offers guided tours for groups of 10 or more, by prior arrangement. Individuals can visit the château in summer without booking. The château is also open during the European Heritage Days.
This property has been added to My favourites
This property has been deleted from My favourites
A link to enter a new password has been sent to you by email.
back
