My husband is a theatre director and teacher, and I have worked as a cultural planner. We moved to France in December 2021 with our two children. Four months later, we had the keys to the house. We'd been looking for a venue in Touraine for a long time. The area around the town of Richelieu particularly appealed to us because of its tranquillity and panoramic views. Le Grippault is the perfect place to realise our dreams: an estate where we can welcome groups to work together in the middle of nature and where theatre and other arts can coexist.
Our château was built against the outer walls of the vast lands surrounding Richelieu's estate. Part of the wall that marked out the two properties still exists. The stones from the Château de Richelieu, which was demolished after the French Revolution, were used to build Le Grippault and several other manor houses and châteaux in the region. Towards the middle of the 19th century, the left and right wings were added to the building to make it habitable. Our family lives in the left wing and the other part is dedicated to rental and the activities we have on offer. The central part of the building includes a dining room, a living room and a large hall that we call "the street" because it links the town in front of the house to nature and the countryside at the back. The right wing includes eight bedrooms with bathrooms.
The history of Le Grippault remains a mystery that we hope to unravel in the years to come by looking into its archives. We do know, however, that the central part of the building is a former hunting lodge that was built around 1830. For 40 years, Le Grippault was home to an equestrian centre with a polo field. A large part of the six hectares of fields have disappeared and we are working to regenerate them. Better preserved is our 15-hectare forest that borders the former estate of the famous Cardinal de Richelieu, Louis XIII’s prime minister. The immense 300-hectare forest, which is not open to the public, and the grounds of the former château now belong to the Sorbonne, the university founded by Richelieu, a man of letters who also introduced bourgeois theatre and founded the Académie française.
A home away from home. A place to relax and be inspired. A holiday home, a place to play, whether you are old or young, spaces for private, professional or artistic events, or an estate to host working groups. Here, you have the time and space you need to recharge your batteries, learn and experiment. We founded the "Académie Le Grippault" because we believe in the power of living well. Our mission: to create a sanctuary for those seeking to connect with nature and the arts, to learn and to re-imagine a future together. We strive to live in harmony with the ecosystems here. Through artistic expression and experimentation with new practices, we encourage all our guests to use their imagination, take part in discussions and practise new ways of living and working. We aspire to cultivate a community that values diversity, inclusiveness, collaboration and celebrates the richness of different cultures and perspectives.
In Richelieu: "Les Deux Comptoirs" for antiques and second-hand books. "Le Fossé Saint Ange” serves traditional French semi-gastronomic cuisine with a touch of the exotic from the Caribbean and Asia, as well as a Friday market. Nearby: the castles of Rivau and Oiron, the monthly flea markets in Chinon and Azay-le-Rideau, the monthly fair in Lencloître. "Le Ti Bio d'Aire" for meat and other organic products, and "Domaine de la Garrelière" for wines. La Forteresse de Berrye for its wines and its 12th-century fortress, a listed historic monument. "Faye le Troquet" in Faye-la-Vineuse, for its Sunday brunch and its chic vintage clothes. The vegetable garden restaurant "Les Jardiniers" in Ligré has a cuisine that travels straight from picking to serving. It was awarded the Michelin Green Star for its "model role" in eco-responsible gastronomy. "La Guinguette Rabelaisienne", at the foot of the town's fortress and on the banks of the Vienne, for its festive atmosphere, especially during its dances one or two evenings a week.
The château and its grounds can accommodate weddings and private or business receptions for up to 50 guests. There are nine bedrooms are available on site.
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Le Grippault puts on regular concerts. On Friday 26 July 2024 at 9pm, a concert by Ogto Gadjé, a Dutch group performing traditional gypsy melodies, will take place outdoors. The chateau will also host a music festival on the weekend of 23 and 24 August 2024.
Cookery classes are offered throughout the year.
The property is adjacent to the "Les Ecuries de l'Aube" equestrian centre, and a partnership offers horse-riding lessons and rides in the château forest and surrounding area.
The château regularly holds exhibitions.
In November and December, the Résidence d'artistes du Grippault welcomes selected artists from all artistic disciplines for stays of one or two weeks.
L’Académie Le Grippault offers six-week residential courses called "Théâtre Régénérant (Regenerating Theatre)", in collaboration with a network of international theatre schools. For theatre professionals, one- and two-week residential courses are also available. They are designed to give participants the opportunity to learn from experienced practitioners and gain new perspectives on their profession.
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