In short… A thoughtfully renovated family castle in the heart of the Loire Valley that feels like a relaxed and sophisticated retreat amongst creative souls.
The surroundings… Château de la Haute Borde is in the village of Rilly-Sur-Loire, 45 minutes from Tours, 2.5 hours from Paris and a little less than that from Le Doyenné, where we’d dined and stayed the night before—those historic stables transformed into a destination restaurant by Australian chefs James Henry and Shaun Kelly make a great pairing for a long weekend.
The backstory… The 19th-century chateau has belonged to Céline Barrère’s family for over 20 years and Paris-based Céline and her business partner, Cécile Simon, having achieved success as (respectively) an art director and photographer, decided to bring a second life to the chateau in 2025 as a guesthouse. We’d seen the interiors and were intrigued—and the Loire Valley has long held romantic appeal for us: we went early in our relationship many moons ago and were mesmerized by the sheer plethora of chateaus, castles, medieval towns and churches. We’ve been going back ever since—also due to my love affair with classic Sancerre. (I admit I didn’t know until my first visit that there is also a red Sancerre—game changer!)
The vibe… We drove down the valley and spotted the chateau on our right; turning up the driveway, we came upon several donkeys, a few dogs running out of the house, and Céline and Cécile greeting us outside their “home.” The moment you enter the chateau it does feel like a home, a gigantic family house with a stunning interior, and you become part of the fabric while staying there. The interiors are full of hand-picked objects with a focus on craftsmanship and a strong hint of gallery heritage, allowing the objects to speak for themselves. There are five luxury suites and five additional standard rooms—Céline and Cécile worked together with renowned Parisian MPM architecture studio to renovate the castle. Expect strong colors and rare objects, such as some stunning lamps in the lobby from Atelier Jean Perzel. There’s also a painting by Ines di Folco, one of the first resident artists at the chateau. The residency provides a great opportunity to build an intimate relationship with the numerous artists who have stayed over the years. Céline and Cécile plan to host up to ten residencies per year, focusing on techniques and media that are under-represented in the art world.
The food & drink… The menu is shaped from the best local produce, which changes daily, so the board is a daily surprise. Dinners are served in a cozy setting—personal yet inspiring, shaped by a rotating roster of guest chefs, such as Monika Varsavskaja, Laslo Badet, Burn’t collective, and Sophie Léger, to name a few. We actually had the pleasure of being seated right next to Céline’s parents, and the conversation flowed. Such a personal touch!
After dinner, guests tend to mingle in the spacious common rooms—conversing, chilling, reading, or playing pool. I very much enjoyed lounging on the vintage sofas, taking over the record player and playing some amazing vinyl, like Keith Jarret’s Köln concert from 1975. This led to conversations with some of the guests who happened to be Keith Jarrett aficionados like me. Yes, drinks were served throughout. The only thing we weren’t such fans of were the organic wines they proffer—we’re a bit more classic in our tastes.
The rooms… I loved waking up in our room to the natural sounds of the countryside—it’s designed with no fuss, no over-the-top chichi, focusing on the basics but doing them really well, giving the room space to breathe, almost in a Japanese way. The room overlooks the serene garden, and it’s lovely to have a shower in your brick and marble bathroom before coming down to breakfast, which you can have anywhere in the house or outside.
Be sure to… have a swim in the pool and walk the grounds, as they are studded with some amazing art installations, such as a monumental woman sculpture by Wang Keping. During the summer, the glittering pool begs you to chill and share another bottle.
If you want to explore the area, make sure you see the nearby Château de Chaumont, a must-see with its extensive art work. The famous châteaux of Chenonceau and Chambord are all within easy reach and near many area wineries. You might also want to organize a cruise on the Loire River: picture a picnic on a barque, some checkered tablecloths, some rustic finger food with the Loire River as a setting.
The team also hosts various events—be it a weekend with friends taking over the chateau, a wedding or a birthday party. The owners use an established event such as like Violette Platteau (culture), Erin Korus (decorator), and Anne Laure Paulhiac (event producer)—check out their event photos to be inspired.
Extra tip goes to… The donkeys—make sure to visit them and bring them some carrots.
Parting words… We will be back, hoping that we can bring our “traditional” wine with us again.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.