Imagine yourself at the lovely Château de Pomiro in the southwest of France for the holidays!  Their special Christmas package includes a Reception Vin Chaud (hot wine) upon arrival, and there will be a four-course welcome evening meal with apéritif, regional wine and Armagnac (the local brandy), a leisurely Christmas Eve breakfast, Christmas Eve Revillon, a five-course Gala Christmas Dinner and so much more.  There is even a Boxing Day treasure hunt around the estate!

The New Year's package includes many of the above features plus a St-Sylvestre dinner to welcome in the New Year, a New Year's day breakfast with Champagne cocktail, a four-course lunch with apéritif, regional wine and Armagnac, and New Year's day fireworks with BBQ on the grounds.

For complete details including prices, please visit our Special Offers page.  Contact information to make your reservation can be found there as well.  Visit the château on our site to view the rooms and read all about it.  Happy Holidays!

This lovely château in the Dordogne is yours to rent by the week, and may be the perfect place for your next summer vacation especially now that a magnificent swimming pool has been added. 

Castel Merle is offered as a fully self-catering property, but arrangements for a chef and housekeeper can also be made.  The rooms are elegant and spacious with lovely salons, a dining room and en suite bedrooms that can comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests.

The Dordogne region of southwest France has always been a favorite of travelers  ~  and Castel Merle's location near Monpazier, a bastide town with an incredible market, and convenient to such places as Domme, Beynac-et-Cazenac, La Roque Gageac, Sarlat, Bergerac, Les Eyzies-de-Tayac and the Grotte de Lascaux, makes it even more tempting.

The new swimming pool is an added bonus.  It is beautifully constructed, and guests will find its location ideal for swimming or lounging ~ with the château as a backdrop and lovely countryside views all around. 

Please visit the château on our site (click on the link above), and contact us for booking.  It's never too early to plan next summer's getaway!

                 1. Charles de Gaulle                   a: 1916-1996
                   2. René Descartes                     b: 1840-1917
                     3. François Mitterand                 c: 1745-1799
                       4. Auguste Rodin                       d: 1890-1970
                         5. Claude Monet                        e: 1638-1715
                           6. Jacques Montgolfier                f: 1596-1650
                             7. King Louis XIV                       g: 1840-1926
                               8. Joan of Arc                           h: 1412-1431

Château de Vaulogé  is pleased to offer its guests exciting travel packages.  There is something for everyone ~ in addition to the wonderful bed and breakfast accommodations at this historic country château.

Italian Cooking Classes

Two nights in a suite or junior suite, welcome champagne for two upon arrival, Italian Cooking lessons for two in the morning and afternoon, dining at lunch and dinner on the food prepared in class.  Cost: 700 euros for two people or 560 euros for one person

Massages, Facials, Hot Stone Treatments

Spa treatments including Chinese Massages, Body Harmonization with Essential Oils, Chair Massages with Essential Oils, Hot Stone Treatments, Tibetan Treatment Detox and Relief of Tension, Facial Reflexology, Facial Oxygenating Treatment or Facial Lift with Dr Renaud, and more!  Per person prices range from 30 minutes for 37 euros to 120 minutes for 150 euros, depending on the treatment selected.

Zen Gymnastic Yiseishindo

Zen Gymnastic, mixing Tai Chi and Qiqong - One hour, 75 euros per guest

Wellness Packages

Two nights, three nights and five nights.  Details and rates shown on our Special Offers page.

The historic and inviting priory in the hilltop Dordogne village of Biron has a new owner:  Elisabeth Vedier found it as enchanting as we all have, and when it became available to purchase, she took advantage of the offer.  The village is quite special, and visitors will appreciate a visit to the Château de Biron only steps away from the Le Prieuré.

Renaming and redecorating some of the guest rooms, Madame Vedier is eager to welcome guests from April until November of 2009 in one of her five double rooms or self-catering apartment.  The addition of a swimming pool is planned, and guests can also participate in cooking courses offered at various times during the year. 

Please do visit Le Prieuré du Château de Biron on our site and see for yourself what a delightful experience awaits you!

Château de Saint-Michel de Lanès, a most lovely small château at the edge of a charming village in the 'other South of France', offers two of its guest rooms, Béatrix de Die (twin) for €105 per night (normally €129) and Bertrand de Born (double) for €119 per night (normally €149), including breakfast.  The proprietors, Vicomte & Vicomtesse de la Panouse, also offers
a special low season rate for four guest rooms for a small group (8 persons).  Please contact us for availability and more information at inquiry@au-chateau.com.

Please keep in mind that several of our member properties are near the ski resorts of France. 

In particular, in the Savoie you could stay at the wonderful bed and breakfast, Château des Allues, not far from Chamonix and Albertville, the latter the stunning resort made famous by the Winter Olympics of 1992. 

If you want to rent an entire château, only minutes away from Château de Allues is the magnificent Château St-Philippe with ten double en suite guest rooms ~ the ideal self-catering accommodation for a week or longer near the slopes.

Find them both on our web site, and feel free to contact us with any questions you may have at inquiry@au-chateau.com.

Wine tours are a new and popular addition to the repertoire at Bordeaux's Château Coulon Laurensac, so guests who want to know more about the Bordeaux region and its wines will find themselves in good hands.  Considering the beautiful guest rooms, the opportunity to enjoy fine cuisine at the hosts' table, and as well as suggestions freely given for independent wine country visits, Château Coulon Laurensac is a 'must' destination in southwest France. 

But, beyond that, if you want to participate in scheduled wine tours in 2009, with your hosts as your guides (they are certified wine experts!), three tours are planned for Spring, Summer and Autumn:  May 25 - May 30 / August 31 - September 5 / September 21 - September 26. 

Contact us to get details and pricing of the tours.  Send an email to us with Bordeaux Wine Tours in the subject line at inquiry@au-chateau.com.

The answers are: 
Quiz 90 - 1d, 2f, 3a, 4b, 5g, 6c, 7e, 8h
The answer to Quiz 91 will appear in our January / February 2009 newsletter.

Disclaimer: Cold Spring Press, au Château© and/or any persons associated with either organization do not take any responsibility for errors and/or omissions in any edition of au Château News© and no guarantees are given or implied with regard to the contents of any au Château News©.   The disclaimer on the au Château © web site at http://www.au-chateau.com, applies in its entirety to all au Château News© editions.  Cold Spring Press and au Château ©  take no responsibility for the contents of any web sites to which links are provided on our site or in any editions of au Château News.  Subscribers receive this newsletter because they have requested to be on our Opt-In mailing list.  To have your email address removed, simply send an email with 'Unsubscribe' in the Subject line to newsletter@au-chateau.com.