Le Manoir de Champfreau

There are magnificent chateaux and pretty villages and towns scattered through this valley, so there’s plenty to explore if you feel like it. Or you can just slow down and relax, or do some of both. It’s a warm, welcoming place to experience the French countryside. Enjoyed every minute, and thank you, Steven and Bruce!

We spent five amazing days here. Le Manor de Champfreau sits on 57 acres and dates back to the 15th century. Inside, the art and statuary make the place feel beautifully decorated. There are three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a kitchen, and a Great Room with dining space and a fireplace. The kitchen has just about everything you’d need to cook.

We ended up spending most of our time at the manoir instead of visiting more chateaus as planned. I’ve stayed in some wonderful places, including Relais & Châteaux properties, and this is now high on my list. We’d love to return as soon as we can, and I’d highly recommend staying here if you get the chance. We were a family of five with three tall teenagers, and there was plenty of room for everyone. The rooms are spacious, the beds comfortable, and the house was warm even though we visited in early April when it was cool outside. The kitchen is well stocked for cooking, and the eclectic decor works nicely together. There’s wifi, which we used, and BBC english language cable tv, which we didn’t. The hosts, Steven and Bruce, and their lovely dog Zeb, were friendly but discreet, and made sure we had what we needed. They left us wine and bread when we arrived and suggested places to find good local food. Steven was right about the boulangerie, its croissant was the best we’ve ever had, and the pain au raisin was pretty yum too. The property is even lovelier in person than it looks in the photos. I’m a photography buff and took more pictures to add to the list. At the entrance there’s a statue of Jesus on one side and a wrought iron sign on the other. A long driveway leads past the gatehouse to the home, set well back from any road noise. Beautiful place, great location, wonderful hosts. Just perfect.

Steven was really helpful and shared great tips for Varennes-sur-Loire and the neighbouring towns. The manoir and its surroundings are beautiful, and it’s a great base for visiting vineyards in the Loire valley.