Escape in the Loire Valley

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14th October 2015

Many châteaux in France offer tranquil accommodation in picturesque settings, but we have one to add to the list that is quite different from any you may have already seen.

An estate spanning 1400 acres takes you back in time to a place of complete serenity, nature and purity – even pictures don’t do justice to the beauty of Les Bordes. Located in the heart of the Loire Valley, the estate is made up of the 20th-century Château Bel Air featuring eight suites, a restaurant in a glass orangery and a cigar, whisky and wine bar. In addition to a cosy clubhouse, there is a spa and wellness centre under the canopy of trees, accompanied by swimming pools, tennis courts and a gym. Need more convincing?

How about lighting up a fine cigar while sipping on some rare whisky complemented by a delectable meal in the Club du Baron? According to Les Bordes, ‘It’s the feeling of homecoming as you sink into an armchair beside grand, leaping fires. The way the outside world fades away – and all that matters are the people around your table.’  But if you would rather take refuge in a good book or a play a game, the clubhouse has a library and games room.

Chairs and tables surround a cozy living room, illuminated by chandeliers, with a large hunting painting above a sideboard.
Rolling green hills stretch across a golf course with sand bunkers, surrounded by trees and flowering shrubs under a partly cloudy sky. A fireplace with a burning fire is centered between two ornate urns; a mounted deer head hangs above on a stone wall.

Les Bordes is also home to Continental Europe’s No. 1 Golf Course, which was meticulously designed by legendary golf course architect, Robert von Hagge, who created the course in tribute to Baron Marcel Bich. The establishment says, ‘To enjoy the challenge and complexity of this sport in its finest, most pristine form, on courses that capture the imaginations of the world’s finest golfers… This is a privilege that only those at Les Bordes will get to savour.’

Families are also welcome at the estate, where children will finally get off their devices and enter a world of play and imagination in the 200-acre forest: ‘With bows and arrows, rifles and fishing rods. With zip lines and bridges suspended in the canopy. With walls to climb, and pools to swim, and even teepees to camp in. So that when, one day, your children have children of their own, they’ll want to pass on this gift of lifelong friendship and carefree adventure.’

This escape is rather distinct from other estates in the Loire region, as it boasts a château in the form of a luxury hotel, a wellness area in the forest and leisurely activities in vast surroundings, leaving one completely undisturbed. Les Bordes uniquely combines luxury living and activities in an environment close to nature and its surroundings, which is sure to leave memories of a truly tranquil experience.

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