There’s no need to go to the Loir-et-Cher to get a taste of château life. The Château de la Vierge is in Bures-sur-Yvette! This exceptional guesthouse has four beautifully furnished rooms, set in the midst of a magnificent garden.
Clélia's experience
Promotions Manager
Destination Paris-Saclay
"We had a Royal time in this idyllic place!"
A Friday evening in June, after a long week at work, Anatole and I were invited to spend the night at the Château de la Vierge. We ventured through the huge stone and wrought iron gate and as we caught a first glimpse of where we were staying for the night, we were already starry eyed.
Nathalie and Galice, the dog, welcomed us at the entrance. The decoration was superb, we couldn't help but admire every little detail. We could hear other people chatting happily in the dining room and we could already feel the tension of the week melting away.
Nathalie gave us the key and we went up to the first floor to see our room, the Chambre du Général. This room was named after General Saussier, brother-in-law of Monsieur Grisier, the owner of the estate between 1852 and 1916. He often came to Bures-sur-Yvette to relax. His portrait is proudly displayed on the wall in the bedroom and a photo that represents his achievements can be seen up over the fireplace. Nathalie presented the room to us and told us a little bit about herself and how she transformed this estate into a guesthouse. The wallpaper for example is very old and they managed to find some old samples and apply touch-ups so that they didn't have to change it altogether!
The room is wonderfully furnished and decorated with old-fashioned objects, some of which are probably as old as the house itself! This place has a real soul and we were given a royal welcome.
General Saussier was awarded the French Legion of Honour in 1855. He took part in military campaigns in Algeria, Italy, Russia and Mexico. Between 1884 and 1897, he was Military Governor of Paris and even became a candidate for the Presidential election of 1887.
We set our bags down and went straight into the garden to enjoy the warm early evening weather under the trees. Nathalie and Yves joined us with a glass of orange juice and we relaxed on the sun loungers as they told us about the history of this château, that had been in the Dionis du Séjour family since 1916.
It was built at the end of the 18th century and was owned by various families one after another. The Languedoc de Roussillon and Grisier families both carried out some significant renovation work here from 1852. The current owners inherited the estate in 2008 and transformed the farmhouse into a luxury guesthouse. Nathalie was proud to show us the magnificent garden she designed and looks after herself. We were surrounded by ancient trees, rose bushes in bloom, beautiful flower beds and I could see a pond on the other side of the grounds. It is a real haven of peace and tranquility just a few miles away from Paris.
The name was chosen by the Marquis Geoffroy de Mesnil Gleizes, who acquired the estate in 1815. He brought a statue of the Virgin back from his travels to China and placed it in the niche of the barnhouse gable, on the Chartres pilgrimage route.
We had booked a table at the Grande Maison for dinner. This new restaurant had just opened at the entrance of the Parc de Bures-sur-Yvette. We set off on foot as the sun was going down and walked into the town centre. We passed by sheep and goats grazing in the fields next to the château. We walked through the park at the Grande Maison, where families and groups of friends were having a picnic on the grass, enjoying the fantastic summer atmosphere.
The outdoor seating area at the Grande Maison overlooks the park and was perfect for a summer evening. Our meals were delicious, made with seasonal and carefully selected products, and there was a great atmosphere. I highly recommend this place!
We walked back to the château in the light of the moon, under the stars, with the cicadas singing away, everything you could imagine for the perfect romantic stroll. We went back through the gate and creeped up to our room quietly, luckily the wooden staircase didn’t creak under our footsteps. We climbed into the huge four-poster bed and slept soundly as we dreamt of the history of this château. For those who may be wondering, no we didn’t see any ghosts, we had a great night’s sleep!
We were woken up gently by the daylight streaming in and the birds singing in the garden. With such surroundings, I felt like I was in a Jane Austen novel, all that was missing was the period clothing.
Breakfast was served on the ground floor, in a room with staggeringly high ceilings. Classical music played in the background as we enjoyed our royal breakfast! Croissants, bread, jam, fruit, cheese, and everything else you could imagine for the perfect start to the day! Nathalie even brought us some fresh raspberries she had just picked from the garden, and some of their own honey from the estate! She explained that a beekeeper works on the estate and gives them a few jars of their delicious, creamy honey.
Once we had eaten all we could manage, we went back up to our room to enjoy this beautiful place and the cool morning temperatures. Anatole sat at the desk to reply to a few emails and I sat in the sun on the balcony to enjoy a good book. It was such a pleasure to spend time in this magnificent setting. Then we packed our things and left our wonderful room.
We ran into Yves as we were leaving and he told us a few more stories about this house. Restoring the huge mirror in the hallway for example was not as easy as it sounds. 4 people were needed to hang it on the wall!
We couldn't come to Bures-sur-Yvette without a visit to THE must-see of Paris-Saclay, the Viaduc des Fauvettes. We set off on a walk for around 20 minutes to go and admire this viaduct. If you're feeling sporty, you can climb 'the highest cliff in Ile-de-France'. Your efforts will be rewarded with a breathtaking view across the valley!
You too can enjoy a stay at the Château de la Vierge in Bures-sur-Yvette. Contact Nathalie and Yves to book your stay at the Château de la Vierge: contact@chateaudelavierge.com
Le château de la Vierge
144 Route de Chartres
91440 Bures-sur-Yvette
Tel. 01 60 92 04 39
Website : www.chateaudelavierge.com
