Château de Colliers

Château de Colliers Review

Small enough to consider it your own home, stuffed like a chocolate with delicious 18th-century decor, and replete with the most beautiful river terrace, this overlooked treasure proves—for a few lucky travelers—to be the most unforgettable châteaux in the Loire. Other château-hotels may have pomp, but this has something more precious: authenticité. The home of Christian and Marie-France de Gélis (both of whom are charming and speak English), it was sold to their family in 1779 by the Marquis de Vaudreuil, first French governor of Louisiana. At the end of a long allée, this "pavillon Mansart" embraces you in a semicircular layout (the collier, or necklace). Ten family descendants study you from gilded Charles-Dix frames in the gorgeous main salon, a confectionery vision of white Rococo moldings, glittering chandelier, and furniture that Madame Bovary would have loved. The breakfast room is covered with quaint 16th-century Italian frescoes, and each guest room is a bouquet of antiques and comfy furniture. Unfortunately, Monsieur and Madame de Gélis don't hold down the fort year-round any longer. While their housekeepers are friendly, they don't provide that distinctive family feeling.