CHÂTEAU D'IVOY
Sporting château styled with flair at the gates of Sancerre
HISTORY HAS BLAZED A COLOURFUL TRAIL through Château d'Ivoy, set in a sea of greenery at the gates of Sancerre country. Once home to Mary Queen of Scot’s treasurer (the Scottish clan had a summer house down the road), it has now been transformed by well-travelled design maestro Marie-France Gouëffon-de-Vaivre.
Rooms display her cosmopolitan savoir-vivre, with an eclectic mix of rare objets d’art, tapestries and statuary. Shades of the château’s Celtic past can be seen in flourishes of tweeds and tartans, while sofa cushions covered in canine portraits add unexpected flashes of humour. The result is stunning.
Each of Château d'Ivoy's six canopied bedrooms has its own rich personality: you can slumber amid shades of Kipling, Lord Drummond, La Fayette or Le Grand Meaulnes. One four-poster bears the arms of Queen Victoria, while toile de Jouy linens, antique washstands, beautifully coordinated fabrics and even (in Kipling) Indian mosquito nets add shades of the exotic. Tall windows capture the lovely grounds outside.
Hit the Spot
At the gates of Sancerre country.
Bedtime
We loved Kipling – a throwback to colonial days with antique leopard skins. La Fayette (left) has a sumptuously draped four-poster.
Be Savvy
There's an occasional ghost – or so they say.
Be Smitten
Flair and flamboyance in a delectable Loire château.
Monogrammed pillows
Marie-France has a passion for fine old linens, which she collects. If she knows your names, she'll even find specially monogrammed sheets with your initials on to make getting under the covers extra special – a gorgeously romantic touch.
The atmosphere at Château d'Ivoy is very much that of a French country house party (think Edwardian country living with lots more luxe), and hospitable owners Marie-France and Jean-Gérard add enormously to the charm. You'll feel like guests at a private château party rather than just two more hotel guests.
Salons have that friendly, put-your-feet-up feel – no worries about wrinkling perfect silk cushions or scuffing gorgeous fabrics (although gorgeous fabrics are everywhere); sofas are more likely to be covered in petit-point of hunting dogs.
Country sports are big here – you get the feeling guests at Château d'Ivoy are more interested in bagging the odd pheasant than lounging in a spa. That said, there are woods to wander in, a pool to soak in and sun loungers to flop into in summer.
Breakfast is served around a large oak table in the richly decorated dining room, with its dark walls and oil paintings. There are plenty of good places to dine out nearby, and guests are invited to join their hosts for early evening drinks before departing. Simply help yourself to coffee or a cognac from the honesty bar on your return.
You’ll find a billiard table, piano, croquet lawn and pool here, while shooting trips are easily arranged. Beyond the gates, the cathedral at Bourges, the porcelain museum and shop at Foëcy and the vineyards of Sancerre await.
Château d'Ivoy was reviewed for Room for Romance by Judy Neillands
HISTORY HAS BLAZED A COLOURFUL TRAIL through Château d'Ivoy, set in a sea of greenery at the gates of Sancerre country. Once home to Mary Queen of Scot’s treasurer (the Scottish clan had a summer house down the road), it has now been transformed by well-travelled design maestro Marie-France Gouëffon-de-Vaivre.
Rooms display her cosmopolitan savoir-vivre, with an eclectic mix of rare objets d’art, tapestries and statuary. Shades of the château’s Celtic past can be seen in flourishes of tweeds and tartans, while sofa cushions covered in canine portraits add unexpected flashes of humour. The result is stunning.
Each of Château d'Ivoy's six canopied bedrooms has its own rich personality: you can slumber amid shades of Kipling, Lord Drummond, La Fayette or Le Grand Meaulnes. One four-poster bears the arms of Queen Victoria, while toile de Jouy linens, antique washstands, beautifully coordinated fabrics and even (in Kipling) Indian mosquito nets add shades of the exotic. Tall windows capture the lovely grounds outside.
Hit the Spot
At the gates of Sancerre country.
Bedtime
We loved Kipling – a throwback to colonial days with antique leopard skins. La Fayette (left) has a sumptuously draped four-poster.
Be Savvy
There's an occasional ghost – or so they say.
Be Smitten
Flair and flamboyance in a delectable Loire château.
Monogrammed pillows
Marie-France has a passion for fine old linens, which she collects. If she knows your names, she'll even find specially monogrammed sheets with your initials on to make getting under the covers extra special – a gorgeously romantic touch.
The atmosphere at Château d'Ivoy is very much that of a French country house party (think Edwardian country living with lots more luxe), and hospitable owners Marie-France and Jean-Gérard add enormously to the charm. You'll feel like guests at a private château party rather than just two more hotel guests.
Salons have that friendly, put-your-feet-up feel – no worries about wrinkling perfect silk cushions or scuffing gorgeous fabrics (although gorgeous fabrics are everywhere); sofas are more likely to be covered in petit-point of hunting dogs.
Country sports are big here – you get the feeling guests at Château d'Ivoy are more interested in bagging the odd pheasant than lounging in a spa. That said, there are woods to wander in, a pool to soak in and sun loungers to flop into in summer.
Breakfast is served around a large oak table in the richly decorated dining room, with its dark walls and oil paintings. There are plenty of good places to dine out nearby, and guests are invited to join their hosts for early evening drinks before departing. Simply help yourself to coffee or a cognac from the honesty bar on your return.
You’ll find a billiard table, piano, croquet lawn and pool here, while shooting trips are easily arranged. Beyond the gates, the cathedral at Bourges, the porcelain museum and shop at Foëcy and the vineyards of Sancerre await.
Château d'Ivoy was reviewed for Room for Romance by Judy Neillands
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Dining in
Only breakfast is served – but it feels like an occasion in the magnificent dining room. Sit at the head of the table and feel like an aristo of old, or better still, have it late in your room and enjoy a lie-in. Sit at the head to feel like the lord of the chateau.
Come the evening, you can join fellow guests (who are almost always widely travelled) for an early evening aperitif before heading out.
Dining out
Head to Bourges for the biggest choice of eateries. Try Le Bourbonnoux or Clé des Brumes for reliable regional cooking or be more adventurous and call into Le Tahiti for excellent Tahitian cuisine. Closer to home, Ivoy le Pré has a couple of great little restaurants – there is also one with a Michelin star nearby – and your hosts will be glad to book you a table.
Where?
Château d'Ivoy's opulent Salle à Manger.
What’s cooking?
A breakfast to set you up for the day.
Dress the part
The château is intimate but stylish.
Top table?
Dining here is en famille, around a big table.
See & Do
You hardly need to leave the grounds here: fish in the lake, go for a cycle, walk in the woods, have a dip in the pool or a game of croquet on the lawn. If country pursuits are up your street there's plenty of shooting and hunting nearby. Jean-Gérard is chief honcho of the local hunt so is happy to arrange riding at local stables.
Less sporty options include a trip to the historic city of Bourges – a medieval masterpiece, with a warren of cobbled streets and beautiful buildings – or a tour of the vineyards of Sancerre. Also worth a trip is the porcelain museum at Foëcy.
Shop
You are in the right place to pick up some sought-after Gien china (the equivalent of English Spode), and Marie-France will direct you to some local factory shops which have fantastic twice-yearly sales. Be sure to stock up with a bottle or two of the equally famous Sancerre wine.
After dark
Pour a drink and make yourself at home in the Salle de Chasse, by the open fire, or have a game of billiards. Jean-Gérard is a skilled pianist, so you may find some impromptu musical entertainment going on.
Dates
April
Say hello to springtime at the Printemps de Bourges music festival.
Only breakfast is served – but it feels like an occasion in the magnificent dining room. Sit at the head of the table and feel like an aristo of old, or better still, have it late in your room and enjoy a lie-in. Sit at the head to feel like the lord of the chateau.
Come the evening, you can join fellow guests (who are almost always widely travelled) for an early evening aperitif before heading out.
Dining out
Head to Bourges for the biggest choice of eateries. Try Le Bourbonnoux or Clé des Brumes for reliable regional cooking or be more adventurous and call into Le Tahiti for excellent Tahitian cuisine. Closer to home, Ivoy le Pré has a couple of great little restaurants – there is also one with a Michelin star nearby – and your hosts will be glad to book you a table.
Where?
Château d'Ivoy's opulent Salle à Manger.
What’s cooking?
A breakfast to set you up for the day.
Dress the part
The château is intimate but stylish.
Top table?
Dining here is en famille, around a big table.
See & Do
You hardly need to leave the grounds here: fish in the lake, go for a cycle, walk in the woods, have a dip in the pool or a game of croquet on the lawn. If country pursuits are up your street there's plenty of shooting and hunting nearby. Jean-Gérard is chief honcho of the local hunt so is happy to arrange riding at local stables.
Less sporty options include a trip to the historic city of Bourges – a medieval masterpiece, with a warren of cobbled streets and beautiful buildings – or a tour of the vineyards of Sancerre. Also worth a trip is the porcelain museum at Foëcy.
Shop
You are in the right place to pick up some sought-after Gien china (the equivalent of English Spode), and Marie-France will direct you to some local factory shops which have fantastic twice-yearly sales. Be sure to stock up with a bottle or two of the equally famous Sancerre wine.
After dark
Pour a drink and make yourself at home in the Salle de Chasse, by the open fire, or have a game of billiards. Jean-Gérard is a skilled pianist, so you may find some impromptu musical entertainment going on.
Dates
April
Say hello to springtime at the Printemps de Bourges music festival.
GETTING THERE
Location
18380 Ivoy-le-Pré
Parking
There is free guest parking
Trains
Bourges station – 30km
Taxis
EUR 40-50 from the station
Airport
Tours – 70km or Paris (Orly) – 215km
Rooms and suites
Six rooms
Special features
Each richly decorated bedroom comes with a four-poster bed, family antiques and heirlooms.
Also…
There are 40 hectares of parkland to explore, and a swimming pool to cool off in.
ESSENTIAL INFO
Rates guide
EUR 150-200
Open/closed
Closed 12 January – 12 March
Check-in
3pm
Check-out
Midday
Minimum night stay?
No
Breakfast
Continental or American breakfast is served until 10:30am in the dining room, or until 11am in your room.
Room service
Available all day
Children
No young children accepted. Children age 13 and over welcome in some rooms.
Pets
Dogs welcome by arrangement. There are kennels on site.
Air conditioning
No
Languages
French, English and Russian
Wedding license?
No
Your contact
Marie-France Gouëffon-de Vaivre – owner
Location
18380 Ivoy-le-Pré
Parking
There is free guest parking
Trains
Bourges station – 30km
Taxis
EUR 40-50 from the station
Airport
Tours – 70km or Paris (Orly) – 215km
Rooms and suites
Six rooms
Special features
Each richly decorated bedroom comes with a four-poster bed, family antiques and heirlooms.
Also…
There are 40 hectares of parkland to explore, and a swimming pool to cool off in.
ESSENTIAL INFO
Rates guide
EUR 150-200
Open/closed
Closed 12 January – 12 March
Check-in
3pm
Check-out
Midday
Minimum night stay?
No
Breakfast
Continental or American breakfast is served until 10:30am in the dining room, or until 11am in your room.
Room service
Available all day
Children
No young children accepted. Children age 13 and over welcome in some rooms.
Pets
Dogs welcome by arrangement. There are kennels on site.
Air conditioning
No
Languages
French, English and Russian
Wedding license?
No
Your contact
Marie-France Gouëffon-de Vaivre – owner
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