Chateau de Bagnols

With winter approaching for those of us who live in the northern hemisphere, I began to think about the coming months and rather than feel morose about the end of summer, I started to relish the thought of open wood fires, frosty mornings and the idea of snug woolly hats and overcoats for those brisk walks throughout the countryside. 

Where in France would be the place to spend a chilly winter's evening? 

Think of a castle, built of golden stone that is perched high up in a tiny medieval village, her twin towers a silhouette against the skyline. Add to the picture a dry moat with drawbridge entrance and the answer is, Chateau de Bagnols, just to the north of Lyon in south-eastern France.

Chateau de Bagnols, a hotel nestled amongst vineyards in the Beaujolais region of France, was discovered derelict by Lady Helen Hamlyn in 1987. She is a woman I much admire for her vision, exceptional taste and extraordinary attention to detail. She restored this 13th century historical monument over a four year period with no fewer than four hundred artisans. If ever I felt despondent about my own restoration progress in St Remy I would reflect on her achievements and take heart - the scale of her project put everything into perspective for me but more importantly her work at Bagnols reinforced for me the importance of detail. I realized that it was her attention to detail that sets this Chateau hotel apart from any other.

The entrance to the Chateau from the village of Bagnols leads through a stone covered courtyard, past an old cart filled with clipped lavender,

and across the moat, over the drawbridge into the main courtyard,

Her perfectionist eye can be seen in every facet of the Chateau. The glasses were hand blown in Alsace copied from 18th century originals, the porcelain made at the Limoges factory of Raynaud and even the tablecloths were woven in Ireland by the very established firm of Liddell. She personally selected the furniture, the paintings, the tapestries and all the fabrics for each of the 21 rooms. Every room or suite is individual and no two are alike.

This yellow silk four poster in the,  'Appartement aux Bouquets',

and the 'Gaspard Dugue' room with the four poster set in the old chapel,

The kitchens are open and visible to the main courtyard - a pair of glass doors makes it possible to watch the chefs preparing throughout the day and the evening. This modern architectural element breaks the austere nature of the stone space and the chef's activities inside give an energy  to the building.

The Chateau, with it's medieval origins and Renaissance history has many fine wall and ceiling paintings which were painstakingly restored by Lady Hamlyn. The Grand Salon, one of the most beautiful rooms in the Chateau is covered with murals.

The column capitals on either side of the sofas make for fabulous side tables.

The upholstery in the Grande Salon is a mixture of crimsons - damasks, silks, cottons and velvets. The proportions of the room are enormous but somehow this heavy use of colour makes it warm and inviting. I like the French way of placing furniture on the angle ( must remember to be less structured in that way), it makes things so much more interesting. 

A detail of some of the original painting in the Grande salon.

The painted ceiling in one of the towers is the signature print used at the Chateau for their tablecloths and serviettes.

These old fashioned rocking  chairs are placed around the garden ,

Chateau de Bagnols was sold by Lady Hamlyn last year but I believe she remains a consultant for the hotel group who made the purchase. If Lyon features on a city 'to do list' some day, take a detour just for a look, a cup of tea or an extravagant dinner and night away - it's worth it, I think this Chateau is medieval magic.

And as a lover of candles,

Chateau de Bagnols is a dream come true.