Château D’Artigny Montbazon

The white stones of the majestic Artigny Castle, the dream Belle Époque castle of François Coty, the famous perfumer, may be seen from a distance as they rise above the Indre Valley.

Twenty-five hectares of park containing a French garden, marble statues, woodwork and trompe l’oeil frescos. No expense was spared in the creation of this beautiful residence, now an elegant castle hotel located south of Tours.

Chateau d’Artigny, built in 1912

The first edifice was a fortress built on the hilltop (Le Puy): a perfect location during the Hundred Year’s War. If the location was still an asset in 1912, the new owner François Coty, famous perfume magnate, did not approve the incongruous building set over the centuries and successive restorations.

He had a new château built, on the model of the château de Champlâtreux in the Val d’Oise (North-West of Paris). François Coty, whose real name was Spoturno, had incredible demands. The chapel at the entrance of the château was to be an exact copy of the one in Versailles but a quarter of the size.

The installations were grandiose: the washbasins were in marble and the kitchen sinks in copper, the floors were in multicoloured marble, the woodwork was carved from the block and the capitals of the columns were decorated with ivy leaves, acanthus, laurel, etc.

The kitchen was in white marble, the pastry room in pink and green marble and the linen room on two floors had 140 cupboards in citron wood or Macassar ebony inlaid with mother of pearl… Building work began in 1912 and ended in 1929. However, François Coty did not live there very long since he died in 1934.

On his death, the château was sequestered by his many creditors. During the Second World War, it was occupied in succession by the general staff of the Ministry of the Navy, German troops until 1942, and it was an annex of the Tours Hospital until 1946. Christiane Coty, the perfumer’s daughter, inherited it in 1947.

Became an hotel in 1961

In 1959, René Traversac, founder of the Grandes Etapes Françaises, had only one property: the ” Prieuré ” near Saumur. But he took a liking to the hotel management and tried to acquire a second location.

Château d’Artigny, overlooking the valley of the Indre, was to let and he decided to purchase it. A great adventure began which was to chair, a few years later, the nascent chain of “Châteaux Hôtels de France” and to actively participate in its merger with the “Relais de Campagne” into the “Relais et Châteaux ” in 1975.

Château d’ Artigny converted into a luxury hotel (with, among others, the talent of the designer Pierre Scapula) opened its doors in March 27, 1961.

Rooms & Suites
The Château d’Artigny has 56 rooms located in the Château or just opposite in the Pavillon d’Ariane and the Cité des Parfums. All the rooms are elegantly decorated in keeping with their location and enjoy modern comforts. They offer pleasant views over the Indre and its valley, the French garden, the Château or the park.

Junior Suite
The Junior Suites and duplex apartments are divided between the Château, the Pavillon Ariane and the Cité des Parfums. These luxurious and spacious single story or duplex apartments offer the most comfortable luxury conditions for long stays.

Here you can enjoy quiet intimacy in a cosy atmosphere with an uninterrupted view over the Château, the gardens or the park. Air-conditioning This room can accommodate a maximum of four people.

There is possibilities to add two extra beds and to have two separate beds on request and subject to availability. A sofa bed is also possible for one or two children in some junior suites.

Deluxe Room
Space, charm and elegance, the deluxe rooms offer sophisticated surroundings with their stylish furniture and beautiful bright large sized rooms with tastefully chosen wall coverings in both the Château and the Cité des Parfums.

Here you can enjoy the view over the Indre Valley, the French style gardens or the estate woods. Bathroom and separate toilet. This room can accommodate two adults and a third person. There is possibilities to add an extra bed or to have two separate beds on request and subject to availability.

Restaurant & Bar
Magnificent rotunda dining room on the ground floor of the castle, “l’Origan” restaurant welcomes you in a sophisticated, dignified eighteenth century woodwork reliefs enhanced by gilding with gold leaf, fluted columns with capitals carved, high windows with a beautiful view over the valley of the Indre. During summer you could enjoy a nice terrace overlooking the valley.

L’Origan
Very attached to the fundamentals of French cuisine Hervé Guttin is passionate about local produce. It combines the technical gesture and the desire to please.

A la carte this spring

• White asparagus from Touraine light mousse of goat cheese faisselle crispy carp, mimosa condiment with lemon confit and capers
• Farm chicken supreme from Challans roasted, coconut and basmati emulsion chicken broth and infusion of shrimp flavored with ginger
• Modern “religieuse” with caramel and peanuts

Le Bar
Chef Barman Antony Bertin
The Bar is located in the old book-lined library. Enjoy cocktails of vintage Armagnac, rum and cognac shaken by award-winning barman Antony Bertin.

Cocktails list: classic (Dry Martini, Manhattan) and Signature (Tenessee Libre, Saint-Petersbourg)

Spa d’Artigny
Welcome to this place of well-being and tranquillity. Discover our new range of face and body treatments:

• Gentle soothing Holistic treatment
• Marine body wrap
• Modeling of the World (Balinese, Indian, Swedish…)
• Great Rituals (Hammam-scrub-wrapping-relaxing modeling)
• and all the classic treatments: beauty of hands and feet, manicure, makeup

Réceptions
In the early twentieth century, the perfumer François Coty, builder of château d’Artigny had designed his house to receive his family and numerous friends. Today, the castle has retained this vocation and puts his team at your service.

The Château d’Artigny welcomes you for convivial meals and family celebrations. Our key points : private lounges, gastronomic cuisine, large park and terrace for your cocktails and photos. Large parking area

Wedding

Intimate or large wedding, you have the choice between hiring a reception room (up to 140 guests) for a lunch or dinner or the “Exclusive use venue” formula (Up to 300 guests + exclusive use of our 56 guestrooms, banquet spaces, garden, terrace)

Meetings

Château d’Artigny offers 8 meeting rooms. The meeting areas are all air-conditioned and have daylight. During your stay, if you are looking for incentives activities, we could organise wine tasting, hot-air balloon, golf

Discover the Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, as “cultural landscapes”, various architectures contrasting landscapes: troglodytes houses, renaissance castles, medieval fortresses, historic towns, gardens, abbeys…Here are some ideas for visits during your stay at Château d’Artigny.

Visits & excursions

City of Tours – 15 km
It is a city of art and history, but also of gastronomy. Visit Place Plumereau, the heart of the old Tours with its numerous restaurants, cafes, houses from 15th century, Saint-Martin Cathedral, Beaux-Art museum or Compagnonnage Museum.

Wine tasting – 25km
Stroll through the vineyards of Vouvray, Chinon, Bourgueil and taste its famous wines.

Sport & nature

Golf de Ballan-Miré – 17km
Is one of the finest golf courses in the Indre and Loire region.

Loire River by boat – 15 km
To discover the area quite slowly, enjoy a ride on the Loire River. In Tours you embark on traditional flat-bottom wooden boats, replicas of nineteenth century barges.

Website: www.grandesetapes.com

Rooms: 56

Price: from 170 EUR per night