The Cottages and Suite

Booking: We take a minimum stay of 2 nights in April and October. It is a minimum stay of 3 nights in May, June, July, August and September. We have recently added the availability calendar and secure booking form to enable our guests to book directly by credit card though for those wanting to book the whole Chateau for a holiday or event then its essential to get in touch with us directly by email chateaustvictorlacoste@gmail.com or by telephone 0033673239612.

Check in and Check out: We understand that sometimes flights are delayed but generally check-in is from 15.00 (3 pm) to 21.00 (9 pm) and check out definitely by 11.00 am. If there is a delay, please phone us +33 673239612 or +33 681414641. To let us know. If a guest arrives later than this without prior notification, we are not obliged to accept them.

Cancellation Policy: We understand, especially at this time of uncertainty, cancellation may be necessary. In accordance with French government guidelines, we will offer a credit note for all monies already paid with an 12-month window going forward for you to put it towards a future stay with us (as prices may not be the same) if given 6 weeks notice to enable us to rebook the room We do not offer refunds. Less than six weeks notice there will be no refunds and no changing of dates unless by prior agreement.

Animals
We are happy to accept a small well behaved dog or cat with their responsible owners. This is on the condition that they do not sleep on the beds, and the owner will clear any mess caused by the animal. We have our own much loved cat Merlin who is very timid and will usually stay very much away though may be spotted in the garden and recently adopted Mattieu who is extremely friendly!

What services are available ?

We are not a hotel. We do not park your car for you or offer room service. We do not clean your room during your stay nor offer a turn down service, though of course your room will be cleaned thoroughly before arrival and we will offer change of bed linen and towels if your stay is longer than 4 days. This is very much our home and we will try to make you feel welcome and at home. We offer a chance to stay and live as we do , in a 16 th century castle with all its quirks and charms.We will offer to show you around the rest of the Chateau when it is convenient and delight in telling the history as it is a passion for us !

Is there air conditioning and wifi ?

The Chateau was built in1543 with thick stone walls designed to keep out the sun in the summer and ravages of the wind in the winter. We do not have air conditioning as we are not able to put units externally on the old stone walls. We supply fans to all cottages.

Wifi is good throughout the main Chateau which includes the suite , ground floor salon and even around the pool However Cottages 1,2 and 3 are wifi free – time to enjoy a peaceful reset and relax. We have recently obtained permission to put air con in Cottage 2 as long as we hide the external unit so hopefully as this has now set precedent it may be possible to supply the rest ! fingers crossed

Can you drink the water ?

Yes! the water here is clean and pure coming from a natural spring on the hillside. You are of course welcome to buy water externally but we personally try to limit as much as possible the use of plastic and chemicals in respect for the environment.

How do we get there ?

Nearest airports are Marseille – 1.5 hrs drive
Nimes – 1 hour drive
Montpellier – 1 hour 10 mins drive
Lyon – 2 hours drive but connects extremely well with train to Avignon.

Nearest train station Avignon- 30 mins drive
We strongly recommend hiring a car as all airports and the Avignon TGV have rental cars and the Chateau is 30 mins drive from Avignon . Many come via Paris and then take the high speed train to Avignon from Gare de Lyon Paris. The trains are very comfortable and fast. Paris to Avignon TGV is just over 2.5 hrs- much better than driving from Paris which generally would take 6 hours to drive.
If you cannot or choose not to drive there are taxis and UBER but this is expensive. Our village is very small with only one restaurant and general store. There is a very good taxi service in the village.

Where do we eat ?

The cottages have access to a beautifully equipped communal kitchen with their own fridge and cupboards. We supply a nutritious homemade breakfast which is self service . Teas and coffees are available for you to make yourselves throughout the day. Wines by the bottle are available to buy at very reasonable prices and we operate an honesty system where you help yourself and put the appropriate money in the box provided .
There is only one restaurant in the village and this is only open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner.
However there are many really superb restaurants in our area a short drive away ( or taxi ride ) and we can help you with reservations and recommendations.

The general store ( L’Epicerie ) is well stocked for those wanting to cook and produce is delicious.We can also let you know market days and best places to shop .There is a modern supermarket Utile at the edge of the village which also has a garage for petrol and has electric charging for electric cars.

What is there to do ?

Apart from the wonderful pool and walks around the Chateau area there are many places to see and visit with many festivals in the summer.
We can recommend visits to the beautiful medieval town of Uzes , Castillon du Gard , the Roman city of Nimes and Avignon all less than 30 minutes drive away. There is kayaking at Unesco World heritage Pont du Gard and the incredible museum associated with this historic site. The Roman Ampitheatres at both Orange and Nimes are spectacular . The Palais des Papes at Avignon regularly shows son et lumiere spectacles .
We are surrounded by famous vineyards, notably Chateauneuf des Papes , Tavel ,Laudin and Lirac who all arrange tours and tastings.
We have a Chateau information booklet which will be sent out to guests once they have booked with recommendations for restaurants and places to go and see to avoid disappointment as the best restaurants ( which are extremely good) get booked at least 2-3 weeks in advance .

Are we pet friendly?

We have two delightful cats Merlin and Mathew living in the chateau and we do accept well behaved dogs ( only one per cottage) and other pets ,always being mindful for the peace and quietness of our guests.

Can we swim anytime ?

In general our heated magnesium pool is accessible any time by all our guests but the quiet hours in the village start at 11 pm so we encourage our guests with children to be mindful of the other guests and our neighbors’ tranquility . Lights around and inside the pool are controlled by a remote control device accessible to all guests and we encourage the last ones outside in the communal pool area to switch the lights off before retiring.

How does the communal kitchen work ?

We expect all our guests to respect other guests and either hand wash dishes and utensils after themselves or use the dishwasher and empty it when the washing cycle is completed . We will empty all rubbish but we ask that guests separate food , plastic, paper waste and glass in the receptacles provided .It is communal so its important not to take over all work surfaces and be considerate to others.

Are we allowed to take photographs and videos?

We understand the chateau is a dreamy ,beautiful place and we know many guests want to capture its beauty in photographs and videos as a memory . However , consideration of other guests is paramount . Commercial purpose photography is very different to a few holiday snaps requiring exclusivity and therefore there is an extra fee and needs to be arranged beforehand with us when other guests will not be present. Continuous photography when other guests are around and often in the background at the pool, can become a nuisance as it interferes with other guests’ privacy .We discourage this activity and if it becomes excessive and raises complaints ,we will request the photographers to stop this immediately. In this world of social media a fine balance needs to be achieved and we hope our guests who are attracted to the chateau and its slow living vibe can exercise a discernment and curb within reason their enthusiasm for excessive photography . Drones are not allowed unless part of an exclusive photoshoot arrangement such as a wedding. Please be mindful not to take photographs, especially of other people’s children.