Château life as you’d dream it: noble arches, exposed stonework and shuttered windows that survey glorious miles of vineyards. It’s a place that transports you to another era, yet the well-worn choice antiques and tasselled tie-backs harmonise with modern backdrops of plum purple, flowery chintz and bold monochrome. Home to the Comtes de Béru since 1627, the estate goes back to the 12th century and includes a working vineyard – a delectable extra as you can tour the cellars. You can also wander the château, where the legacy of things past is tangible: Joan of Arc once passed through the foothills and Louis XIV’s great-grandson stayed here. There’s an exquisite contemporary simplicity to the guest bedrooms, with their raw brickwork and pretty fabrics, fresh linens, generous beds and chic bathrooms; we loved ‘Havane’. Have dinner in the 16th century stables and breakfast in the sitting-dining room, or in bed; you’ll like Madame Béru’s homemade jams. You are in one of Chablis’ prettiest valleys where there are heaps of abbeys to visit and shops to plunder… but you’ll most probably stay put, it’s such an enchanting spot.
The family vineyard was taken over by daughter Athénaïs in 2003 and her first ‘own brand’ Chablis wines produced in 2010. Harvested by hand, the grapes are grown naturally, mostly organically (some plots are still at the conversion stage). They are then transported to the domaine in Béru and very carefully vinified without any added yeasts, fining nor filtration and with low sulfites. Some wines are even bottled by hand.
A tranquil and charming 16th century chateau. The owner Laurence and daughter Athenais gave us personal service and attention. We had the whole residence wing all to ourselves! Each of the bedrooms were uniquely and tastefully decorated. And the living room/kitchen was pleasant. The owners gave us a tour of the vineyard and walked us through their "living" museum, a livable area that contained many old manuscripts, paintings, and furniture. The tour ended at a converted old stable that was now a wine bar where we had wine tasting of their variety of excellent chablis wines.