Chateau Ribagnac - Grand Suite

The Bergot family and their fairytale French chateau may well be familiar to some due to their starring role in TV's No Going Back series, which documented their move from their London home, to the then dilapidated 17th century castle. Four years on, Patrick and Colette have returned this picture-perfect chateau to its former glory, mixing antiques, art deco and contemporary pieces with modern comforts.

All the rooms have been lovingly renovated and furnished, each in the style that suits the character of the individual room making it difficult to choose a favourite. The family-sized rooms benefit from additional the space to relax in, as well as the communal living rooms with their monumental fireplaces. Whichever room is chosen, it is safe to say that your typical toddler will be enchanted by sleeping in their very own prince/princess style bedroom in a castle fit to rival any of those featured by Disney!

The magic isn't limited to the rooms, the 86 acres of grounds are breathtaking with lakes, nature trails, wooded walks and a selection of outdoor games. Then there's the food... meals at Ribagnac are always a highlight. Many of the fruit and vegetables used are grown onsite in Colette's organic kitchen garden, and almost everything else is sourced locally. Children's dinner is a sociable affair for adults and their offspring. Adult dinners are sophisticated but unfussy and eaten communally within baby monitor range of the bedrooms, allowing parents some valuable grown-up time. A full bar service in the lounge allows for further socialising, or quiet relaxation in one of the many reading nooks set amongst the turrets.

Chateau Ribagnac has four suites, sleeping from 2 to 5 (plus cots), and a double bedroom in the main building, plus several two-bedroom gites in the grounds (click 'similar accommodation' to view).

Accommodation Overview:
The Grand Suite is perhaps the most impressive and the best suited to families since it has two bedrooms (double & twin), plus a spacious bathroom. Combining sweeping views of the Chateau’s park and an antique bed illuminated by delicate chandelier wall lights, its main bedroom is extremely romantic. The second bedroom overlooks the rear lawns and has its own access to the entrance hall of the suite through a small but lovely dressing room. There are twin beds (one of which can be removed) and a cot can put in either of the bedrooms. The marble bathroom of the suite has doors leading from both bedrooms and features a WC, bidet and a bath with a showerhead. It costs from €130 euros to €160 per night with breakfast, based on two adults. An additional beds/cots cost €10 per night.

Reviews Show Location Map With three children under 11, the Bergot's are full of useful advice on the area. Highly recommended by junior members of the clan are: the nearby sand-fringed swimming lakes, Parc du Reynou, a well designed safari park/zoo, the old-fashioned charm of the rides and playgrounds Parc Bellevue, and 'Tarz'arbe' an adventure playground for both young and old. The new wolf sanctuary gives children the thrill of the fairy tale as well as learning about nature.

Horse riding is on offer at the local stables, from the age of three. The annual Mardi Gras, Easter, and Summer Music Festivals in Limoges and surrounds are fantastic family entertainment. For adults, Patrick and Colette recommend browsing the local antiques and food markets, and the contemporary art collection at Lake Vassiviere. There is also an excellent golf course nearby, where guests can take advantage of reduced green fees.

Getting There: Chateau Ribagnac is approx. 25minutes drive from the airport at Limoges. Other nearby airports include: Poitiers (1.5 hours drive), Clermont-Ferrand (2 hours drive), Bergerac (2.2 hours drive) or Bordeaux (2.7 hours drive). The main ferry ports are within 6hours drive. All but the last 10 minutes of the journey are on Motorway. Simply take Junction 27 off the A20 and follow the signs for Ambazac.

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We loved Chateau Ribagnac. It caters for families with children in a way we have...

We loved Chateau Ribagnac. It caters for families with children in a way we have never experienced. They had free roam of the property and, even thought here is a playground in the garden, the natural surrounds were of most interest to them. The chateau provided a feeling of opulence from days gone by, not as we know today, and that is why we loved it. We not only had a great holiday, but made new friends in the process; happiness is often found in the least expected places.

Thank you for including Chateau Ribagnac on your website, if not we would never ...

Thank you for including Chateau Ribagnac on your website, if not we would never have experienced such a pleasure! My husband and I and our two young boys stayed at Chateau Ribagnac for 3 nights at the tail end of our recent overseas adventure. As Australians living in the US we have travelled widely, and our stay at Chateau Ribagnac was one of the best holiday experiences our family has ever had. We hadn't seen the tv show and have never really been interested in a B&B type experience as we are rather private people, but Colette and Patrick and the whole Bergot Family made us feel so welcome it was like staying with old friends.

WOW - Chateau Ribagnac was truly wonderful! I have two children aged four and tw...

WOW - Chateau Ribagnac was truly wonderful! I have two children aged four and two and they loved it. Each evening they ate with the family's children and any other younger guests staying at around six. They were able to eat outside even though it was October and the food was fantastic (even pleased our fussy four year old!).For adults, the food, company and surroundings are all glorious. The adults eat around eight, which allows plenty of time to put the children to bed and bring the monitor downstairs for a relaxing adult only evening!The owners Colette and Patrick are really friendly, fun people and my husband and I left feeling we were leaving friends and not hosts! We can't wait to go back and if it is a relaxing break without worrying about what the kids are doing -this is the place for you!

A wonderful holiday. We just wanted to get away and relax and that's exactly wha...

A wonderful holiday. We just wanted to get away and relax and that's exactly what we did. The Castle is amazing and so was the food. Also thank you for George's packed lunches each day. I'm sure we will be back in the near future.

We had a wonderful time, Patrick and Collette are wonderful hosts and made us fe...

We had a wonderful time, Patrick and Collette are wonderful hosts and made us feel most welcome and comfortable. Our children also enjoyed themselves, and my 4 year old keeps asking me to make roast chicken - like we had with Agnes & Gilberto (Patrick & Colette's children)!

We had a perfect break there, and also at another place you recommend on your we...

We had a perfect break there, and also at another place you recommend on your website, Manoir de Longeveau. I have mentioned both of these and your website to a number of friends. Thank you so much.

What a superb holiday we had at Chatueaux Ribagnac.... This is an amazing dreamy...

What a superb holiday we had at Chatueaux Ribagnac.... This is an amazing dreamy place run by a lovely family who are on hand to help in every which way possible. Patrick and Colette have a thorough knowledge of the area and also the amazing food that they prepare for you. They have a delightful family and their children did not hesitate to socialise with our daughter and even took us all on walks and tours of the grounds! Everything we needed was there and coupled with the amazing food and wine (we Stayed on a Chambre D'Hote basis and highly recommend this option!)and the warmth and hospitality of Patrick and Colette we could not have wished for a better holiday solution. Our 19mth old daughter loved the environment and her evening meal with the other junior residents was the highlight of her day - and ours! We will certainly be going back to the Chateaux as it was a wonderful experience for all of us. We all came back totally relaxed and rested if not a little sad to have had to leave. Try it and see for yourself!

Owner Profile

We are a family of five ; Patrick & Colette, and children, Eve (14); Agnès (7) and Gilberto (4). Eve is becoming a chic French teen (but still likes a good game of football!), Agnès is horse and insect crazy, and loves meeting other kids to show her outdoor world to, and Gilberto, well he’s tractor mad (luckily there are quite a few around here!). Patrick has a French/Portuguese background and has a sweet tooth to match and Colette a South African background – all nations that love to entertain! We came to live in the Limousin from London where we both worked as lawyers in the City. Being here gives us a way to put our family first and still do something creative and fun. Our children are growing up in the countryside and love all the things that can offer, and we enjoy sharing that with other families.

The Château appealed to us instantly – we fell in love with the historic building; its feeling of warmth and the fantastic grounds and view. It’s a pleasure to have visitors here- it is just the sort of place that feels right when there are guests here. We’ve added modern conveniences, but the feeling of history pervades. Evenings are always special, and the food is a really important part of the experience here. We enjoy sharing the great produce and specialities that our region offers. You can feel really close to nature here. We grow our own fruit & veg and have orchards, and you can stroll in our woods and catch a glimpse of the deer, birds and other wildlife. The different seasons are at their best here, whether its Summer sunshine you’re after or a cosy Winter retreat and roaring log fire or the gorgeous tranquillity of Autumn colours.

The fairy tale look of the Chateau appeals to most people and kids are no exception! It’s a great place without the stuffiness of many hotels, where everyone can feel at home and relaxed. There’s so much space to explore and play in here, you’ll find that your kids always look forward to getting back after a day’s outing where they can meet up together and eat dinner before all the grown-ups. And there’s so much to do! There are days out to suit every child, and there are the fantastic swimming lakes all over the area too…Kids and adults often swap stories of their best activities over breakfast, and if you need more ideas then we’re always at hand. Ask for our Top Ten Family Activities and you’ll see!