Château Autignac Review: The Most Luxurious Bed and Breakfast in France

Have I just found the best B&B in the world? It’s true and don’t tell anyone but while I’ve stayed in plenty of hotels – this is my first B&B experience. To be quite honest I found it a little confusing at first. No on site restaurant, no fleet of staff to serve me a platter of room service delectables or even a cocktail bar by the pool. But during our stay I was left with a burning question – did we really need all of that during our stay if it was on offer? Read on to find out what I thought…

Château Autignac is as its name suggest located in the old village of Autignac. A commune in the Herault region in the South of France, Autignac is full of rustic French charm and is also one of the seven communes which produces Faugères AOC wine. This was our home for the next few days and we quickly discovered the property was full of history and dates back to 1860 whose owner then, Mr Pierre André Louis de Vigne Lavit was the first to live in the house which was built by his father.

Step inside to this glorious mansion and it becomes apparent just how much love and care has gone into restoring it. The lobby entrance is pure and ethereal, still somehow maintaining its chateau charm, even when everything is so pristine and white. Eric de Turckheim, the property owner decided to reflect the elegance and purity of wine with a contemporary refurbishment by architects and interior designers Larroche et Joyeux. Nothing is ever out-of-place and you’ll struggle to find any way of improving the property. It’s flawless.

Each of Château Autignac’s five rooms and suites has benefited from a full contemporary refurbishment in keeping with the chateau’s restoration and offers more space then you’ll ever need. Our room had two well-sized twin beds, large sofa area, huge hallway with dressing area and a small turret room at the corner with a single seat by a small window. It’s so peaceful and tranquil meaning it’s the perfect place to relax. The rooms clean & simple interior designs bring out the chateau’s old features and integrates them perfectly. Each room is decorated in white and grey hues, utilising materials such as stone, wood and leathers.

I particularly liked our bathroom, which harmoniously flowed from the bedroom and was like something out of a design magazine. The brushed stone walls, two sink basins, an excellent rain shower which works like magic with just the touch of a button and some complimentary spa products from a company called Vinali. Of course these like the surroundings came from the vineyards, bringing the wine vine and grapes into your shower experience.

The views from our window looked out over the front of the building towards the town and below to a small outdoor seating area between the balconies. You may even spot the resident outdoor cat strolling around.

As well as the rooms and white washed hallways which are flooded with light, there are communal areas available to relax in, make a cup of coffee/tea (which is complimentary) or enjoy a relaxing afternoon looking out across the grounds to just the quiet chirping of birds.

Having woke up in the UK during the early hours of the morning to catch our flight, all we had on our mind was food and the family here really know the best places to visit. We spent a lovely couple of hours at restaurant named Picamandil which is just a short 30 minutes drive away from the property and I can tell you now, the food is excellent and the passion for wine is so infectious. A wine shop, lots of local produce, excellent parking facilities and small plates so good you’ll end up coming back the next day. We would have if we’d had more time. It was such a highlight from our trip. Succulent prawns, asparagus smothered in Parmesan cheese, quality charcuterie and crispy squid. Just a few of the dishes we enjoyed.

Back to our property after lunch we enjoyed some time around what is arguably this most stunning area – the garden & pool. The private decks near the pool offer you a haven of tranquillity and the rest of the garden has been divided into a series of terraces, each supported by a dry stone wall. As well as those private spaces to soak up the sun, guest can enjoy the heated double-sided infinity pool and a bubbly jacuzzi (also heated) which is perfect after a long day of exploring the local surroundings.

If you know me well then you’ll know just how much I love hot tubs and jacuzzi’s and the one here at Château Autignac was absolutely stunning. I spent every moment I could in it over the few days we were in France. During the late afternoons we enjoyed a bottle of wine from the properties own on-site winery, Domaine des Prés Lasses. A bottle of Amour rose wine and a selection of charcuterie from the local deli. It really was the perfect afternoon.

With the property featuring it’s very own winery Domaine des Prés Lasses located next door, the main building of the B&B houses the cellar and tasting room. The wine-tasting room is on the chateau’s garden level where you will be introduced to the various cuvées and grape varieties, as well as organic wine growing techniques, farming practices and everything there is to know about the most important part of wine growing – the terroir.

We then spent the next hour tasting the Domain’s wines with the lovely Stephanie who has worked as a sommelier around the globe, in some of Europe’s best restaurants and has now settled back home in Autignac. We loved the variance of each wine produced, the depth and the expression of the terroir in each bottle. There’s a wine for every palate and for every occasion. We also loved that each label on the bottles had a story to tell and reflected the story of Domaine des Prés Lasses.

For dinner on our second night we were recommended a lovely place which passes through some of the local villages which are rather beautiful and so makes it a nice evening drive as the sun sets. Our destination was restaurant Auberge du Pont de Reals which was just 15 minutes from Autignac. Now don’t let its rather rustic exterior put you off because this place has all of the French charm we all long for when going abroad. Cosy interiors, local wines, snails and of course – rich chocolate mousse. You won’t be disappointed.

About 30 minutes drive from Autignac is probably one of the most beautiful villages in France you’re ever likely to stumble across and we woke up early the following day to do as much exploring as possible. Pezenas is like stepping into the past and is a city filled with art, history heritage from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Beautiful paved streets lined with craft workshops, art dealers and every new turn seems to reveal a new restaurant. We enjoyed a lovely piece of steak with a carafe of wine on the main square – it was perfect for people watching.

If I had to pick one place in France I’d love to return to and stay in, it would certainly be Pezenas. We even tried the local delicacy, Le Petit Pate Pezenas – though we wasn’t convinced. On the weekend the whole town is lined with market stall and the atmosphere is so infectious. The only word of warning is parking, it’s quite difficult on the weekend so be prepared!

Finishing off one very amazing trip before heading closer to our B&B for the evening, we drove our car to the seaside port town of Marseillan on the Languedoc coast. The sun beats down on this what turned out to be slice of heaven and which looks out onto its own Mediterranean lagoon east of Béziers. You could almost think you were in a mini St Tropez, especially with a glass of wine in hand and plate of fresh oysters. It’s a place we’d love to come back to one day and I highly recommend, especially as it’s also just a short 30 minute drive from the property.

Breakfast at Château Autignac is another area in which this property really excels and while we enjoyed it every morning here, it was our last day which I remember the most. A loaf of beautiful freshly baked brioche and a rustic sourdough – both were some of the best breads I’ve come across and are actually baked at restaurant Picamandil, which I wrote about earlier in the post. The selection of jams are made in-house and were stunning, while the fresh orange juice is freshly pressed and a bowl of sweet and juicy fruits to finish. A simple breakfast, but an incredibly satisfying one.

Before leaving we spent a few more minutes in the local town, enjoying one last croissant and saying goodbye to the shop owners and colourful streets of Autignac. We really did have the best of time at Château Autignac and our entire time here was such a magical experience.

I really love travelling across France and actually staying in a bed & breakfast suited us much more than we ever anticipated. It was perfect for exploring the French countryside. You’re not tied down to hotel activities or feel like you’re missing out on special dining events, but instead you can simply enjoy the property for what it is and at your own pace and leisure. I left feeling that actually the property doesn’t need a full restaurant, but simply a few menus with their local wines and some charcuterie to enjoy by the pool during the day, because I know we’d be buying them. Château Autignac – we will be back!