Excellence Luxury Villas · Northern France & Belgium
Luxury Houses and Châteaux in Northern France & Belgium
Normandy farmhouses, Champagne châteaux and Ardennes houses, a short Channel crossing from home
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Orchards, vineyards and a short hop across the Channel
For a British family, the north of France has one great advantage over the rest of the country: you can load the car on Friday morning and be unpacking in a Normandy farmhouse by lunch. Half-timbered villages and apple orchards fill the Pays d'Auge and the Seine valley, chalk cliffs line the coast at Étretat, and further east the vineyards of Champagne roll out from Reims and Épernay towards the wooded valley of the Meuse.
Our collection here runs to 110+ properties, from restored farmhouses and barns near the Seine estuary to grand country châteaux in Champagne that can take very large family gatherings, with the biggest offering 39 bedrooms.
What follows is a guide to the regions, the food and when to come.
Northern France & Belgium at a glance
- Properties
- 110+ houses, farmhouses and châteaux, with up to 39 bedrooms
- Guide prices
- Typically £3,100 to £8,400 a week, from around £2,000
- Best areas
- The Eure and Seine-Maritime in Normandy, Champagne around Reims and Épernay, and the Ardennes
- Best time
- May to September for gardens and long lunches outdoors; September and October for the grape harvest
- Getting there
- Le Shuttle from Folkestone to Calais in around 35 minutes, or ferries to Dieppe, Le Havre and Caen
Browse all 110+ properties in Northern France & Belgium
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Château Philippe de Fay | Normandy Chateau Rental | Sleeps Up To 100 Guests39 bedrooms
Troubadour Castle France14 bedrooms
Rent Chateau de Feugeres Normandy10 bedrooms
Chateau La Monte Epinge Estate France18 bedroomsWhere to stay in Northern France & Belgium
The Eure and Seine-Maritime for Normandy farmhouses, Honfleur and the coast, Champagne for vineyard châteaux near Reims and Épernay, and the Ardennes for the wooded Meuse valley close to the Belgian border.
Half-timbering, orchards and Monet's garden
The Eure and Seine-Maritime are the easiest part of France to reach from Britain, and they reward the short trip. Foulbec sits on the Risle close to where it meets the Seine estuary, a short drive from Honfleur, with its old harbour, the Vieux Bassin, and its museum of Eugène Boudin, the painter who taught Monet to work outdoors.
Inland, Monet's house and garden at Giverny open from spring to autumn, and the ruins of Château Gaillard, built by Richard the Lionheart, stand above the Seine at Les Andelys. Up the coast, the arches and needle of Étretat's chalk cliffs make for a fine morning's walk.
Browse houses in the Eure
Cathedral, chalk cellars and the Avenue de Champagne
Reims is where the kings of France were crowned, and its Gothic cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Beneath the city, the great houses keep their bottles in chalk cellars, some dug out in Roman times, and the hillsides, houses and cellars of Champagne were added to the UNESCO list in 2015.
In Épernay, the Avenue de Champagne is lined with the grand headquarters of the best-known names. Our châteaux in the region sit among the vineyards and villages, which makes a tasting followed by a long lunch an easy day out, and they are large enough for a family celebration that deserves the wine.
Browse houses in Champagne
Forest, fortresses and the winding Meuse
The French Ardennes is the least visited corner of the north, and the quieter for it. The Meuse loops through deep wooded gorges past Monthermé and Revin, the fortress at Sedan is one of the largest fortified castles in Europe, and Charleville-Mézières, where Rimbaud was born, has a handsome arcaded Place Ducale.
Hierges, a small village near Givet with a ruined castle above it, sits almost on the Belgian border. From here Dinant and the Belgian Ardennes are a short drive, and Bruges and Ghent make an easy day out on the way home to Calais.
Browse houses in the Ardennes
Camembert, calvados and the harvest
Normandy cooks with butter and cream and drinks cider and calvados, and the market stalls here are piled with Camembert, Pont-l'Évêque and Livarot. Champagne has its own cheeses, notably Chaource, and the pink biscuits of Reims are made for dunking in a glass of something cold.
Spring brings the apple blossom, summer the long evenings in the garden, and September the grape harvest. Winter suits a house party in a château with the fires lit. Our concierge can arrange champagne house visits, private chefs, restaurant tables and Channel crossings.
Ask our conciergeFeatured properties in Northern France & Belgium
Villa Palombaggia France5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £19,803 a week
Le Mas De Mor France8 bedrooms · sleeps 16From £18,821 a week
Villa Bleuet France6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £18,361 a week
Chateau Des Siecles And Annexe | 21-Bedroom Chateau in Mailly-le-Chate21 bedrooms · sleeps 48From £18,225 a week
Lorenzo Village | 18-Bedroom Villa in Poggibonsi (SI) Pian di Campi18 bedrooms · sleeps 40From £17,415 a week
Villa du Ciel France6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £16,797 a week
Chateau De Malley | 13-Bedroom Chateau in Mailly-le-Chateau Sagonne13 bedrooms · sleeps 33From £14,502 a week
La Passerelle France5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £13,239 a weekWhy book your house in Northern France & Belgium with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
Our houses here are spread from the Seine estuary to the Belgian border, and we know which are an easy drive from the Channel ports and which are best placed for the beaches, the vineyards or the forest. With 110+ properties in Northern France & Belgium, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Champagne house tours and tastings, private chefs, restaurant reservations, Channel crossings, Giverny tickets and transfers from Paris or the ports. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to stay in Northern France?
For the quickest drive from the Channel and a coastal holiday, choose Normandy, around the Eure, Seine-Maritime and Honfleur. For wine and grand country houses, choose Champagne near Reims and Épernay. The Ardennes suits walkers and anyone after a quiet week in the forest.
How do I get to Northern France from the UK?
Le Shuttle takes around 35 minutes from Folkestone to Calais, and ferries run from Newhaven to Dieppe and from Portsmouth to Le Havre and Caen. Eurostar to Paris or Lille, with a hire car or transfer onwards, is another good choice.
Can we visit the champagne houses?
Yes. Many of the great houses in Reims and Épernay offer cellar tours and tastings, and smaller growers in the villages often welcome visitors by appointment. Our concierge can make the bookings.
Can you arrange a private chef at a house in Northern France & Belgium?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury propertie in Northern France & Belgium cost?
Across our 110+ properties in Northern France & Belgium, weekly rates typically range from £3,100 to £8,400, with the most affordable from around £2,000 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
When is the best time to visit Normandy and Champagne?
May to September brings the warmest weather and the gardens at their best. September and October are harvest time in Champagne, and the quieter months suit a château house party.
Are there houses in Northern France & Belgium for large groups?
Yes. Our Northern France & Belgium collection includes properties with up to 39 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
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Find your house in Northern France & Belgium
110+ houses and châteaux in Northern France and Belgium, booked direct with our concierge on hand