Chateau Guygaudie France

Walled gardens with play areas, a heated pool and chef and maid service: Chateau Guygaudie, a luxury chateau in the Dordogne, is the ideal holiday rental for large families or private parties. The three-acre grounds include a bamboo forest and several planted gardens, including a tropical theme near the pool’s Bali-style pergola with sound system.
From the large oak doors to antique French furniture, this chateau exudes grandeur. The expansive house sleeps 12-18. Several bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms, renovated to retain their historic character, and others can be either twins or doubles depending on your needs. You’ll love the elegance of the drawing room with a Louis XIV card table and its proximity to the music room/library and children’s playroom, for careful monitoring. The house is well kitted out for tiny tots, including a mobile playpen, booster seats, and children’s cutlery.
This area is perfect for water adventures, with canoe rental (5 min. away), a water park (20 min.), and a sandy beach at Lac Jemaye (15 min.). The Chateau Guygaudie is only 1 km from Riberac, where the Friday market has children’s activities. Fly into Bordeaux (an hour’s drive) or Bergerac (35 min.), and arrange taxi service through our concierge.
There are numerous childrens activities in and around the surrounding areas that are not age restricted. Canoeing is 5 minutes away but restricts the age of participants to a minimum of 3; this is the case with all canoeing in the Dordogne.
Within a 5 to 20 minute drive:- The town of Riberac has a very well organized water activity centre for days out on the river. 5 minutes away from the house.- There is an equestrian centre close by and hacks are organized on a daily basis.- There are bicycles at the house but in the case of larger numbers or bicycles with children’s trailers, there is a local hire shop with a large selection and at a reasonable price.- The town of Riberac has six municipal tennis courts that are maintained to immaculate standards.- Lake Jamaye is less than 15 minutes away from the house and has a beautifully maintained sandy beach with free boating activities, a floating raft, two play areas with swings and climbing apparatus, sand pits and slides. There are quite nice restaurants/bistros at the site if you haven’t arranged a picnic. There is also a volleyball area and beautiful walks around the lake.- The beautiful town of Aubterre is very close and makes for a splendid excursion. There is a leisure complex at the river’s edge and a controlled swimming area with diving boards, boating activities, restaurants and even a monolithic cathedral carved secretly into the mountainside in the centre of the town. You could always visit the glass blowing factory afterwards. The town is lovely and boasts superb restaurants and snack bars making it a perfect venue for a day out.- The town of Brantome, called the Venice of the Dordogne, boasts a wonderful church cut into the mountain side, numerous water activities, glass blowing factory, riverside walks and some of the best restaurants in the Dordogne. Just 10 minutes away there is the wonderful cave at Villars with its historic cave drawings, stalactites and stalagmites.- Less than 20 minutes away is a lovely water park with slides, go-carts, boating, trampolines, swings, swimming areas and a children’s adventure playground.
Further afield:- There are numerous world famous prehistoric caves and the Dordogne is at the very centre of these, at less than 40 minutes away. – For the more adventurous there is a harnessed tree climbing activity site. 
Very local:- Although markets are, traditionally, the love of adults, the market at Riberac (every Friday) has terrific children’s activities within it. There are usually roaming knights enacting the crusade paths that passed through the Dordogne on their way to Arabia and all sorts of hurdy gurdies, jugglers and balloon artists – a lovely family day out.- Adults may wish to take in a concert, a myriad of which occur to all tastes throughout the summer. There are baroque evenings, jazz nights and many other things to do – antique street markets, night markets and organized town street parties, for example.- There are several pizza houses and restaurants which all accept children. National carriers all fly to Bordeaux, which is just over an hour away, but there are numerous alternatives which are much closer. Easyjet, Flybe and Ryanair fly into Bergerac, which is just 35 minutes from the house. There is a free shuttle service available into Riberac, alternatively a taxi service can be arranged though our concierge service.Adult’s evening dining is a gourmet experience. All food at the house is prepared and cooked for you and the food bill is settled at the end of each week on a receipt basis (there is no charge for the chef, simply the cost of the food itself which you will be shown the receipts for). The quality of the cuisine is to the highest of international standards.
Should you decide to go out, perhaps to dine or take in a concert, the maid is more than happy to babysit. The babysitting service is made easier because the children will have gotten to know the maid, ensuring you and your children’s peace of mind.
The maid and babysitting services are free of charge (evenings only), as are the services offered by the chef.
BreakfastUsually breakfast is collected fresh on a daily basis directly from the bakery and, when not cooked, consists of fresh croissants, pain au chocolate and fresh bread. A selection of locally made marmalades and jams and breakfast cereals will also be available. Sometimes adults request a cooked breakfast & the chef is happy to oblige.
LunchLunch is prepared daily for children and adults alike and the menu is usually decided during the evening before or in the morning. 
On many occasions the adults prefer to have the children fed and then placed in the children’s room for their quiet time before the adults food is served. During the year certain fish and seasonal meats are available at local markets and clients can always request that the chef is on the lookout for more unusual meals.
Dinner MenusThere is an extensive menu at the house consisting of seasonal fish dishes, vegetarian dishes, meat dishes and desserts that are all home made. Specialty dishes such as sweet and sour Singapore ribs will be at the free dinner reception.
At this time the chef will make a variety of side dishes (usually a risotto) accompanied by a selection of fish dishes, moule marinier & a further selection of meat dishes, salads and vegetables, which is followed by several homemade desserts. Topping the evening off with a glass of port or cognac and an espresso coffee.
The Chef shops, preps and cooks all food fresh daily upon the clients instructions and will serve the food to a timetable suggested by the client.  The Maid will clear away ensuring that all of the usual everyday chores  are done and that the guests can relax and enjoy their holiday.
This service is included within the cost of the holiday and all food is payable on a receipt only basis as is all alcohol ensuring that the client can keep to a sensible budget if required.  An evening meal can be arranged and served upon arrival by prior request and all children if necessary are able to eat at a different time allowing the adults to dine alone. 
The cost for 16 adults to eat breakfast, buffet lunch and dinner, with some alcohol per week costs approx. £22 per person per day.  These services are wonderful as group bookings do not have to worry about who is going to cook, shop or wash-up!!
With the exception of prawn and fishfingers the house does not use frozen products. All produce including fish and meats are purchased and used the same day.
The children’s menu has all the usual children’s favourites along with homemade lasagne, pasta dishes, fish fingers, risottos, soups and the like.