Chateau Ridou And Gite France

Chateau Ridou is accessed along a 3km private road in the renowned Champagne region of France. Beautifully secluded in the 2000 hectare Ardennes Forest, the chateau dates back to the 1600s, and is peacefully located in a vast valley. Chateau Ridou was built by Oranje-Nassau, using rocks from the mountain next to the château. 
The chateau itself sleeps a large group up to 18 people and, if the gites on the estate are also rented, the estate can accommodate up to 60 people. Facilities available on the estate include a tennis court, table tennis, fishing and petanque. Please note that you should bring your own equipment. 
The area around the chateau is a paradise for hikers and mountain bikers, and mountain bikes are available for hire. Guests are welcome to bring their own horse, as the estate and forest are excellent for riding.
In addition to the chateau’s own beautiful dining room, which includes an open fireplace, the estate benefits from a large reception barn that is furnished as a restaurant and available for hire. 
Chateau Ridou was renovated and rebuilt in the 18th century by the King of Belgium, Leopold II, who acquired the property for his mistress. The King planted exotic trees from the Belgian colony of the Congo in the chateau gardens, including palm trees, which can still be seen on the estate. The oldest tree is now more than 300 years old. Today, the chateau estate benefits from a superb collection of rare plants and trees. The oldest building on the estate is the tannery, also built from stone from the mountain next to the chateau.
The nearest airport is Brussels (120km) and Calais is 300km away. The nearest town of Vireux is 5km from the chateau.
The Ardennes region is beautifully diverse, and a paradise for hikers, mountain bikers and riders, with woodlands, vast lakes, winding rivers and a variety of terrains.  The river valleys consist of canyons reaching up to impressive green mountainous peaks.  Towns close to the chateau include Namur, set around a 19th century Citadel and benefiting from excellent restaurants and great bars, Dinant, Rochefort, St Hubert, Bouillon, which is renowned for fantastic canoeing along the River Lesse, and Vireux, a super choice for restaurants, street markets and shopping.
There are so many places to explore around the region: the Chateau and Abbee at Chimay, the Han caves, canoeing along the River Lesse and hiking in the woodlands. This makes Chateau Ridou a fantastic base from which to discover the region of Champagne.At Excellence Luxury Villas we pride ourselves on going that little bit further for our guests. If there is anything you would like to arrange for your stay, please contact the Excellence Luxury Villas VIP Concierge Team who will be happy to help. We can usually put you in touch with the right people arrange any of the following:
– Cook/catering- Breakfast – Airport pick-up/drop-off- Taxi / Car rental- Maid service/Extra cleaning- Babysitting service- Extra beds- Wood box (€10)- Party barn (cap. 40-60 – prices on request)
This is by no means an exhaustive list, so please just contact Excellence Luxury Villas VIP Concierge Team to help you arrange any of those little extras that can really make the difference.