Château d’Artigny

A small lane winds through a dense forest and then, in a clearing standing in magnificent splendor, is the stunning Château d’Artigny. The château exudes a storybook-perfect quality with its steeply pitched mansard roof accented by dormer windows, white stone façade, two rows of ornate marble columns, and a wing on each end of the building with stone sculptures accenting the eaves. Inside, the grandeur continues, with soaring ceilings, gilt furniture, elaborate chandeliers, marble floors, and Oriental carpets. A sweeping staircase leads to the upper floor where you find an oval room that will make you smile. A dome, richly adorned with frescoes, forms the ceiling and below it, circling the room, is a gallery where life-sized paintings of beautifully dressed people (who are obviously enjoying a lavish party) gaze down upon you. Also in the room is a painting of François Coty (of perfume fame), who built the château in the style of the 18th century, using the Palace of Versailles as his model for the interior decor. The accommodations are luxuriously decorated in a formal, elegant style. There are also guestrooms in the gatehouse and seven bedrooms (less formal, with more of a country feel) in the Moulin d’Artigny, on the bank of the River Indre which runs below the hotel. The property has a beautiful swimming pool nestled in the forest, tennis courts and a putting green.