With its extraordinary complement of restored farmhouses, charming manor houses and resplendent chateaux, among other intriguing and sometimes surprising properties, France embodies chic romance in terms of the wedding venues that it enables you to choose from.

So, let’s focus on one of the most exciting tasks you will have when you are planning your nuptials:  what are some of the French wedding venues that you should be taking a closer look at?

Château Pape Clément

It isn’t just the neo-Gothic architecture of this striking Grand Cru chateau in Pessac, Bordeaux that lends itself beautifully to its use as a wedding venue, or even its entrancing gilded honeymoon suite or the glass pavilion designed by Gustave Eiffel himself – yes, that’s right, the engineer behind the Eiffel Tower.

That’s because Château Pape Clément’s manicured gardens and 60 hectares of vineyards will also delight the eye, while helping to ensure no one in your party will be short of fine wine. Oh, and it’s also all just a short drive from the airport.

Château Bouffémont

wedding_venues

If you are on the lookout for wedding locations near Paris that also provide no shortage of visual thrill and all of the tranquillity that you would normally associate with a chateau based much further afield from urban France, you simply must consider Château Bouffémont.

This noble stone-built property in the heart of the Montmorency Forest was formerly the residence of the Marquise of Preignes and Baron Empain. Today, it is the embodiment of the fairytale wedding venue, with its five grand reception halls, nine magical suites and spectacular manicured French gardens that will take you and your beloved’s breaths away. Yet, you will also be just 30 kilometres from the centre of Paris, and 20 minutes from Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Domaine du Beyssac

Sometimes, it isn’t the chateau itself that takes your fancy, but instead a similarly charming or historic structure in the house’s grounds – something like this old abbey situated in a quaint village some 30 kilometres south of Toulouse, for instance.

The Domaine du Beyssac has the captivating history that you would expect, with tiles found in its walls indicating its first owner to have been a Roman called Gentilus Bassius, who made it his villa. It also went through stages as a monastery, agricultural farm and now wedding venue, lovingly looked after by therapist and jazz singer Sylvie Sicamois. It’s not difficult to see why she adores this unassuming place, especially given the pleasant surrounding fields and views of the Pyrenees.

Château de Mazan

Another well-located wedding venue for wider exploration is this independent family-run hotel a mere 30 minutes from the ecclesiastical monuments of Avignon. It is a compelling place to tie the knot in its own right, however, perhaps well-suited to couples with a sense of humour or a taste for the Fifty Shades side of life, given that the notorious Marquis de Sade is among its past owners.

Today, the property comprises 25 bedrooms sporting contemporary and elegant decorations, as well as a 1920s-style bar and a large panoramic terrace overlooking a landscaped garden. There’s also naturally plenty of Provence sunshine for every member of your wedding party to enjoy.

Has your taste been whetted by the above selection of endearing French wedding venues? If so, you may be interested in also perusing the One Fab Day website’s own rundown of chic sites at which to tie the knot in this famously and unspeakably romantic part of Europe.

 Share