Saved from peril by start-up Dartagnans, this château between Poitiers, Tours and Angers offers the perfect setting for a chic, glamorous and natural wedding.
Close your eyes and imagine for a moment. It's early morning, when the sun is just emerging from the mists of the Loire Valley, that you've chosen to have your couples session. The low-angled light casts a light tan on your faces. Your shadows flee across the water from the small pontoon. They stretch and mingle with the golden reflections of an incredible facade nibbled here and there with a marvel of vegetation. Superbly sculpted medieval towers, a succession of corbels, a fresco of arcades winding along the water's edge... Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers, a stunning monument that seems to have been planted right there in the middle of the water, is the stage for your union. There's no trompe l'oeil here. It's all real.
"The Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers is an architectural folly. That's what gives it its incredible, timeless feel," explains Sullivan Buton, the passionate manager of this exceptional site. On the one hand, we have elements typical of medieval architecture (machicolations, archères), and on the other, Renaissance elements (arabesques, sculptures)". Built in the 13th century, Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers has undergone several periods of renovation, including a decisive one in the early 19th century that gave it its distinctive neo-Gothic style. At the time, we were in the midst of the Romantic Revolution," says Sullivan. The rules of classicism were breaking down, and people wanted to be able to build without constraints. And you only have to take a few steps around the lake to realize that, while the Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers is a single edifice, it has many different faces. All singular.
Majestic ruin
The interior is just as surprising. Covering the stones, infiltrating the walls, reaching for the sky, vegetation has gracefully conquered this majestic ruin. Here, nature rubs shoulders with an immense vestibule, cherubs and a splendid spiral staircase. It's as if time stood still decades ago...
With such an enchanting setting (which is rare, no matter where you stand), Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers is an ideal location for a wedding. You don't need a lot of decoration to enchant your guests at a secular ceremony or other celebration. And you don't need a lot of artifice to take incredible photos. At the water's edge, within the walls or from the meadow, every vantage point is a pretext for a shot.
With its 400 m2 of glass roof overlooking a vast meadow, the Orangerie is the ideal venue for cocktails and dinner. With room for up to 330 guests, and no neighbors for several hundred meters around, this beautiful enclosure overlooking the château (illuminated at night) will enable you to celebrate your event until the early hours of the morning without a hitch. A dream come true.
A castle, chatelains...
27 910 ! That's the barely believable number of owners of Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers. Originating from 115 countries around the world, they responded to the call for donations launched by Dartagnans in October 2017. Committed to the rebirth of endangered monuments, the start-up succeeded in the crazy challenge of raising over 2 million euros to safeguard, renovate and develop the site, which has been abandoned since the violent fire that broke out there in 1932. Every year, hundreds of volunteers and shareholders take it in turns to maintain the site. The aim? To restore La Mothe-Chandeniers to its former glory.
Every decision taken is the result of consultation. "As you look up at the château, you may be intrigued by the spire that leans sharply over the bell tower. Struck by lightning several years ago, there was talk of straightening it. But the vote of the châtelains decided otherwise," says Sullivan Buton.
Frequently asked questions about your wedding at La Mothe-Chandeniers
- Where is the château located?
Located in the Trois-Moutiers commune, Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers is an hour's drive from Tours, Angers and Poitiers.
- How can I find nearby service providers?
Caterers, photographers, DJs, nannies, car rentals... The site managers provide you with a list of service providers. It's then up to you to decide whether or not to use them.
- What's the budget?
It all depends on the season. Expect to pay between 5,000 and 15,000 euros.
Practical info
Château de la Mothe Chandeniers
4 route de Roiffé
86 120 Les Trois Moutiers
+33 7 62 37 24 35
Wedding brochure available for download
Would you like to buy a share in the château, or invest in one of the four châteaux currently being restored by Dartagnans? Visit the website of these "Heritage Musketeers" as they like to call themselves: dartagnans.fr
Between Poitiers and La Rochelle, a photographer for your wedding
Photographer and videographer based in Poitiers, Les Noces de Florent travels all over France (but mainly in the former Poitou-Charentes region) to immortalize your wedding. From the preparations to the evening, trust me to accompany you on the most beautiful adventure of your life. As a journalist for 15 years in Parisian editorial offices, I like to work in reportage mode, making myself as unobtrusive as possible to capture unexpected, spontaneous moments.
See my photos of Camille and Nathan's wedding
See my Camille and Nathan's wedding video
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