FAQ. Votre Château de Famille answers your questions

Does the owner live in the chateau?

In a Votre Château de Famille castle, your group will have exclusive use of the chateau. The owner does not live on site, and if, there is an exceptional case, it will be noted. The owner or caretaker will greet you and give you the keys, it is yours for the duration of the rental.

Is it a bed and breakfast?

No, when you book with Votre Château de Famille, it is self catering; rented to one group. We need to point out that in many of our French châteaux, all the bedrooms are not en suite and they can’t be locked. We are not an hotel.

Are meals included?

No but if you want we can put you in direct contact with a local service provider who can prepare meals for you and your group.

Is it possible to rent the French château only for a few days?

Yes, we have weekend options 4 days / 3 nights or 3 days / 2 nights. 3 days / 2 nights is the minimum stay.

Is it possible to organise a reception in the castle?

Yes. Our French chateaux all have either a dedicated reception hall or a succession of living rooms in which you can organize receptions. The chateaux all vary in size and so if you are interested in organizing an event, please contact us to know which castles meet your requirements.

For a reception or my wedding, can I choose my caterer?

You are free to organize your own caterer. We can provide a list of service providers in the area if needed. Most of the chateaux that accommodate larger events also have staging areas for caterers helping the wedding or party run more smoothly.

If I organise a reception at the castle, shall I be careful after a given hour?

Inside the house there is no limitation on noise. You can party all night long without worry. However, we are ‘good neighbours’ and if your reception includes outdoor music, moving the party inside after a certain hour is only respectful to our neighbours. There are new residential noise regulations, enforced since October 1^st, 2018, that apply to some of our castles. Therefore, check with us beforehand to see if the chateau you have rented falls into this category.

Do you apply a corkage fee?

No

Do I have to rent tables and chairs for a reception?

Tables and chairs are available at no extra charge. There are as many as the castle can welcome guests for a reception.

Is there Wi-Fi in the castles?

Yes, all of our castles have Wi-Fi. Just remember that our castles were constructed hundreds of years ago, before wifi signals, and sometimes the signal can’t penetrate 60 cm of stone. 🙂

Are pets welcome?

It depends on the owner, please contact us for further information.

Can I smoke inside the castle?

All of our castles are non-smoking but you can smoke outside: there will be ashtrays available for your use.

Can I use fireworks?

For security reasons, fireworks are strictly forbidden in most of our castles.

Do you have any recommended service providers?

Yes, for every castle, we have a list of recommended local service providers but you are always free to choose your own.

Do babies count in the housing capacity?

Infants under the age of 2 do not count in the housing capacity.

Can I make a tentative booking for my stay?

It is not really possible to make a tentative booking. If you want to visit the chateau and we are able to secure an appointment within a few days of your request, the booking can be held until you visit.

When you would like to book, please contact us directly at Votre Château de Famille, to see if the castle is available before signing the contract. While the contract is being written and signed, the castle is booked for you.

Can I visit the castle before booking?

Of course, it is possible to visit the castle before and/or after booking. You must ask Votre Château de Famille and we will put you in contact with the owner or the steward of the castle to organise a visit.

What is included in the price?

The price is VAT included ( for the chateaux which have VAT). When you book with us, the rental includes the whole estate (park, swimming pool, reception hall, etc) and bedrooms. Cleaning is included. All bedrooms are cleaned and dressed, towels are provided. Other items included are, electricity, water and heating charges.

What is the booking process?

For every booking, you sign a rental contract and you pay a deposit. First, we confirm the French chateau is available, then you express your wish to book and we send you a seasonal rental contract for you and the owner to sign. Once all the parties have signed, we ask you to pay 50% of the rent as a deposit. You pay the balance and the guarantee a month before your stay.

What are the payment terms?

You pay a 50% deposit when you sign the contract. You can pay by bank transfer or by cheque.

At what address do I send the contract and the cheque for the deposit?

If you decide to send us the contract and the cheque by mail,  Votre Château de Famille, 20 passage de la Bonne Graine, 75011 Paris, France.

You can also scan the contract after signing it and carry out a bank transfer on the owner’s bank account. We will give you their bank account details.

Do I need to take out an insurance policy?

We ask for a certificate of civil liability for any stay in one of our French chateaux. Some of them are listed historical monuments so you will need an insurance certificate specifying you are covered by your home insurance.

If you are organising a reception, some castles ask for a specific event organiser insurance.

What are the cancellation conditions?

In case of withdrawal, you lose your deposit. If you withdraw less than three months before the lease begins, we ask you to pay the owner the difference between the deposit and the total rent, as a penalty clause.

That being said, if you experience unforeseen circumstances and because we are not an automated platform and as we deal directly with the owners, we will do our best to try to plan your stay at a later date (subject to the castle availabilities) so that you do not lose your stay.

Who should I contact when I arrive to come into the house?

The owner or the caretaker of the castle will welcome you on the premises. You will receive the contact details of the person in charge before you arrive. The owner’s phone number and email appear on the rental contract.

What should I bring for my stay?

The French chateaux of Votre Château de Famille, provide the towels and linens. The castle will be clean upon your arrival and beds dressed. The castles are self catering.

What should I bring for the kitchen?

Our French chateaux have fully equipped kitchens. The owner provides the dishes and kitchen tools for the number of people accommodated in the castle but if you are hosting a reception you will have to rent it to from your caterer.

For your grocery shopping, you will find a list of nearby shops and supermarkets in a booklet. Some offer to deliver your shopping if you spend above a given sum of money.

What are the swimming pool safety guidelines?

In compliance with the law, the swimming pools of Votre Château de Famille French chateaux are equipped with a safety system in compliance with AFNOR standards, the French national organisation for standardisation, applied to buried and open air swimming pools. But let us remind you that, even with these systems, people who can’t swim shall always be under the supervision of an adult. The lessor disclaims all responsibility.

In addition, pets are strictly forbidden in the swimming pool.

What do we have to be careful of if we stay with children?

Children who are not under the supervision of an adult should not venture to some areas of our parks (woods, wells, huts, trampolines, depots, swimming pools, etc.) even though owners take extreme care to secure their castles.

What do we have to be careful of during our stay?

You are advised to use the place as you would your own home.

To prevent the risk of fire and keep the place clean, please use the ashtrays at your disposal outside the castle so as to not throw your cigarette butts in the park. You can use the chimneys but not all of them and there are restrictions. We will tell you which you can use. You can lit candles in the reception halls and living rooms but it is forbidden in the bedrooms.

What activities can we do?

We have a dedicated paragraph on each castle page in our website that describes a bit about the activities in and around the castle. If you require any further information we will be happy to help to answer any specific questions.

Do I have to clean or pay for cleaning the reception hall?

If you organise your reception or wedding reception in the castle reception hall, your responsibility is to let the room in a good state.

Will my guarantee be cashed and, if that be the case, how long before it is reimbursed?

Guarantees can be paid by cheque or bank transfer. Some of the owners prefer to cash the guarantee, and in which case, from the date of the final inspection, it will be reimbursed after 15 days. If a cheque for the guarantee is held, it will be destroyed after the outgoing inventory.

Do I have to be present for the inventory?

Yes, the incoming and outgoing inventories of fixtures are established with a representative of each party.

I would like to comment my stay.

We will be happy to know what you thought of your stay, Please write us an email at [email protected] or comment on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/votrechateaudefamille/