5 CHARMING CASTLES WEDDING VENUES IN SOUTHWEST OF FRANCE

Have you ever thought or imagined getting married in a castle, like what we usually see in the movie? Sure, some of you do, but in my case, I’m one of those who doesn’t have this so-called dream wedding. Actually, I didn’t even know what type of wedding I wanted until my then-fiancé mentioned what in Southwest of France can offer. Then, that’s where the castle’s ideas came, and in fact, I was always fascinated by antiques and ancient times. There are many potential castles wedding venues in the Southwest of France—entire France!

I made a list of 5 Charming Castles Wedding Venues in Southwest of France that we personally visited. By the way, my husband is from Toulouse, that’s why we focused on searching for the wedding venue in Southwest of France.

So, we knew already what kind of wedding venue we wanted, how many guests to expect, and narrowed down our choices of castles or chateaux (in French) are nearby Toulouse. After doing the initial inquiry, starting at twelve on our list, then we were down to five mainly because our selected date was not available, and some couldn’t accommodate the number of guests we were having. Therefore, booking in advance is highly recommended, especially if your wedding date is in the high season. In our case, we booked eight months in advance to secure the venue because May is the start of peak season and the beginning of the spring-summer season.

Below are the 5 Charming Castles Wedding Venues in Southwest of France, that we personally visited and could be your potential wedding venue too. Please note that the PROS & CONS mentioned and our personal opinions based on our requirements.

5 CHARMING CASTLES WEDDING VENUES IN SOUTHWEST OF FRANCE

1. CHATEAU DE MAURIAC

This is the first on our list of 5 Charming Castles Wedding Venues in Southwest of France. This is located in Senouillac. It’s a 50-minute ride by car from Toulouse Airport. This castle is from the 13th century, a Middle-Aged castle, with impressive towers. I love the place, moreover, a small church that is located in the village and is within walking distance from the Castle.

PROS:

1. The owner is very accommodating and flexible to your requirements. He even offered to make the table flower arrangements for FREE (flowers will cost you a fortune), so this will be a big help. Price point, they are on our budget.
2. For the venue, if the weather condition is good, the party can be done entirely outdoors; there is a big garden in the inner courtyard, with a dance floor in the center. And, if the weather is bad, there is a large reception room that can accommodate up to 250 guests. There is also a possibility to cover the inner courtyard to protect the guests from sun/rain.

CONS:

1. They only have 5 guest rooms that can accommodate 15 people. However, there are nearby hotels around the area, some within a 1km, and offer a possibility to get 40 bedrooms.
2. As it is a Middle Age castle, it is quite a compact set up, so the only wide-open space you will have will be in front of the castle, just by the main door. It is nice but we are looking for an elegant & comfortable combination.
3. If I remember correctly, the toilet and bath are common for three rooms.

2. CHATEAU DE SAINT- MARTORY

An exceptional Chateau, this was on the top of my list. This Chateau is a combination of modern and classic styles. It is 45-minute away from Toulouse Airport. This is an ideal setting for Grand weddings, bordered by the Garonne river with amazing views of the nearby Pyrénées mountains that offer inspiration and infinite possibilities for a true lifestyle wedding. This is one of my most favorite from the 5 Charming Castles Wedding Venues in Southwest of France list.

PROS:

1. Five living areas are good, including the historical, untouched guards room, the red living room, yellow dining room, and modern games room, all under the rooftop.
2. A bilingual team will be at your side to help throughout the organization of the wedding, from the selection of suppliers to a constant presence on the big day.
3. They have 10 beautifully designed bedrooms that offer beautiful views of the park, the farmhouse, and the woods.
4. They have a pool, and the Chateau is in a very peaceful and relaxed place surrounded by a spectacular natural setting.

CONS:

1. They are very pricey for the “exclusive wedding” where you will rent the entire property, they require a minimum rental of 4 days for 2,200 euros per night plus the wedding fee. The rate of the wedding fee varies according to the number of guests. However, they have another option called “special offer”- farmhouse only, in which you have the reception room and the rooms for 3 days for 5,000 euros. Please note, rates are subject to change.
2. The main reception/venue location is called ” La Metairie – The Farmhouse” it is located around 150 meters off the side of the Chateau. For me it has a more rustic feel and our theme was kind of elegant. This was the main factor why we turned down this beautiful place.

3. CHATEAU DE ROQUEFOULET

Another venue that we almost consider from 5 Charming Castles Wedding Venues in Southwest of France list, is Chateau de Roquefoulet, this is located in Montgard, 30 minutes away from Toulouse Airport. This is such a stunning place especially if you are up for an outdoor reception and want to be close to nature. They have a huge English park that can accommodate up to 500 people surrounded by ancient trees.

PROS:

1. It has a beautiful facade with the lake on the side, perfect for cocktails and main reception. A relaxing and peaceful place.
2. Luxurious bridal and guest suites. And the bride will have her own room for preparation.
3. The Chateau is newly renovated (the year 2018), a nice interior.
4. Price points, they were acceptable.

CONS:

1. In case an outdoor reception in the garden is not possible due to bad weather, their indoor room (this is for more than 200 guests) is built separately at the back of the Chateau. It’s new and modern, so you won’t really feel you are in the castle. However, for less than 100 guests, they have different types of rooms inside the Chateau.
2. Actually, when we visited the place back in February 2018, it was still under construction, we did not really see the full picture of the interior.
3. In my point of view, the interior is like 30% classic and 70% modern, so it has less character to me.

4. CHATEAU DE CAUMONT

They are located in Cazaux-Savès – Gers, Midi-Pyrénées. This is where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Pyrenees from the property, which consists of two buildings, on a vast esplanade, overlooking the Save river valley. They can accommodate up to 400 guests depending on the type of table.

PROS:

1. It is ideal for a big wedding party, and they are quite flexible and helpful.
2. They can help you choose the suppliers such as caterers, DJ, nearby accommodation, florists, photographers, prestigious cars, rental of miscellaneous equipment, etc. Separate space for orchestras or DJ’s and dance are available.
3. Around the castle there is a park of about 10 hectares where, in May, hundreds of irises cover a part of the moat giving this place a special charm.
4. Their price is quite reasonable.

CONS:

1. Access inside the castle is very limited. (they were currently doing the renovation on the rooms) when we visited the place in 2017, only 1 room was available inside.
2. In case of bad weather, you will have to host the diner in “The Dependence” around 150 meters from the main castle, which puts you into a room, which is for me feels like a very low ceiling.
3. The diner place inside did not awe us, also the limited number of rooms in the castle itself helped us to decide not to go to this venue.

5. CHATEAU DE PENNAUTIER

Last but definitely not least form 5 Charming Castles Wedding Venues in Southwest of France list, is the Chateau de Pennautier, this one won our hearts over the above list. This Chateau is also known as mini Versailles in Languedoc. Also, just a bit of history, in 1622, the owner hosted King Louis XIII, and now, classified as a historical monument. This is located in Carcassone, it’s about an hour’s drive from Toulouse Airport. I made a separate post of our actual wedding if you want to check it out.

PROS:

1. A magnificent fairy-tale setting in which to share a special moment with your guests.
2. Very nice interior, an elegant gallery, it has a huge garden, and my list could go on…
3. There is a private chapel within the Chateau. I think it is good enough to do the ceremony if you have less than 50 guests. However, there is also a church a few meters away, which is also very convenient. But if you want more grand, the Cathedral de Carcassonne is just 10-15 min. away.
4. The hotel is surrounded by vineyards for a typical French wedding.
5. They have 24 luxurious rooms, which is good in case your guests wanted to stay in the castle, although there are also nearby hotels.

CONS:

1. It’s pricey. Also, they require a minimum number of rooms to be occupied per night.
2. They are quite difficult to be flexible, very strict to the timings of the check-in and out, the arrival of the suppliers, etc.
3. You will have to consume their own wines or else, you will have to pay “Droit de Bouchon”.
4. The gallery for the main reception fits for 100-120 guests, but for us, ideally, its 100 guests.

That wraps up the 5 Charming Castles Wedding Venues in Southwest of France post that we had visited, however, I am also providing the list of the potential venue that we have inquired about in the area, this might save you some time.

Other Lists

Château La Hitte – Nice but rather for a rustic wedding and not matching to our wedding theme.
Château de Mazelières – Location is good, but rather for a rustic wedding and not matching to our wedding theme.
Château de Saint-Marcel– Between Bordeaux and Toulouse, too far from Toulouse.
Château de Launac – Not available on the date we wanted, should be booked at least 1 year in advance.
Château de Merville – You have to stop the party at 4am and you cannot sleep at the venue.
Château Le Haget – The caterer is imposed by the Castle.

Thank you for reading, and I really hope this 5 Charming Castles Wedding Venues in Southwest of France post will come in useful to some of you who are planning for your dream wedding.

If you want to read more about wedding post, check out;

Love,

C’est Jess