Best Chateau for an Elopement in France

If you’re searching for the best Chateau for an elopement in France, this post is for you! We have had the pleasure of working with Cynthia and her team at Chateau Challain on several weddings and elopements and we’d love to share our experience with you and what you can expect from Chateau Challain. With backgrounds in photojournalism, we’ve photographed weddings with guest counts ranging from 10 to 700, and budgets from $10k to $1 million all over the world. But the one thing all of those events share in common is, a gathering of people that love one another and are excited to be together and celebrate love and share in those emotions. And that is what is at the heart of our photography style regardless if it’s a large wedding or an intimate elopement. While we certainly have the skills to pose beautiful portraits, we really love focusing on capturing the special, emotional moments that will be shared between everyone. There are moments during the wedding day you may not realize are so special at the time, but when you look back on them through our lens, they become a treasured keepsake. A wedding isn’t a job for Arte De Vie, it’s a partnership in trust. Emotions, stories, and experiences drive our photos. Let us document the best of yours. We’re excited and ready to capture the magical nuances that make your classically modern love story.

If you’re looking for the perfect chateau for your destination wedding in France, or planning the perfect destination elopement at a chateau in France, look no further than Chateau Challain. https://chateauchallain.com/

Located a short train ride from Paris, followed by a very comfortable drive in their Mercedes Sprinter van through the Loire Valley, the Chateau Challain is perhaps one of the most magical of places just outside of Paris to exchange vows. The owner and event planner, Cynthia, has assembled one of the most attentive, thoughtful and kind English speaking teams one could ask for. Everything is curated on-site. From the floral arrangements, to the cuisine, to the Disney-like ending fireworks display, it’s all done in-house so quality is guaranteed. Enjoy these photos to visualize what your wedding or elopement could like at a Chateau in France, and at the bottom of this post is much more information regarding the full experience at Chateau Challain. To learn more about our elopement photography pricing, click here! https://www.lamourdeparis.com/paris-proposal-elopement-photographer-investment-2/

After your 90 minute train ride from Paris to Angers, you are chauffeured through the rolling hills of the Loire Valley, passing through quaint French villages. As you look ahead down the road you can see the spires of the magnificent castle peaking out above the treeline. From the moment you pass through the arched entryway and get your first full glimpse of the Chateau Challain, you know you’ve arrived at what is sure to be a true fairytale experience! 

I’ve been lucky enough to photograph several weddings and intimate elopements at the Chateau over the last couple of years. I can honestly say it’s one of my favorite places to shoot in all of France. From a photographic perspective, it’s an absolute dream. You see, most of the chateaus in France have one really amazing side, and one side that’s well, just average in comparison to its really amazing side. What this means for your photographs with only one good side is, you’re limited to just one time of day when the sun is in the right spot for the best photos on the chateau’s best side. With Chateau Challain, both the front and back of the Chateau are almost identical, and equally spectacular! So if you prefer to take your photos earlier in the day when the sun is hitting the front of the Chateau, we simply shoot in the back. For an evening session, we simply walk out to the front! I honestly can’t think of any venue I’ve been to where you have such flexibility from a photography perspective. 

But it doesn’t stop there. While the Chateau is absolutely something you’ve seen in multiple Disney movies, you’re not limited to just the Chateau as your backdrop. The surrounding grounds and forest offer up some beautiful soft greenery settings along with a lake and the resident wild horses. There’s a small tower building on the front of the property which offers a more intimate but equally elegant background. This is not to say that the interior of the Chateau should be an afterthought. The entry foyer, with its white walls and marbled floor, is a teaser that leads you to the impressive marble spiral staircase. From this staircase you arrive at the main bridal prep suite which is bathed in neutral gray – the perfect color palette for having your make-up done without any other colors reflecting onto your skin to get a true feel for your wedding day look. This room is spacious and comfortable for you and your most special people to enjoy while getting ready for the big day while sipping on sparkling wine from the region. 

When it’s time to exchange your vows, the options there seem endless as well. The gazebo in the backyard, when adorned with florals by the very talented Mister Brett Events, is a perfect choice. But if you’re feeling a bit more traditional and want a more classic church feel, steps from the entrance of the Chateau is the church of Église Notre-Dame de Challain-la-Potherie. There’s also multiple other arrangements in the front lawn of the Chateau that Cynthia can dream up for you to accommodate even the largest group of guests. 

Once you’ve said I Do, it’s time for the wining and dining and dancing. And of course you will not be let down. There’s the traditional French cocktail hour (or two!) where you’ll enjoy wines from the region and a delicious assortment of hors d’oeuvres – this can be done outside on the lawn or inside in the rear foyer which also opens to the back terrace. For dinner you have the option to dine outside in the most cozy area nestled under a canopy of trees and festoon lights with the Chateau in the background. There’s even a large open grill that makes for the most divine and impressive looking cochon de lait which is sure to impress your guests. Or you can opt for one of the several elegant, wood-paneled dining rooms with impressively high ceilings. Again, between Cynthia and Mister Brett Events’ vision and execution, you and your guests are certain to feel like royalty dining in your very own castle!  While you’re enjoying your dining experience, Mister Brett will be setting up the turntables and dance floor lighting so you can dance the night away in the main foyer of the Chateau. But of course not before heading to the back lawn for your very own fireworks show! At the end of night, when it’s time to rest your dancing feet, you will find yourself in very comfortable accommodations. Whether you choose to stay in the Chateau itself for that authentic French castle feel with its high ceilings, massive antique poster beds, or you opt for the more modern and fully renovated Coach House, you’re certain to have an amazing night of sleep. 

Now that you’ve experienced the most magical days and nights of your life with the people you love the most, it’s time to get back to reality. Or at least Paris 🙂  Clearly I think very highly of the Chateau and the people that make it all work, and it’s all for good reason. Visually the Chateau speaks for itself. Personally, you’ll be hard pressed to find people more sweet and sincere than Cynthia and her staff who of course all speak very clear English. If you’re considering exchanging vows in a French Chateau, look no further. Call Cynthia and reserve your date before someone else does!