Why Travelers Are Ditching Paris Hotels for Supersized Chateaux During the Summer Olympics
Hidden among 12 acres of private woodland 35 minutes from the center of Paris, Chateau Bouffément is filled with five Napoléonic-era reception spaces, a sweeping horseshoe staircase, manicured lawns, and a mirror lake.
Built in the 19th-century with nine guest rooms over four floors, a speakeasy-style bar, and a ballroom, it’s a favorite wedding destination over the summer months. But this year’s crop of brides will have had to look for a fairytale castle elsewhere.
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“We have a family of 10 taking over the chateau for 10 days,” Chateau Bouffément’s managing director, Sarp Gogebakan, tells Robb Report. The family, he says, will be arriving with an entourage of chefs, drivers, security, and assistants for the Summer Olympic Games.
“They have tickets for three days of events, other than that they have various activities in and around Paris planned,” says Gogebakan.
Paris 2024 presents what ultra-high-net-worth individual (UHNWI) “fixer” Thomas Staunton calls chateau buyouts a “unique accommodation opportunity” during the event—one that’s already drawing the world’s big fish away from Paris’s best hotels and into the countryside.
“We have a few clients who prefer to pop in and out of chateau properties rather than stay in Paris itself,” says Staunton, an ex-superyacht crew member turned CEO of SoldOut Events. “That way they can invite larger groups of friends and family for a unique experience.”
As it stands, Staunton has personally inspected and confirmed four exclusive-use castle bookings for UHNWI clients flying in for the games from around the world. “The appeal of the chateau is absolute privacy and the ability to bring in existing house staff, chefs, butlers, and the like because there is space for it,” he explains.
The price is right, too. Suites at five-star hotels in the center of Paris command five-figure nightly sums, even outside of Olympic periods. The Royal Monceau Suite at Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris, for instance, has a price tag of $27,000 a night during the games. In comparison, taking over your own French chateau can seem like a steal: Chateau Bouffément’s nightly exclusive use rate is $9,300 in high season.
They also don’t want to be jammed into the chaos of central Paris, since they are mostly targeting particular events.
“These are people who sail or ride horses or play golf or tennis, coming to Paris for their passion sport,” Staunton says.
That’s why a Korean family booked six nights at Chateau de Méridon, southwest of Paris. They’re coming to town to support their national archery team. After they leave, an American family is checking in to Meridon to watch equestrian events at nearby Chateau de Versailles.
“One of the families was eying Le Royal Monceau or Le Bristol, but decided to stay with us because we’re surrounded by greenery,” says Chateau de Méridon co-owner and managing director Jehanne Bosco. “They’re able to avoid the hassle of Paris yet are only 22 miles away.”
One of the groups coming for the Olympics found the $71,000-a-week property via Instagram. They were wowed by the Art Deco styling of the newly refurbished castle that once stood at the heart of the wildlife reserve of French King Louis XV.
“We’re like a Parisian palace [a status awarded to exceptional French hotels], but people can enjoy the grounds, breathe in fresh air, and discover the rural side of France here, too,” Bosco says.
Some of the world’s top athletes are also eschewing Paris, and the traditional stay at the athletes’ village, for a chateau stay. A 45-minute drive from Paris, Chateau de Farcheville has a one month booking for one American Olympian and their entourage of around 25. The athlete was so sure of their participation that they made the reservation two years ago, property owner Conny Carlsson says.
Surrounded by a deep moat, the 13th-century castle promises total seclusion with all the trimmings including a swimming pool, a tennis court, and a spa and fitness center.
“It’s quite a big place but it’s intimate at the same time. When we close the gates, it’s like nobody can touch you in here,” Carlsson explains.
But getting one for yourself ahead of the games won’t be easy. It’s estimated that there are 500-plus chateaux in the ?le-de-France region surrounding Paris, although some are ruined, while others are museums or private homes. And only a small percentage of what’s on the luxury rental market actually tick the boxes for the likes of Staunton’s clientele: swimming pool, helipad to fly in and out of Paris, and separate accommodation for staff.
Still, not every gold medal worthy property has been snapped up. Just 40 minutes from the Champs Elysées, Chateau de Villette was finished by the same architect as the Chateau de Versailles and served as a location in 2006’s The Da Vinci Code.
“The Chateau has seven luxurious suites and regularly hosts events and A-listers as they seek respite close to Paris,” says Madison Littlejohn of luxury real estate agents Carlton International.
John Travolta, Tom Cruise, and Lenny Kravitz are just some of those who have stayed at the property which is, at the time of publication, still available for the entire Olympic period at a cost of $76,000 a night. Both Chateau Bouffémont and Chateau de Méridon are also showing availability for dates in early August. Talk about historic wins.
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