Nestled in the bucolic countryside of the Sarthe in the Pays de la Loire region west of Paris is the enchanting Château de La Barre -- grand and luxurious, warm and welcoming, and truly historic.

The  Sarthe département is one of the most beautiful in western France, just south of Basse Normandie and not very far from Paris.  The River Sarthe wends its way through the region, and along its route are marvelous villages and memorable places to stop and enjoy one's surroundings.  It is truly bucolic in every sense of the word.

The château has been in the family of Count de Vanssay since 1421 -- almost 600 years!   As a guest at the château you will truly appreciate and enjoy the beautiful hundred acres of gardens, woods and meadows surrounding the home.   The de Vanssay family, originally from Brittany,  eventually settled in Vancé in the county of Maine in the ninth century.   In 1066 members of the family were present when William the Conqueror fought the Battle of Hastings.  The family has remained in the Maine for the past 1150 years, and in 1421 the beautiful manor house came into the family by marriage.  The name "La Barre" referred to its early designation as a court of justice and toll collection center. 

Today,  this magnificent residence welcomes guests to enjoy its exquisite guest rooms, fine meals, and most delightful hosts.  The guest rooms are recently decorated focusing on the comfort of the guests while displaying the fine good taste of the owners.  Count and Countess de Vanssay provide their guests more than just a comfortable place to stay.  They also offer guest packages that include French language immersion, wine appreciation, or cooking classes.  For further information on any of these, contact them by email.

                                                                                     Countess and Count de Vanssay

You can read a wonderful review written by a recent guest at Château de La Barre on our Special Offers page.  This guest enjoyed the French immersion classes more than she had anticipated,  but beyond that,  she found herself feeling like family at the château, enjoying excellent meals, relishing her peaceful private time and appreciating the kindness of her host and hostess to help her learn about their part of France.

The château is not far from the world-famous Le Mans racing scene, and the photo below shows an assemblage of Riley's gathered with their owners at Château de La Barre quite recently.  (A Riley, an English car, was produced by a company founded in 1898,  having its heyday in the 1920s and 1930s with well-built saloons, thoroughbred sports cars and even racing cars.  The last Riley was made in the late 1960s.)  It is quite an exciting time when auto enthusiasts make the château their home base -- both for the owners who are thrilled to have both the drivers and their cars at their château and for the collectors themselves who find the château a delightful place to stay -- especially when there is so much room to display their precious automobiles!

So, whether you are seeking the solitude of the French countryside, visits to incredible historic sites nearby, the excitement of auto racing at Le Mans, a course in fine wine or cooking, or you want to devote a week or more to brushing up on your French, Château de La Barre is the place to do it all!  And, you are sure to find Count and Countess de Vanssay the kindest of people. 

Please visit them on this web site to see many photos, to read details of the château's history and to discover the wonderful accommodations and château experience offered to guests.
 
 

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