Château de Maubreuil, Carquefou, France

A five-star château escape amid gardens and vineyards in the Nantes metropolitan area

Set within twenty hectares of greenery in Carquefou, just outside Nantes, Château de Maubreuil feels more like a private world than a conventional country hotel. The château rises between lawns, mature trees and gardens inspired by places far beyond France, with an orchard, vines, citrus trees and a mandala kitchen garden adding texture to the estate. In summer, the pools become part of the rhythm, creating an atmosphere that is elegant without feeling formal.

Inside, the mood shifts from room to room. With just 17 rooms, suites and apartments, rather than following a single decorative language, the interiors draw on distant cultures. Mongolie mon Amour, Île Sacrée Miyajima and Carnaval à Venise each take the imagination somewhere different, moving between rich pattern, garden-facing calm and more theatrical detail. Art, fabrics and carefully chosen furnishings give each space its own personality, making the château feel collected over time rather than designed to a formula.

La Table du Marquis brings the same curiosity to the dining room. Seasonal produce and local ingredients are combined with techniques and flavours inspired by cuisines from around the world, creating food that feels rooted in the region while still looking outward. Later, Bar Zélélé offers a setting for cocktails, bubbles and fine spirits, with an intimate mood as evening settles over the estate.