It’s time winter holidays were brought in out of the cold. With more amazing French properties than you’ll find anywhere else, the team at Oliver’s Travels are the real experts when it comes to finding you the very best winter holidays in France. From the highlights of the snow season to the finest food and wine, these ideas are sure to keep you cosy in the cold.
Best Family Villa:
1. Chateau Noble, Midi-Pyrenees
Location: Midi-Pyrenees
Sleeps: 15
Prices from: £43pppn
Winter at Château Noble feels like stepping into a storybook. This 400-year-old château, once founded by a lord in the time of King Louis XIII, becomes a warm and welcoming retreat for families seeking something truly special. Historic coats of arms, grand rooms and glowing fires create an atmosphere of old-world magic, while modern comforts ensure everyone feels instantly at home.
Days are spent exploring the peaceful countryside or gathering together indoors for board games, feasts and laughter, while evenings bring candlelit dinners prepared by a private chef if you wish. A dedicated team is on hand to take care of every detail, from indulgent spa treatments to babysitting, allowing parents to relax and children to delight in the château’s fairytale charm.
A winter family escape here is nothing short of enchanting.
Best Hot Tub With a View:
2. Dans la Nature
Location: Languedoc
Sleeps: 8
Prices from: £45pppn
This stunning home is found—as the name suggests—deep in nature. It’ll be hard to resist hopping in the hot tub with a glass of bubbles in hand, against the backdrop of the Gorges du Tarn in the Grands Causses Regional Park (which looks especially pretty in the wintertime).
Best Winter Wedding Venue:
3. Chateau Des Joyaux
Location: Loire Valley
Sleeps: 30-50
Prices from: £255pppn
With space for up to 50 guests to stay, the gorgeous Chateau Des Joyaux is an excellent choice for a winter wedding. Plan to hold your ceremony in the private chapel before hosting your reception indoors, and you won’t have to worry about frosty winter temperatures outside. Plus, its opulent interior (with carved wood panelling and hand-painted ceilings) and fairy-tale-esque exterior will look fabulous in your wedding photos!
Best for a Christmas Break:
4. Manoir de Kervegat
Location: Brittany
Sleeps: 15
Prices from: £21pppn
This place was made for festive family time with space for up to 15, huge manicured grounds, a striking galleried mezzanine, a games room with table tennis, and a vast dining table. The surrounding woodland is ideal for wintery walks, and the beaches aren’t far if you plan to head to the coast.
Best for a Christmas Market:
5. Villa Sandie
Location: Dordogne
Sleeps: 11
Prices from: £35pppn
This beautiful, quintessentially French, family-friendly home near Bergerac is ideal for a winter jaunt to the Dordogne. Surrounded by pretty countryside, vineyards, and quaint villages that buzz with markets both day and night, you’re bound to pick up some unique pieces and get a taste of some mouth-watering local delicacies. Take inspiration from all the nick-nacks, antiques, and curios that adorn the walls of this fabulous and cosy home.
Best Food and Wine:
6. Manoir Altheas
Location: Bergerac
Sleeps: 10
Prices from: £31pppn
Less than ten minutes away lies the bastide town of Lalinde, where you’ll find tempting restaurants, artisan food shops, and a vibrant Thursday morning market brimming with local produce. Sundays are made for the medieval village of Issigeac, its renowned market overflowing with fresh breads, cheeses, and delicacies from the region. Nearby villages such as Trémolat, Limeuil, Beaumont-du-Périgord, and Monpazier each add their own flavour to the Dordogne’s irresistible culinary landscape.
7. Chateau De Jaques, Champagne
Set in a charming village, the château enjoys a wonderfully authentic setting with a local boulangerie for fresh morning pastries and a small grocery store known for its superb seasonal strawberries. Just five minutes away by car is a pizzeria, while a larger supermarket is around 10 minutes away. For a broader choice of shops, cafés and restaurants, the attractive town of Châlons-en-Champagne lies just 11km away.
Nature lovers will adore the surroundings: a scenic 15-minute woodland walk leads to a pretty lake, with another close by, while the Marne River offers gentle cruises and a riverside beach. The area is ideal for walking and cycling, with horse riding available nearby.
Sleeps: 20-30
Price from: £78pppn
Best for a Cosy Night In:
8. Chateau Lignol
Location: Brittany
Sleeps: 10
Prices from: £36pppn
Chateau Lignol is the definition of shabby chic. It sits amid rolling farmland and has a lovely heated pool for those who can brave the dash from the house to the water! With four bedrooms with en-suites and plenty of entertainment for all, you will never want to leave this French château.
Best For Pets
9. Château des Truffles
Location: Dordogne
Sleeps: 20
Price from: £45pppn
Many of our chateaux to rent in France are suitable for pets; however, we can’t help but highlight the unmatched beauty of the fabulous Château des Truffles. Slip away into a winter wonderland during your stay as you overlook a fishing lake or take a family walk – four-legged friends included – through the surrounding woodland of this exceptional 184-acre estate. Your pets and little ones will love exploring the vast grounds while you can enjoy such much-needed R&R in the exquisite furnishings.
Best Sustainable Villa
10. Villa Taloa
Location: Aquitaine
Sleeps: 14
Price from: £117pppn
This super modern home is perfect for a contemporary Christmas time! Imagine getting all the family to this seaside corner of Aquitaine, which is ideal for brisk winter walks and maybe a swim for those brave enough! Then, retire back to the house, get that fantastic fire roaring, hunker down, and be cosy all together. The use of wood throughout the house gives a warm feel that everyone in your party will appreciate.
Best For Walking
11. Le Lierre Cottage
Location: Loire Valley
Sleeps: 6
Price from: £27pppn
Perfect for families who want to explore the great outdoors during their winter holiday in France, Le Lierre Cottage is surrounded by forests and rivers. As well as being in the heart of the French countryside, the cottage is also a short drive from the vibrant city of Orleans, meaning you’ll experience the best of both worlds during your French escape. The family have owned the property for over 300 years, meaning much care has gone into looking after the home and gardens. In fact, the grounds are so beautiful that they have been regularly used as filming locations! Nature lovers will make use of the woods, pool and topiary garden.
Best Luxury Experience:
12. Chateau Crystal
Location: Loire Valley
Sleeps: 15-38
Prices from: £87pppn
Chateau Crystal is a magnificent 19th-century chateau set in 105 acres of a private estate. Whether you’re looking to celebrate big this winter or fancy a Christmas getaway fit for kings, this incredible chateau will treat you to the best of the best. Enjoy after-dinner walks around the beautiful lake, snuggle up by one of the open log fires or indulge in the exquisite catering during your winter holiday in France.
And we’ve got more! If you’re looking for the best accommodation for winter holidays in France, don’t look further! We offer the best luxury châteaux to rent, or if the slopes take your fancy, then check out our French ski chalets.
See all of our luxury holiday rentals on Oliver’s Travels, or if you’re too busy to browse, just contact our concierge team, and they will help you find the perfect châteaux.
