The château is set on a hillside overlooking the valley of the river Célé, 7km from the medieval market town of Figeac. Our region, as yet largely undiscovered by tourists, is rich in paths and old trackways, ideal for walking, riding or mountain biking. The rivers Célé and Lot offer boating and canoeing and there is tennis in the village. Within just a few kilometres one can find numerous chateaux, historic towns and ancient villages. Places not to be missed include the Grotte de Peche Merle with its prehistoric cave paintings, the Gouffre de Padirac with its subterranean boat ride, the Château de Montal – a gem of the renaissance with strong connections with Béduer – the medieval pilgrimage site of Rocamadour, and the cliff-top village of Saint Cirq Lapopie. The town of Figeac offers not only numerous beautiful old buildings and squares but has cafés, supermarkets and stores for all your shopping needs.

The château itself has stood for nearly a thousand years, and during the Middle Ages was, after Cardaillac, the most important château in the east of the old province of Quercy. In more recent times the château was the home from home of the poet Paul Valery. Yet despite its history the château retains its charm as a family home. The house is beautifully furnished throughout and provides a mixture of accommodation for parties of up to 16 people.

Inside the Chateau

A fully-equipped kitchen with large work surfaces, two double sinks, gas stove/oven, microwave, dish washer and a large kitchen table for the preparation of food. There is also a large stone fireplace which is not actually used. The dining room has a 15th century vaulted ceiling, and can seat up to 20. Doors lead from herer to the salon, the kitchen, the main (spiral) staircase and the central courtyard. The Salon is beautifully furnished with a superb 17th century tapestry. In addition, it contains a grand piano, a television and a music centre with a large collection of CDs.

It has doors leading to Le Poete (the only bedroom on the ground floor), the dining room, and large double doors onto the south-facing terrace, garden and park. La Grande Salle is a fine hall that has been the perfect setting for all types of gathering since the 14th century, when the Estates General (Parliament) of Quercy met here during the Hundred Years War. A Venetian chandelier hangs from the 9 metre high ceiling, which is supported by 17th century hand-painted beams. A huge stone fireplace and the two-metre deep window embrasures make this an impressive room. Two speakers fed from the music centre in the salon make this the ideal room for listening to music either from ground floor level or from the first floor gallery - the acoustics are wonderful. A wide stone spiral staircase connects the ground floor with the first and second floors. There is a second (secret) staircase connecting the second and first floors to an external terrace.

Bedroom Suites

Le Poete, on the Ground floor, sleeps two, and was the bedroom of the famous poet Paul Valery for many years. Containing a small four-poster bed, two chests of drawers, chairs and writing desk, it enjoys a majestic view over the Célé valley towards the market town of Figeac. It has a large, fully equipped en-suite bathroom with a WC in an alcove. Included in the suite is a private corridor with two large wardrobes. The suite has doors into salon and the grande salle.

Le Prince, on the first floor, is a two-bedroom suite, sleeping a maximum of three people. The large master bedroom is dominated by a 17th century double canopy bed. The room has panelled walls, a fireplace and a writing table. The master bedroom has two windows, one overlooking the courtyard and the valley to the South, the other overlooking the park.

Other important features of the main bedroom include a walk-in wardrobe, an en-suite bathroom with a toilet (discreetly placed in an alcove). The secondary bedroom, Le Demoiseau, has a single bed, a writing table and a chair.

L’Ecuyer, on the first floor, sleeps two people. It contains twin beds, a cupboard, a wardrobe, and a writing desk. There are a sofa and armchairs in front of the fireplace. The large window overlooks the park. Other important features are an en-suite bathroom and a private WC next to the bedroom.

La Chambre Rose, on the first floor, sleeps two. This is our recommended honeymoon suite. It contains a double canopy bed, a writing desk and several armchairs. In addition there is a small cupboard and chest of drawers. The decor is tastefully low-key, based around a pink theme. The two windows overlook the Célé valley, to the East and the South. There is an en-suite bathroom with a toilet and a window looking South towards the medieval town of Camboulit. There is a large wardrobe in a private corridor.

Les Jongleurs, on the second floor, is a two bedroom suite with a shower room. It sleeps up to three people. The larger of the two rooms is equipped with, a large wardrobe, several armchairs, a sofa and a coffee table. The writing desk is situated in front of the window (the view is Sorth over the courtyard and the valley), while the other window overlooks the park. There is a shared bathroom with a toliet in an alcove, and doors onto both of the rooms. Le Paladin, the smaller of the two rooms, contains a single bed, a wooden wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a writing table situated in front of the room's North-facing window. The room also contains the door to the secret staircase.

Le Troubadour, also on the second floor, sleeps two people in twin beds. The room contains a wardrobe and a cupboard, a writing desk and armchairs strategically placed around the coffee table, in front of the fireplace. There is an en-suite bathroom which contains a bath and a sink. There is an adjacent joint shower / toilet room shared with Le Croisé. Windows in both the bedroom and the bathroom overlook the park.

Le Croisé, on the second floor, sleeps two people. It is a twin bedroom with walk-in wardrobe a writing table and chairs. A window overlooks the garden and the quiet Faycelles road below the chateau. It has a shower room / toilet that is shared with Le Trobadour.

Location and Travel

The village of Béduer is seven kilometers from the medieval market town of Figeac, and some 60 kilometers east of Cahors. The chateau is situated in the département of the Lot (46). The nearest airport is Toulouse, just under 2 hours away by road. Flights from London take approximately one-and-a-half hours and flights from Paris take one hour. There are regular trains (daytime and couchettes) from Paris (at the Gare Austerlitz) to Figeac and Cahors. There is a daily coach service from London (Victoria) to Cahors. The channel ports are mostly between 9 and 10 hours away by car. Béduer is 450 miles from St Malo and 580 miles from Calais. If you wish to see the full picture tour, please click on the link below: