The limestone and turrets that adorn the 13th-century castle of Domaine des Etangs, Auberge Resorts Collection, located in the charming village of Massignac, look like something lifted straight from a fairy tale. Its true history, however, rivals any work of fantasy. The chateau, built by the medieval knights of Chasteigner de la Roche-Posay, and surrounded by 2,500 verdant acres of land, was once the key stronghold on the road between Limoges and Angoulême. Richard the Lionheart, it is said, passed through this place (and met his end nearby).
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Today, however, the Domaine’s guests are more lowkey than warrior kings on horseback—discretion goes hand in hand with the secluded calm of the estate’s still lakes and rows of beech, oak, and chestnut trees that turn gold in the autumn sun. It’s fitting that a place imbued with such a strong history inspires an equally strong sense of reprieve from the stresses of modern life: The property not only offers guests the rare experience of a true retreat, but also the opportunity to fully attune to the natural world.
Despite the grandeur of the castle—and all the amenities of a luxury hotel that come with it—there remains a homely, informal atmosphere to the Domaine. Upon arrival, I was shown around by Bastien, a member of the hotel’s staff from the local community, who quickly assured me that I would be left to my own devices in enjoying the hotel’s facilities. This isn’t a place for high glamour; think more along the lines of relaxed countryside chic. The seven elegantly decorated suites inside the chateau building itself offer sumptuous settings for a romantic getaway, while the four multi-storey suites in the Longère—or ‘long house’—and the six generously spaced Metairie farmhouse cottages scattered across the property also make it a wholesome destination for families.
The attic, housed inside the chateau, serves as a recreational hub for children and adults alike, featuring a large playroom equipped with miniature furniture and whimsical dressing-up boxes. The cottages, which are dotted across the property and come with their own electric car for ease of movement, have their own kitchen facilities if guests wish to cook. Of course, they can also be catered by the hotel chef: especially for those seeking a Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration for the ages.
The Domaine first became the private summer home of the Primat family in the 1980s, who began operating it as a hotel in 2015 before handing over the management to Auberge Resorts Collection earlier this year. (The boutique American hotel group, which has been making efforts to expand further into Europe, was personally selected to manage the Domaine by its owner, Garance Primat.) Fears that the partnership with Auberge Resorts Collection may have resulted in a loss of authenticity and local finesse are quickly dispelled on meeting the hotel staff—just take the estate manager, Jean-François, whose family has lived in the region for 300 years, and whose intimate knowledge of the grounds goes all the way back to his childhood, when he used to sneak onto the estate.
Primat’s deeply personal vision for the hotel is also palpable in the decor, which combines traditional brick and beams with clean, modern materials. In the rooms, you’ll find a combination of period drama-worthy upholstery with large framed contemporary photography, as well as astronomical themes woven throughout (all the suites in the Chateau are named after planets). Meanwhile, for true art lovers, a more formal exhibition space is open to visitors and currently hosts Primordial Waters, an exhibition curated by Claudia Paetzold and including work by work by Olafur Eliasson, Roni Horn, Yves Klein, Pamela Rosenkranz, Tomás Saraceno, and herman de vries.
The cuisine is, of course, unmistakably French—everything from sublime steak to a selection of cheeses that was so vast I lost count. About a quarter of the vegetables used in the hotel’s restaurant, Dyades, are grown in the grounds of the Domaine itself. The vegetable garden that supplies Domaine’s kitchen, depending on the season, boasts a variety of aromatic herbs, edible flowers, root vegetables, leafy greens, stem vegetables, aster vegetables, and fruit vegetables.
The dragonfly is the official emblem of Domaine des Etangs, because its four wings represent balance. And if the visible stars in the night sky and the ability to spend hours without hearing anything but birdsong should prove insufficient, the resort’s wellness center, Moulin des Etangs, a converted water mill, provides a refuge for the body and mind with its energizing spa treatment menu. Even within the chateau, a basement area offers a tranquil space to relax and unwind in Gallo-Roman-inspired thermal baths, an indoor pool, steam room, and frigidarium. Suffice to say, by the time I left, the radiance of my skin was visibly boosted.
But to truly experience the beauty of Domaine des Etangs, it’s necessary to come here and slow down; to really make the effort to align yourself with the natural world. The untouched and untamed beauty of this place is as spectacular in autumn and winter as it is in the high season. So get lost at sunset amid the ancient trees and the fields, sans Airpods, all on your own—and be totally at one with Mother Nature herself.
