Stay 
Château de Brou
approx. 3 km
A château built in 1475 on the site of a 13th-century fortress, overlooking the Manse valley at Noyant-de-Touraine. It is now an estate hired out for events.
Photo: Château de Brou, CC BY-SA 4.0
Château in Saint-Épain: a night in the heart of Touraine
Saint-Épain is a village of Touraine, south of Tours and east of Chinon, with a medieval fortified gate, a 12th-century church and the ruins of the Château de Montgauger a few hundred metres from the listing. The Expedia listing “Château Loire Valley! An intimate setting in the heart of a fascinating region” offers a château stay here, with a private host, nine bathrooms and a score of 9.8/10 from six reviews.
At a glance
- Location
- Saint-Épain, Indre-et-Loire (Centre-Val de Loire), in Touraine, about 30 km south of Tours as the crow flies
- Accommodation
- Château with a private host, listed on Expedia as “Château Loire Valley! An intimate setting in the heart of a fascinating region”; the building is not named; nine bathrooms
- Highlights
- Wi-Fi in all rooms, pool, courtyard with a fountain, living room with a large dining area, central heating, laundry with dryer
- Guest rating
- 9.8/10 from 6 reviews on Expedia (as of 14 Oct 2026)
- Check-in & check-out
- Check-in from 4 pm · check-out at 11 am
- Good to know
- No pets · designated smoking areas · Sainte-Maure-Noyant station 15 minutes by car, Tours Loire Valley airport 41 minutes
Sleeping in a château in Saint-Épain
Expedia lists this stay as a château run by a private host, and does not name the building, so this page describes it as a château stay in Saint-Épain rather than as one particular monument. The listing mentions nine bathrooms with showers and bidets, Wi-Fi in all rooms, bedding and towels, central heating and a laundry with dryer. The pictures show a two-storey building with a symmetrical façade, a courtyard with a fountain, a pool and a spacious living room with a large dining area.
The setting is Touraine at its quietest. Expedia puts the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park and the Courtineau valley within about 10 km, along with the castle of Roches-Tranchelion, and also names two wine estates in Saint-Épain, Domaine Bernard Baudry and Domaine Charles Joguet. A café is four minutes away by car and the Logis Auberge de Crissay nine minutes.
Check-in is from 4 pm and check-out at 11 am. Pets are not allowed, and smoking is limited to designated areas. Sainte-Maure-Noyant station is about 15 minutes away by car and Tours Loire Valley airport about 41 minutes.
Photos of Château à Saint-Épain
The history of Saint-Épain and the châteaux around it
- c. 1120 – Work starts on the church of Saint-Épain, replacing an older church mentioned in charters of the 8th century.
- 1155 – After a long dispute with the canons, the lord of Sainte-Maure admits he has no right to impose dues on the inhabitants.
- 1224 – Josbert de Sainte-Maure gives up his claims and leaves Saint-Épain; the canon-provost becomes lord of the town.
- After 1437 – The town walls, destroyed at the end of the 14th century, are rebuilt; the 15th-century provost's house stands over the west gate.
- 1475 – The Château de Brou is built nearby, on the site of a 13th-century fortress.
- 1623–1762 – Montgauger becomes a marquisate in 1623 and a duchy-peerage under the name of Praslin in 1762.
- 1852 – The Besnault viaduct, 303 m long with 15 arches, is inaugurated on the Paris–Bordeaux railway.
- 1883 and 1943 – Two fires reduce Montgauger to the ruin it remains; its guard tower is listed as a historic monument in 1976.
Saint-Épain is the largest commune of its canton by area, with 1,471 inhabitants in 2023, and lies in the valley of the Manse, about 35 km south of Tours and 27 km east of Chinon. Its architecture is built of tuffeau and slate, typical of Touraine, and caves dug into the limestone show that people have lived here since prehistoric times. The Notre-Dame-de-Lorette troglodyte chapel and the mills and wash-houses of the Courtineau valley belong to the same landscape.
The Château de Montgauger, about 300 m from the listing, was a feudal seat from the 11th century, held for a long time by the lords of Sainte-Maure. King Louis XIII is said to have counted it among the finest houses of his kingdom. Today only a restored guard tower is listed, but the estate's former stables and outbuildings still stand. Expedia does not say whether the listed château is part of it, so the two should not be confused.
Facilities and services at the château in Saint-Épain
The details below come from the Expedia listing (as of 14 Oct 2026); room details may vary.
Rooms and bathrooms
- Wi-Fi in all rooms
- Nine bathrooms, with showers and bidets
- Bedding and towels provided
- Toilet paper
- Central heating
House and grounds
- Pool
- Courtyard with a fountain
- Living room with a large dining area
- Laundry and dryer
- Designated smoking areas
Nearby
- A café, 4 minutes by car
- Logis Auberge de Crissay, 9 minutes by car
- Domaine Bernard Baudry and Domaine Charles Joguet (wine estates)
- Courtineau valley and Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park
Where the château in Saint-Épain is: between Tours and Chinon
Saint-Épain lies in the Indre-et-Loire, on the plateau of Sainte-Maure, about 30 km south of Tours as the crow flies and 22 km east of Chinon. Expedia gives 15 minutes by car to Sainte-Maure-Noyant station and 41 minutes to Tours Loire Valley airport.
Close to the village are the Courtineau valley and the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park, both named by Expedia, as well as the Château de Brou (about 3 km) and the Besnault viaduct, which crosses the Manse valley on 15 arches. Expedia also lists the Musée de l'Osier et de la Vannerie and the cave village of Goupillières among the sights.
The great châteaux of the Loire are within an hour's drive: Azay-le-Rideau (about 14 km), Rivau (about 17 km), Villandry (about 22 km), Chinon (about 23 km) and Tours (about 30 km).
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Distances (as the crow flies from the château in Saint-Épain)
| Ruins of the Château de Montgauger | approx. 300 m |
| Saint-Épain (village centre) | approx. 2 km |
| Château de Brou | approx. 3 km |
| Besnault viaduct | approx. 3.5 km |
| Crissay-sur-Manse (village) | approx. 5.5 km |
| Château d'Azay-le-Rideau | approx. 14 km |
| Château du Rivau | approx. 17 km |
| Château de Villandry | approx. 22 km |
| Chinon (town) | approx. 22 km |
| Tours | approx. 30 km |
Distances calculated as the crow flies from the position given in the Expedia listing; driving times are taken from the listing.
Things to see around Saint-Épain
Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
approx. 14 km
A Renaissance château built under Francis I for the royal treasurer Gilles Berthelot. Bought by the State in 1905, it is one of the jewels of the Loire châteaux.
Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0
Château du Rivau
approx. 17 km
A seigneurial fortress with 13th-century foundations at Lémeré, mixing medieval and Renaissance architecture with contemporary art. Listed since 1918.
Photo: Aliasse16, CC BY-SA 4.0
Château de Villandry
approx. 22 km
A château where architecture and gardens are intertwined. The Renaissance-style gardens, rebuilt from 1906 after old plans, cover over six hectares on terraces.
Photo: LonganimE, CC BY-SA 2.5
Chinon Castle
approx. 23 km
The royal fortress of Chinon is a group of three castles: the Fort du Coudray, the Château du Milieu and the Fort Saint-Georges, above the River Vienne.
Photo: Franck Badaire, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tours and Saint-Gatien Cathedral
approx. 30 km
Tours, the main city of the Indre-et-Loire on the Loire and Cher. In the Vieux-Tours stands the cathedral of Saint-Gatien, seat of the archdiocese.
Photo: Szilas, CC BY 4.0
Tours & activities near Château à Saint-Épain
Experiences in the region that you can book online with Viator:
Day Tour of Chateaux of Chenonceau, Chambord & Caves Ambacia from Tours/Amboise
Enjoy a small group 9-hour tour in the Loire Valley. Your professional tour guide will show you the two most famous chateaux of the region …
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Loire Valley Tour Chambord and Chenonceau from Tours or Amboise
Jump into the heart of French history by visiting the 2 most prestigious châteaux of the Loire Valley during the greet the warm ambiance of …
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Afternoon Loire Valley Wine Tour from Tours or Amboise
Join us on a wonderful afternoon wine tour starting from Tours or Amboise, and discover the local wines of the Touraine region. As a small group of …
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Loire Valley Half Day Wine Tour from Tours : 2 local wineries
Explore the beautiful Loire Valley vineyards of Vouvray Appellation. Visit 2 local wineries, meet the producers and learn how to taste these elegant …
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English Speaking Loire Winery Tours originating from Chinon
Let us take you to some of the best vineyards in the area - Chinon, Saumur, Bourgueil - and discover the amazing wines - whites, rosés, reds, and …
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Full Day Wine Tour in Vouvray and Chinon with LUNCH at the winery
Embark on a full day wine tour, including an amazing "Farm to table" style lunch with tasting. You will discover the Loire Valley wines and …
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Biarritz walking Tours
Join us for a delightful 90-minute walking tour through the heart of Biarritz, one of the most elegant seaside towns on the French Basque coast. This …
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Vineyard cycle tours in and around Chinon, in the Loire Valley
I'm formerly of Devon in the United Kingdom but now live in Chinon. I've always cycled and loved my bike, and for the best part of my adult life …
View details ›Who is a château stay in Saint-Épain for?
Loire château explorers
Azay-le-Rideau, Rivau, Villandry, Chinon and Tours can all be reached in under an hour by car.
Groups of friends or family
Nine bathrooms and a living room with a large dining area suggest space for a group; check the guest limit in the listing.
Wine lovers
Expedia names two wine estates in Saint-Épain itself, and the Chinon vineyards are a short drive away.
Nature and quiet
The Courtineau valley, cave dwellings and the nature park reward walkers and anyone looking for calm.
Good to know before booking a château in Saint-Épain
- Expedia does not name the building and the host is a private individual; check the listing for the exact rooms and number of guests before booking.
- Check-in is from 4 pm and check-out is at 11 am.
- Pets are not allowed; smoking is limited to designated areas.
- Wi-Fi is available in all rooms and a laundry with dryer is listed.
- Sainte-Maure-Noyant station is about 15 minutes away by car and Tours Loire Valley airport about 41 minutes; a car is the practical way to explore the region.
- Policies on children, extra beds and events are in the policy section of the Expedia listing.
Find available dates at Château à Saint-Épain
Frequently asked questions
Can you stay overnight in a château in Saint-Épain?
Yes. Expedia lists a château in Saint-Épain run by a private host, with nine bathrooms and Wi-Fi in all rooms. The listing does not name the building.
Are pets allowed?
No. According to Expedia, pets are not allowed.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-in is from 4 pm and check-out is at 11 am.
How far are the main Loire châteaux?
As the crow flies, Azay-le-Rideau is about 14 km away, Rivau about 17 km, Villandry about 22 km, Chinon about 23 km and Tours about 30 km.
Is there a pool?
Yes, the listing's setting includes a pool, along with a courtyard with a fountain.
How do guests rate it?
Guests give it 9.8/10 from 6 reviews on Expedia (as of 14 Oct 2026).
Room photos, guest reviews and available dates are all in the Saint-Épain château listing on Expedia.
Want to sleep in a château in the heart of Touraine? Check availability and current prices for the château in Saint-Épain on Expedia.
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