What’s a Chartreuse? No, not the green liqueur made by the Pères Chartreux monks in the mountains, I’m talking about the beautiful Chartreuses – mini châteaux found in the vineyards of Bordeaux. These elegant homes date from late 17th through to 18th century and are typical of, although not restricted to, the Bordeaux region. They are a byword for an elegant style of bourgeois architecture.
A religious association
There is an association with the monasteries: the generic name of Grande-Chartreuse was given to many buildings owned by the Chartreux monks. The Chartrons, the waterfront area where the wine trade was concentrated, was built around a Chartreux community.
It was thanks to the port activity in the 17th century that serious wealth arrived in Bordeaux. It was France’s largest port and exhibited this prosperity by building the beautiful waterfront of Bordeaux. The city remains one of Europe’s largest 18th-century architectural centres, (on a par with Saint-Petersburg), one of the reasons it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2007.
A summer retreat
The great and the good of Bordeaux built themselves these lovely Chartreuses as retreats to escape the summer heat of the city. But they were not a retreat from the social scene, they were designed to entertain.
Traditionally symmetrical, built from the beautiful local limestone, they are usually on one level and slightly raised, with steps leading up to the entrance. They often feature a corniche above the doorway and other decorative elements along the façade. There may be a storied pavilion in the centre or one either end, but the impression remains one of a horizontal rather than a vertical building. The Chartreuse is often the visible side of a courtyard of farm buildings or wine cellars here in Bordeaux.
The 18th century was the golden age of these buildings, the interiors were as decorative as the exteriors. Inside, a lateral corridor runs the length of the building with rooms opening off it, or salons may run one into another each side of a central salon or hall that traverses the property. Either way, there are always lovely perspectives through the building and, with large windows, their charming signature is one of light and elegance.
Evolution
Chartreuse architecture evolved through the century. Columns were added to the façades; sometimes another storey was added, or pavilions or towers on the extremities. Large terraces and elegant staircases led down to gardens and parks often planted with rare species of trees brought in from the colonies by the negociants and traders who owned the properties.
By the 19th century, these low buildings were being replaced by taller and often grander Palladian styles such as Chateau Margaux. The Chartreuse remained prestigious but were for the most part simpler and delightful manor houses that continue to represent the elegant style and taste of their owners and a certain French lifestyle.
Today, many are still private residences, but some are open to visitors and even to guests. You too can experience the delights of this elegant Bordeaux way of life. Here are a few recommendations.
The Viticultural Chartreuse
Château de Cérons, built at the end of the 17th century, has been listed as an historical monument since 2008. It’s also a working vineyard producing delicious Cérons and Graves wines.
During the 18th century, it was the ‘holiday home’ of the Marquis de Calvimont, a family already known for their wines. The family of architect Roger-Henry Expert also owned the property. Recipient of the Grand prix de Rome in 1912, he later designed the Normandie transatlantic liner and the Trocadéro fountains in Paris. He helped restore the Château in the 1940s.
Since 2012, it has been owned and run by Caroline and Xavier Perromat who are happy to share their passion for the chateau they are slowly renovating. It is open to the public for visits, tastings and lunches in the park, with a fabulous ‘son et lumière’ projected onto the walls of the 300 year old cellar. Visitors can also admire the surrounding biodiversity, all the way down to the banks of the Garonne River. The original interiors have remained intact over the years, with rare interior plaster reliefs of flowers, fruit, and shells that grace the walls of the central salon.
Be a guest
The name chartreuse still resonates with guests, and the original sense of hospitality they were built for continues today, as several of these lovely properties have guest rooms or are available to privatise for exclusive use.
In the south, the beautiful 17th-century Chartreuse of Château Sigalas Rabaud, a First classified growth in Sauternes, has been home to the de Lambert des Granges family since 1863.
Since 2006, it is under the management of sixth-generation Laure de Lambert Compeyrot. She has given the property a new lease of life by introducing a range of stunning new Sémillon wines and opening five beautiful en-suite guest rooms. The rooms, lounge and dining room have a family feel, an elegant mix of traditional, cosy and eclectic. Don’t miss the ‘shower in the tower’ in the Marie-Antoinette room, named after her grandmother.
Although receiving guests is a new ‘metier’ for Laure, it’s rooted in her passion for the wines.‘You can invest a lot of money on marketing to try to sell wine, but when people come here, when they live with us and drink with us, it’s easier to share our wines.’ Guests can join her on the sunny terrace of the chateau for her favourite pairing, a glass of Sauternes with old Parmesan cheese, or enjoy a ‘sweet aperitif’ by the lap pool near the vines.
What’s in a name?
A little further north in Pessac-Léognan, Chateau Le Pape recently changed its name to La Chartreuse de Haut Bailly, reinforcing the prestige attached to the name. The Wilmers family, owners of neighbouring Grand Cru Classé Château Haut Bailly, purchased Le Pape in 2012. They spent three years renovating the property, opening their doors to guests in 2015. In keeping with traditional Chartreuse architecture, they reintroduced symmetry by adding a second pavilion. A large terrace now overlooks the landscaped gardens and swimming pool, and Parisian interior designer Patrice Terrin has created a haven for guests, with four charming en-suite bedrooms and one suite. Perfectly placed just half an hour from the city of Bordeaux, yet in the heart of the vineyards, La Chartreuse de Haut Bailly is an ideal central base to discover the Bordeaux vineyards.
Further north in Saint-Julien, is one of the most famous Chartreuse of Bordeaux, Chateau Beychevelle, known as the Versailles of the Médoc. Built in the classic Chartreuse style, a single story building with an ‘enfilade’ of rooms and towers at each end, it originally dated from 1565 and was rebuilt in its current style in 1757, a showcase for the status of its then owner, the Marquis de Brassier. It’s raised terrace has an elegant staircase leading down to the gardens and a view over the Gironde estuary.
Under the current owners, Grands Millésimes de France, part of the Castel and Suntory groups, this beautiful château has undergone extensive restoration. The 13 bedrooms and bathrooms are now as deluxe as the château is grand. Guests can dine and sleep in this 18th-century elegance.
Chateau Cos Estournel is famous for its unique oriental architecture, inspired by the frequent voyages of Louis Gaspard d’Estournel to Asia. His obsession for the Orient earned him the nickname of Maharajah of Saint-Estèphe. There was no house at Cos when he inherited in 1791, but instead of building a château to live in, he built an imposing cellar topped by pagodas. He made his home nearby at Chateau Pomys, an elegant chateau just a stone’s throw away that is now a hotel, La Maison d’Estournel.
Michel Reybier purchased Cos d’Estournel in 2000. He invested heavily in a stainless steel, gravity-fed cellar, underground barrel cellar and stunning vertical wine library, whilst safeguarding the original facade. He renovated the building that previously housed a museum transforming it into La Chartreuse de Cos d’Estournel. Reybier knows a thing or two about hospitality, he owns the Michel Reybier Hospitality group, a collection of luxury Reserve hotels. Presented as a ‘family home’, the six bedrooms and two suites, two swimming pools (indoors and out), hammam, beautiful salons and dining rooms area available for exclusive private rental.
What’s New
The big Chartreuse news, and the inspiration for this piece, is the opening this autumn of the newly renovated Chartreuse de Fonbadet.
The Peyronie family have been making wine in Pauillac since the 1700s, with past generations managing both Lafite and Mouton. In 1950, Robert Peyronie bought the 4ha Château Fonbadet, a property dating back to the 1820s and a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur in the original 1930s classification. Together with his son Pierre, they expanded the vineyard, including the 1.5ha Château Pauillac in 1971, a property that also traces its history back to the 19th century. Today, the two properties are grouped under Domaines Peyronie, covering 20ha across the appellation.
Fourth-generation Pascale took over in 1991, having studied law and oenology. The law came in handy. Last year Pascale won a court case allowing her to continue using the name Château Pauillac for her wines, dspite objections from The Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO) and the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB), arguing the name was ‘misleading’.
Her tenacity shows in her latest project: the transformation of her family home, Château Fonbadet, into a stunning five-bedroom ‘Chartreuse’. A renovation that brings together traditional architecture with the contemporary taste of its dynamic owner. Working with Bordeaux designer Marc Dauberte of Garance, they re-established the building’s symmetry by adding a second square ‘pavilion’ to one end, a design confirmed by an image she found on an old wine label.
The property has been transformed, at no small expensive, into a spectacular private space with a spa room, suites featuring solid Carrara marble bathrooms and flooring, (no fewer than 48 tonnes of marble were used), and a park where contemporary sculptures are hidden amongst century-old trees. It’s a clever mix of classic Bordeaux style and ultra-modern luxury, with very feminine signature. On the edge of the Village of Bages and close to the Pauillac waterfront, it’s a spectacular base from which to discover the northern Médoc.
Living history
From private residences to historical monuments and luxury accommodation, Les Chartreuses de Bordeaux remain a reference for a certain elegant Bordeaux lifestyle. These signature architectural jewels of the region survive from the past to thrive into the future thanks to the passionate and dedicated individuals that are bringing them back to life.
If you enjoyed this post, please sign up here to receive future blog posts or share with a friend or colleague who might enjoy discovering Bordeaux. Learn more about the region with Bordeaux Bootcamp or explore Wine and Wellness, with The Drinking Woman’s Diet or just say hi here.
