Château de Tourreau

Château de Tourreau sits at Sarrians in the Vaucluse, near Orange and Avignon, surrounded by vines and reached along a drive lined with Provence cypresses. The estate covers about 20 acres of wooded grounds, with French gardens, the château courtyard and a patio at the water's edge, plus a swimming pool, an infinity pool and sports facilities.

The wider area is wine country. Vacqueyras, an AOC wine village, lies about 15 km east of Orange, and the Dentelles de Montmirail rise to 755 m at Gigondas, with vines on their slopes. Avignon, a UNESCO World Heritage city, has the Palais des Papes, the largest Gothic palace in Europe, and its famous bridge.

The ceremony can be held in the estate's consecrated chapel, which dates from the early seventeenth century and holds 70 people. Receptions are outdoors only, for up to 150 guests, in the French gardens or around the pool, and a natural path links several parts of the grounds so the day can move from space to space. Indoors, a handful of salons, including the Salon de la Valfrenière and the Salon Brun, suit smaller gatherings. You are free to choose your own suppliers, and the venue can recommend some. The whole estate can be privatised for an outdoor event, so ask the team about exclusive use terms, ceremony types and the music curfew.

The château and the farm together have 16 rooms sleeping 29 guests, which suits the couple and close family. For a bigger list, plan on hotels and guesthouses around Orange and Avignon, and ask the team which they suggest. On site there are the two pools, sports equipment and the grounds to wander. Off site, guests can taste wine in Vacqueyras or Gigondas or spend a day in Avignon. The Avignon Festival runs for three weeks in July, so check hotel availability early for a July date. The venue does not publish an airport distance, so ask the team for transfer times.