Welcome to Château du Rayet, a luxury 18th century château that will captivate and enchant you.
Château du Rayet is a private home available to rent for unforgettable holidays. As you wind your way up the tree-lined driveway and the honey-stone façade of Château du Rayet comes into view, it quite simply takes your breath away. Surrounded by a tranquil, nature-filled moat and set within ten hectares of private gardens, wildflower meadows, and ancient woods, the Château feels like a hidden world of peace and beauty.
Lovingly and meticulously restored, the Château been renovated to an exceptional standard, offering all the warmth and comfort of a luxurious home. Every detail has been considered, creating a space that manages to feel luxurious and grand but also cosy and comfortable. It really is a special place.
Château du Rayet is less than 5 minutes away from Villeréal which is a beautiful bastide town full of restaurants (open all year round), boulangeries, shops & pâtisseries & was recently recognised as one of France’s most beautiful villages.
Château du Rayet has 7 large, luxurious bedrooms, all with air con and a sumptuous bathroom. There are numerous elegant reception rooms, a private study, a majestic dining room, a bespoke hand-made kitchen and high-speed internet.
The Coach House (situated in the court yard) has a well-equipped gym (with a Peloton bike and yoga studio) and a playbarn (with a darts board, table football and table tennis). There is also a large, heated outdoor pool.
The Château is the perfect holiday home for guests of all ages. Whether you're starting your morning with a workout in the fully equipped gym, enjoying long lunches or candlelit dinners in one of the elegant dining spaces, lounging beside the pool, or simply soaking in the stillness of the landscape — Château du Rayet is a place to unwind, reconnect, and create memories.
There’s fishing for the quiet moments, plenty of space for children to roam safely, and endless corners to explore or retreat into — whether you're seeking adventure or stillness, celebration or serenity. This is your own private haven.
Nestled on the border of Dordogne and Lot & Garonne, the property is a gateway to exploring a region rich in history and natural beauty – from prehistoric caves and bustling markets to countless historic châteaux and vineyards, charming bastide towns and breathtaking landscapes of rolling hills, river valleys and limestone cliffs.
Offering complete privacy and tranquility, Château du Rayet is set in beautiful countryside and secluded from close neighbours. Yet it is just a 5-minute drive from Villeréal, where you’ll find delightful restaurants, cafés, boulangeries and patisseries, two supermarkets, a petrol station, artisanal shops, a pharmacy and one of the best weekly markets of the region. Bergerac airport is conveniently located only a 30 minute drive away.
The Château comfortably accommodates up to 14 guests in its 7 spacious bedrooms (5 doubles and 2 twins), each with its own luxurious bathroom. The ground-floor atelier in the courtyard features a double bedroom with an open-plan sitting room, while the other 6 bedrooms are situated on the first floor of the main château. With generously sized rooms, 3.5-metre-high ceilings, a grand staircase, and expansive grounds, every aspect of Château du Rayet enhances the magic of your stay. The thick stone walls keep the property very cool in Summer but for extra comfort the bedrooms all have air conditioning.
Inside, you'll find two stately entrance halls (which offer various places to find a quiet corner and read a book, numerous reception rooms, including a large sitting room (large enough for large group gatherings, cosy enough to find a quiet alone time), a family TV and games room large enough to watch the latest box set or big sporting event, a cosy snug just off the kitchen, a pool table room, a dining room (seating 14 comfortably) and a private study.
Outside, the enchanting courtyard is perfect for al fresco dining under the shade of mature trees and for playing pétanque.
The pool area has a heated 14 x 5-metre swimming pool with comfortable loungers and parasols as well as a toilet.
The playbarn is in the old Coach House and is the perfect place for kids (and big kids) to play ping pong, table football or darts - the stone walls keep it cool even on the hottest of days. The gym and yoga/dance studio is also in the old Coach House and is fully equipped with a Peloton bike, weights cage, TRX, free weights, rowing machine and wifi - there is no need for your routines to slip (unless of course you want them to!)
The moat offers plenty of opportunities for nature watching (but can be safely closed off for smaller guests). You are also welcome to enjoy fishing in the moat which has plenty of fish.
Facilities
The Château was built by Jean de Paty was the Chevalier seigneur de Luziés, count of Beaumont and the baron de Rayet (1703-1769). He was a kings’ parliamentarian in Bordeaux before the revolution. He was made the first baron of Rayet by letters patent in Versailles in 1736, after which we believe he built the Château.
His son, Leonard inherited the titles and property and he went on to buy the beautiful Hôtel Paty du Rayet in Bordeaux, where he was also a member of parliament. During the French revolution he was arrested, condemned and then guillotined on 1st August 1795.
The de Paty family sold the Château du Rayet to the Miran family in 1835. Joseph Miran had run the most successful pharmacy in all of South America, in Argentina, and returned to France aged 35 to marry and to start a life at Rayet. His family continued to live here until 1921, when it was sold for 200,000 francs. We were delighted to buy this stunning property in 2022.
We believe these ancient stones were salvaged from the ruins of a long-lost castle, destroyed by fire centuries ago. Each bears subtle marks—perhaps left by the original stonemasons—that spark our imagination about the lives and stories they've witnessed. Their hues and textures shift beautifully throughout the day and across the seasons, reflecting the ever-changing light and adding a timeless character to the Château.
Photo of the Château of Rayet around 1900-1920
At Château du Rayet, your holiday will be nothing short of extraordinary.
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