A local guide
Things to do around the estate
The Bourbonnais and the north of Auvergne, from a base in the park of the Château de Chazeuil
The Château de Chazeuil stands at Varennes-sur-Allier, in the Allier department, between Vichy and Moulins. From here a day can go to a spa town listed by UNESCO, a zoo and theme park, an oak forest, a river in a canoe or the top of a volcano, and end back at the pool. Each guide gives the road distance from the estate and links to its sources. Opening dates change every year, so check them with each place before you set off.
Nine ways to spend a day
Where to stay
Where to stay near Vichy and Moulins: holiday homes in a château park
A house and apartments in a private château park, halfway between Vichy and Moulins, with a pool, a sauna and farm animals.
Family day
Le PAL with children: a zoo and theme park 40 minutes from the estate
The best-known family day out in the Allier: animals from five continents and rides in one park.
About 43 km by road, around 41 minutes from the estate
Spa town
Vichy: a day in the UNESCO spa town
Belle Époque architecture, riverside parks and water sports, listed by UNESCO among the Great Spa Towns of Europe.
About 27 km by road, around 36 minutes from the estate
History and art
Moulins: the capital of the Bourbonnais, its cathedral and stage costumes
The old capital of the Dukes of Bourbon, with a national museum of stage costume.
About 29 km by road, around 31 minutes from the estate
Tours and heritage
Villages and castles of the Bourbonnais: Charroux, Billy, La Palice and Souvigny
A medieval village, a fortress above the Allier, a family château and the necropolis of the Dukes of Bourbon.
About 14 km by road, around 14 minutes from the estate
Forest walks
The Tronçais forest: walking among the great oaks of the Allier
Around 11,000 hectares of oak, among the most celebrated in France, with lakes to walk around.
About 80 km by road, around 80 minutes from the estate
Adventure
Canoeing, cycling and wakeboarding around Vichy: outdoor adventures on the Allier
Rivers to paddle, a cycle route along the Allier, a wake park five minutes away, golf and balloon flights.
About 4 km by road, around 5 minutes from the estate
Wine
Saint-Pourçain wine: tasting an old appellation ten minutes from the estate
The vineyard of the Allier, with its own white grape, the Tressallier, about 9 km away.
About 9 km by road, around 11 minutes from the estate
Volcanoes
The Puy de Dôme and the Auvergne volcanoes: a day trip from the estate
A UNESCO volcanic landscape, a cog railway to the summit and a volcano park, about an hour and a quarter away.
About 87 km by road, around 77 minutes from the estate
Road distances and times were calculated from the estate's coordinates with OpenStreetMap data, and are a guide only.
Where to stay
Come back to the park
Holiday homes for 3 to 7 guests in the 35-hectare park of the Château de Chazeuil, with a pool and a wood-fired sauna on the estate. The season runs from May to the end of November.
See the houses