Charming g�tes and secret campsites are all very well, but staying in a stunning chateau can be surprisingly affordable. Here's our pick of 10 of the bestLes Fontaines d'Escot, near Pau, AquitaineA former monastery in an isolated valley below the Pyrenees, Les Fontaines d'Escot has been a haven for travellers for more than 600 years. A fascinating melange of architectural styles, the chateau has its own thermal waters ? first used by the Romans. Walks along the river or into the mountains are de rigueur, while adventurous souls can try out a section of the nearby Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.? Self-catering g�tes (sleep four) from ?49 a night, double rooms from ?31. +33 5 5934 5440, fontaines-escot.comLe Ch�teau Fort, Sedan, Champagne-ArdenneClaiming to be the largest fortified medieval castle in Europe, this mighty chateau dominates the ancient town of Sedan from its 30m ramparts. Its bright contemporary bedrooms add welcome homeliness. At night, you can join a torch-lit guided tour of the chateau followed by a medieval banquet. Any extra pounds can then be walked off moseying around Sedan.? Doubles from ?60 a night. +33 3 2426 1100, tinyurl.com/6cny7vs Ch�teau de Cherveux, Cherveux, Poitou-CharentesOn a high plateau rises the village of Cherveux, inhabited since prehistoric times. Its castle ? of the fairytale variety ? has a pleasingly complicated history, with its present incarnation built by a Scotsman, Robert Conningham, in the mid-15th century. You can buy food produced on the estate to recipes from the middle ages (check out the amazing mushroomy beer), or take a group and the staff will put on a medieval banquet.? Doubles from ?50 a night. +33 5 4975 0655, tinyurl.com/6gudetxCh�teau d'Alteville, near Dieuze, LorraineDon't be surprised if, on entering this chateau, you begin to feel like a Napoleonic general ? it was built for one and it retains the grandeur its owner clearly felt was his due. Set in 10 acres of parkland with its own lake, Alteville is a window on a lost world of opulence.? Doubles from ?77 a night. +33 3 8705 4663, sawdays.co.ukH�tel Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, near Chinon, LoireCovering 35 acres, Fontevraud is not so much a chateau as an entire medieval city. The extraordinarily well-conserved double monastery ? it housed both monks and nuns ? boasts a magnificent abbey church, seemingly endless cloisters and the tomb of England's Richard I. Happily, the 52 bedrooms are less spartan than the cells they once were. And if you can bear to step outside this Unesco world heritage site, there's the typical Anjou village of Fontevraud to be explored.? Doubles from ?66 a night (from ?52 for two-night stays). +33 2 4151 7316, tinyurl.com/5tfbrabCh�teau Font Guitard, Cambounet-sur-le-Sor, Midi-Pyr�n�esBuilt close to the river Sor, this 19th-century chateau may lack history, but it makes up for it with a rose garden and a park adorned with orchids, 100-year-old linden trees and more than a thousand species of flowers and shrubs. There's also an open-air swimming pool. To zip back in time, head for Cordes-sur-Ciel, a wonderfully preserved medieval town romantically perched on a hilltop.? Doubles from ?192 a week (daily and weekend rates available). +33 5 6371 7408, chateaufontguitard.comL'Hostellerie du Ch�teau, Bricquebec, NormandyUnusually, Bricquebec is believed to have been built by a Viking. Still a commanding presence on the Cotentin peninsula more than a millennium later, the castle has its own museum, while the knights' hall is a restaurant offering reasonably priced haute cuisine. For those craving more recent history, the D-day beaches are within striking distance. Thanks to Henry V, Bricquebec was in English hands for 32 years, but it's best not to mention this when booking.? Doubles from ?75 a night (three-for-two offers from mid-October). +33 2 3352 2449, lhostellerie-bricquebec.comCh�teau de la Guillonni�re, near Dienn�, Poitou-CharentesGuillonni�re was a favourite of King Fran�ois I, who came hunting here with the apparently gorgeous local girl Diane of Poitiers. Sitting prettily in its own 25-acre park, the 16th-century castle runs to a scattering of bedrooms and small apartments, one of which was once home to feisty novelist George Sand. Beyond the grounds, there's horse riding in Dienn�, or you can go all 21st century at a high-ropes adventure forest (parcours-aventure.eu).? George Sand apartment (sleeps four) from ?400 a week. +33 5 4942 0546, a-castle-for-rent.comCh�teau de Cautine, near Aurillac, LimousinThe Barons of Cautine have owned this chateau in the Dordogne since it was built in 1670 until two years ago, when it was captured (oh, all right, purchased) by an English couple. Cautine is awash with beams, huge fireplaces and a Rapunzel tower.? Doubles from ?44 (three-night minimum stay). 020-3287 9212, chateau-de-cautine.comH�tel Le Couvent Royal, Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Provence-Alpes-C�te d'AzurTucked beneath the Sainte-Baume massif, just north of the C�te d'Azur, the Couvent Royal is one the finest gothic buildings in France. Built in the 13th century by Charles II of Anjou to house the relics of Mary Magdalene, the Dominicans' quarters have been converted into chic, bijou bedrooms. In summer, there's alfresco dining in the cloisters, while a vaulted hall serves as a bar. Try wine tasting with a twist at the Casino du Vin (oenosud.com).? Doubles from ?62 a night. +33 4 9486 5566, tinyurl.com/5u5tl3fFranceHotelsLuxury travelBudget travelEuropeShort breaksFamily holidaysDixe Willsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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