Chateau de Riolas

Chateau de Riolas Designed to be a luxurious home in the 19th century, Château de Riolas was built by one of France’s first rubber barons.

An 1800s château in southwest France, a quiet refuge for friends and guests, where horses, dogs, flowers, good food and better conversations are the order of the day. After changing ownership over the years, it is again a private residence surrounded by its park, centenary chestnut, oak, plane trees, and meadows. Château de Riolas is undergoing careful renovations to preserve its history character and bring it up to contemporary standards.

When you spend your days renovating a château, you notice things in hotels that other people miss. The linen. The light ...
31/05/2026

When you spend your days renovating a château, you notice things in hotels that other people miss. The linen. The light fixtures. The way a room is put together with intention.

Le Manoir des Impressionnistes in Honfleur got everything right. We arrived as travelers and left with a notebook full of ideas.

This was the beginning of our road trip to Ireland. More to come.

28/05/2026

We didn’t plan to become duck people. But Patrick is a hunter with a soft spot for ducks.

The pond on our property was built in the 19th century to wash carriages. It fell out of use and became decorative. Then we thought: ducks. Natural pest control, a restored pond, and maybe some eggs.

Two years, one neighbor, and several surprise visits later — we have Donald, two Daisies, two Donalds, 8 babies, 5 eggs, and Jean-Luc building nests.

We are not complaining.
🎥 of ducks
🎥 of nest

Accidentally duck people. That’s us, now. You?

26/05/2026

Home. Sweet home!
We drove to Ireland from Riolas and that’s where the story begins!
We visited Sinead, who drove us all around her neighborhood in county Donegal (story continues!). The next day we visited Luke and his beautiful cow farm, and a couple of days ago, Ray and Roisin took us to a restaurant serving delicious steaks. Each friend was a marvelous highlight.

I still can’t believe this is our front gate.After seven straight days of rain in Riolas, the clouds finally broke this ...
18/05/2026

I still can’t believe this is our front gate.

After seven straight days of rain in Riolas, the clouds finally broke this morning to reveal the Pyrenees buried in fresh snow, glowing before the château like a painted backdrop from another century.

This is one of the things nobody tells you about life in southwest France: when it rains here, it snows in the mountains. And, suddenly, your entire horizon changes overnight.

Moments like this are why we have zero regrets about leaving our California bedroom community for a crumbling French château, endless renovation projects, and the wild unpredictability of countryside life. Some mornings bring mud, leaks, and chaos. Others bring this.

And honestly? The contrast is glorious. Vive la🇫🇷

📸 credit: 🙏🏼

You haven’t really road-tripped through France until a highway sign makes you wonder whether you’ve accidentally crossed...
16/05/2026

You haven’t really road-tripped through France until a highway sign makes you wonder whether you’ve accidentally crossed into a scene from an American war movie…and my son was a USMC.

Under dark Norman skies, we sped toward Honfleur and passed this striking sign for the 2ème Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine. At first glance, it looks almost unmistakably USMC-inspired — the combat stance, the insignia, the “Marine” identity. But it’s entirely French. We made a U-turn to double check!

The regiment traces its origins back to 1638 under Cardinal Richelieu, when France created its marine troops for overseas and expeditionary service. Somehow, only in France can a roadside sign evoke centuries of history and cinematic drama at 130 km/h.

One moment we’re chasing oysters, harbor lights, and cider in Honfleur. The next, we’re reflecting on the Catholic Church, politics and Richelieu beneath thunderclouds, and wondering how my son is doing. 🇫🇷🇺🇸

Family portrait (left to right): the Alarm, the Boss, Chocolate Bark, and Marshmallow. 📸 by (thank you!)
15/05/2026

Family portrait (left to right): the Alarm, the Boss, Chocolate Bark, and Marshmallow.

📸 by (thank you!)

Chateau life. Light. Joy. Unmatched.We are slowly, intentionally learning how we want to live in this place — and last S...
01/05/2026

Chateau life. Light. Joy. Unmatched.

We are slowly, intentionally learning how we want to live in this place — and last Saturday gave us one of our clearest answers yet.

We hosted a birthday dinner for our 80-year-old neighbor from Holland. That meant finally doing the thing we’d been putting off: making our public rooms truly ready to receive. We dusted the 19th-century marble mantle (a lucky eBay find we still can’t believe) and Kathleen Elliott’s birdcage, polished the Joe Cariati glass and Waterford crystal, hung the Deborah Oropallo and Rex Ray pieces we’d been hoarding in bubble wrap, shined up the Chippendale, filled our favorite brocante’s amphoras with orchids, admired the Tagliaferro Jones sculpture in its new home, hooked up the speakers, and served a proper dinner.

It was an excellent evening. The kind that reminds you why you did any of this.
(And yes — we’re giving you a peek at the beautiful chaos that preceded it. Chandeliers on the floor, gilded frames in packing paper, dust cloths everywhere. Progress is rarely photogenic.)

Warmest thanks to for a stunning cheeseboard and the perfect wines to match. To for the most elegantly trimmed lamb chops and filet mignon we’ve ever had the pleasure of serving. To every volunteer and staff member who brought ideas, energy, and their hands. And to my husband, always, for his patience.

📸 and menu design by
📸 of with her armful of orchids, by Roisin.

Adresse

1515 Route De Rieumes
Riolas
31230

Téléphone

+33677487789

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