Château de Rivière

The Château de Rivière is located in Larochemillay in the Nièvre department, in the heart of the Morvan Regional Park. Its large windows and terrace offer a magnificent view of the landscape: the Roche Valley, which leads to Bibracte, one of the largest Gallic archaeological sites in France.

Rivière is an authentic family castle, offering a perfect blend of privacy, elegance, and warmth. It’s ideal for large gatherings—whether for a family vacation, a weekend with friends, or a family celebration, birthday, or reunion. The castle can accommodate 28 adults and 2 children.

The Château de Rivière takes its name from one of its owners, Lord Jean de Rivière, who lived in the 13th century. The estate spans 18 hectares of hedgerows and woods, a peaceful landscape that gained media attention during François Mitterrand’s presidential campaign: the photo accompanying the slogan “La force tranquille” is one you could take from the château’s terrace. The grounds feature a beautiful swimming pool and a playground for children. The château is U-shaped, surrounding a lovely square courtyard where you can enjoy outdoor meals.

You enter the château through its square courtyard. You step into a grand hall that leads to the right toward a series of living rooms opening onto the south-facing terrace: the library, with its warm tones and beautiful fireplace, and the very elegant blue parlor, which opens onto the terrace. On the left side, the entrance hall leads to a large 70-square-meter dining room. This room connects to a pantry and a family kitchen. The Château de Rivière is the perfect setting for hosting a family gathering, a family reunion, or a birthday party.

The Château de Rivière has all the hallmarks of a large, spacious, and comfortable family home.

The castle’s 10 bedrooms can accommodate 20 adults and 2 children. Two bedrooms are located on the ground floor. A large stone staircase leads to the 8 bedrooms on the first floor. There are 9 bathrooms.

All the rooms are tastefully decorated and furnished with heirloom pieces.

Located right next to the castle, the Annex harmoniously complements the property with a cozy living room and kitchen, a double bedroom with a 160-cm bed, and a spacious bedroom furnished with six single beds (90 cm), as well as a bathroom with a walk-in shower.

Rented as a supplement to the Château de Rivière, it offers the perfect lodging solution for comfortably hosting a large family, cousins, or a group of friends during vacations, weekends, or family reunions filled with warmth and camaraderie.

The Morvan is a region central to French history: the Château de Rivière is just 2 leagues on horseback (9 kilometers) from Mont Beuvray, the site of the Gallic fortress-city of Bibracte, capital of the great Aedui tribe. Bibracte, where in 52 BCE, Vercingetorix was elected commander-in-chief of the Gallic tribes a few months before being defeated at Alesia. Bibracte, where Caesar came to spend the winter following his victory at Alesia to write his *De Bellum Gallicum* (no doubt with a chained Vercingetorix in his entourage—“vae victis!”). At the summit of Mont Beuvray, in the heart of a park designated as a Natural Area of Ecological Interest, stands the remarkable Museum of Celtic Civilization—a place designed for scholars and history buffs alike, as well as for young children.

The current Château de Rivière was built in the 18th century on the site of a former 15th-century fortified house. Its left wing, which forms a right angle with the rear facade, was remodeled in the 19th century. The château was the seat of a barony, built atop a rocky hill and defended by a double walled enclosure. Its layout is shown on the 1844 cadastral map. It was first mentioned in 1171 and again in 1253. The complex was rebuilt in the classical style by the Marquis de Villars in 1715. The stronghold belonged to the Lanty family in the 15th century and to the Berger family from the 16th century onward.
At the end of the 18th century, the Château de Rivière was owned by Denis-Zacharie (known as Eugène) Bertrand de Rivière (1776–1851), who married Anne Marie de Drouin de Bouville (1797–1863) in 1814. They had six children, including Joséphine (1815–1891), who married Augustin-Gustave de Geffrier de Pully (1808–1875) in 1834.
The Château de Rivière is now owned by the Geffrier family, which was ennobled on May 18, 1821. The family’s coat of arms features a gold triangle bearing a rose in natural colors.

Nature lovers will be delighted in the Morvan regional nature park!
Hikers can discover dozens of itineraries in the heart of nature. The most experienced hikers will be able to follow the GR 654 which follows one of the paths of Santiago de Compostela, the GTR 13 which leads you from the lakes of the Morvan to its rounded and wooded summits, or the GR of the Tour du Morvan. You can also discover the Nivernais canal and the lateral canal of the Loire.
The Morvan is also a cyclist’s paradise. Multiple routes allow everyone to cycle at their own pace. The Eurovélo 6, for the most athletic, which goes from Nantes to Bucharest. 
Finally, there are magical places to swim and cool off when the heat wave sets in: 5 large lakes with all the fun activities of the beaches, the waterfalls of the Gouloux jump or the Narvau gorges near Lormes. For the amateurs of sensations, the Adrenaline Rafting Morvan, Raft’ Morvan allow you to descend the river of Chalaux. The most beautiful museum of the Celtic civilization of the mount Beuvron borders the Ducal Palace of Nevers, the first castle of the Loire upstream and the one of Bazoches, a small marvel of architecture where the great Vauban lived.