Rent
Château Rouzaud

Château Rouzaud is a magnificent private estate located in Ariège, just 45 minutes south of Toulouse. Fully restored by Sir Richard and Lady Brooke, it comprises an elegant château, two guest houses, and a charming 12th-century chapel, all set within a beautifully maintained 6-hectare landscaped park.

This exceptional property offers 360-degree views over the Ariège countryside and a rare atmosphere that is both luxurious, peaceful, and warm. Suitable for summer and winter stays alike, Rouzaud can accommodate up to 14 guests for family holidays, weekends with friends, or intimate gatherings in a fully private setting.

With its heated swimming pool, tennis court, and sweeping views of the surrounding hills, Rouzaud perfectly embodies the art of living in a Southern French family home.

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Our Rates

The property is always rented in its entirety to a single family. You can use the whole estate (14 people), the park (6 ha) with its tennis court and swimming pool.

The rental price includes heating, water, electricity, maintenance of the garden and cleaning the bathrooms during your stay and cleaning the whole house at the end of your stay. Sheets and towels are provided. Beds are made on your arrival.

Security deposit required: 2,500 euros.

History ofChâteau Rouzaud

A history rooted in the centuries

Perched on a hilltop, the site of Château du Rouzaud offers an exceptional 360-degree panoramic view over the Ariège countryside and the surrounding mountains. This remarkable landscape inspired the construction of an initial chapel as early as the 12th century. At that time, a Count of Foix, likely Roger II, returned from Syria after taking part in the First Crusade (1096–1099), notably in the city of Apamea. This legendary origin is said to have given its name to Pamiers, the nearest town to the château.

A century later, Jacques Fournier, born in Saverdun around 1285 and later Pope Benedict XII, may have prayed in this very chapel. As Bishop of Pamiers between 1317 and 1326, he presided over the Inquisition tribunal charged with pursuing Albigensian heretics hiding in the surrounding forests.

In 1521, a plague epidemic struck the town of Pamiers. Much of the population fled, which may explain the establishment of the first farmstead on the Rouzaud site at that time. This early structure later evolved into a hunting lodge in the 19th century, marking the beginnings of the estate as it exists today.

A contemporary renaissance

After several years of slumber, the property was purchased in 1998 by Sir Richard and Lady Lucy Brooke, who were captivated by the beauty of the site and its unique potential. They undertook a complete restoration with the ambition of transforming the estate into a refined and charming haven.

The lake was dredged and restored, and a vast terrace was created to link the château to the former agricultural buildings, which were also renovated. For the interiors, Lady Lucy Brooke commissioned decorator Fiona Goodhart, who designed warm and elegant spaces with an understated aesthetic. The walls now display an exceptional collection of family portraits dating back to the 15th century, bearing witness to the intimate history of the place.

Passionate about art, Sir Richard Brooke transformed the gardens into an open-air gallery. He installed a series of monumental bronze sculptures by David Williams throughout the clearings and woodland, creating a continuous dialogue between nature and contemporary art. The park, lawns and pathways were meticulously reimagined, giving Château du Rouzaud the harmony it enjoys today.

Today, this singular estate weaves together history, art and serenity within an exceptional natural setting, offering an inspiring retreat where the past and contemporary creation coexist with elegance.

Château Lifestyle

Practical information

Park of 6 hectares with secure swimming pool, tennis, zip line, pond, forest of holm oaks.

The three buildings of the estate have a total of 9 double rooms: 4 in the castle with its round towers, 3 in the adjoining main building, one in the pigsty and one in the sheepfold.

The castle is made up of the former hunting lodge with its round towers which communicates to the west with a 16th century main building, called the farm, to form a single building.

2 equipped terraces, one to the south and one to the north.

The castle with the round towers: 4 double bedrooms, 4 bathrooms

Ground floor:

• Large through living room
• Bar in a round tower
• Dining room
• Billiard room
• Kitchen

1st floor by main staircase:

• Lucie’s room: a bed in 200 cm, with its bathroom with bathtub and WC
• Master bedroom: one 200 cm bed, with its boudoir and bathroom in the round tower with bath and WC
• Wrought iron bedroom: a 140 cm wrought iron bed
• Independent bathroom

1st floor by service stairs :

• Large green room : a bed in 200 cm, with its bathroom with bathtub, WC and its dressing room
• An independent WC
• Reception room with bar, opening onto the terrace
• The main building of the XVIth century called the farmhouse: 3 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms.

Ground floor:

– Living room with sofa bed

– Kitchen

– Shower room and WC

First floor:

– Small green room : a bed in 140 cm and 1 sofa bed in 90 cm

– Blue room: a bed in 200 cm, with its bathroom with bathtub, WC, and its dressing room.

2nd floor: Upstairs bedroom with Vlux : 2 beds in 90 cm, with its bathroom with bath, shower and WC

The Pool house : 1 double room

• Stay
• Kitchen
• Bathroom with bathtub
• A bedroom on the mezzanine with a 180 cm bed, plus two extra beds

The Bergerie : 1 double room

• A room with fireplace and kitchen
• 160 cm bed, shower room and WC

Detail of the equipment :

– Fully equipped kitchen

– Lounges: television, hi-fi system, Wifi internet access

– Central heating throughout the house

– Leisure activities: tennis, zip line, board games, children’s games, petanque, library

– For babies: 2 cribs, high chair, changing mattress

– BBQ and pool deckchairs

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