The family behind Luxe St Barts also runs a château on the Loire, at Candes-Saint-Martin. The two places peak at different times of year, which makes them an easy pair: the island in the dry months, the Loire Valley as soon as spring arrives. Here is how guests can combine them.
Candes-Saint-Martin sits where the Vienne flows into the Loire, inside the Loire Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site, between Saumur and Chinon. The Château de Candes Art & Spa, owned by Monique and Didier Pignet since 2009, is the family's other address, and the one that gave its name to their wider collection, Môh's Favorite Places.
Why the two seasons fit together
In St Barts, the dry season runs from December to April, with steady trade winds and the island at its busiest. Our month-by-month weather guide explains why January and February are the most reliable months. In the Loire Valley, those are the quiet months: gardens are bare and the château's Street Art Parc stays closed until April.
Then the calendars cross. As the island moves into its low season, the Loire wakes up. The park reopens in April, the vines turn green and late spring brings the mild weather the region is known for. Ending a Caribbean winter with a week in France means arriving when each place is at its best, rather than catching either one off season.
| Month | St Barts | Loire Valley, at the château |
|---|---|---|
| January and February | Peak dry season, the driest months of the year | Quiet season, with fires lit in the salons |
| March | Still dry; Bucket Regatta in Gustavia | Early spring; the Street Art Parc is still closed |
| April | Fewer crowds, rates easing; Les Voiles de Saint Barth | The Street Art Parc reopens |
| May | Low season, green island, empty beaches | Late spring, one of the best times to visit |
| June | Hurricane season begins, with low risk early on | Long evenings, the river and the gardens at their fullest |
For travellers who prefer to stay on the island a little longer, our guide to St Barts in April and May covers the shoulder season in detail.
Getting from the island to the château
Most international journeys to and from St Barts connect through Saint-Martin, a short flight or ferry away. Once in Paris, the château is easy to reach by rail. Trains run to Saumur or to Port-Boulet in about two hours; Port-Boulet station is ten minutes from the château by car, Saumur twenty. Tours and Angers are about an hour away by road for travellers arriving from elsewhere in France.
What Luxe St Barts guests will recognise
The hand is the same. Monique Pignet designed the château's interiors and chose its art, as she did for the villas. The name will ring a bell too: before it took the name of its village, the château was called Château de Môh, the same name as the villa on the hill of Lurin. Art lovers who noticed the Duchamp references at Villa Marcel will find a different kind of collection on the Loire: more than 60 works of street art, created on site, across a five-hectare park.
The welcome is a family affair here as well. Since 2022 the château has been run by the Pignets' son Bertrand and his wife Jingwen.
Where to stay at the château
The estate offers 26 places to stay and 33 bedrooms in total. Couples often choose the Tour d'Aubigny, a 15th-century tower with two round bedrooms. The rooms inside the château have been bookable by the night since July 2026. Families and groups coming from a St Barts villa usually feel more at home in one of the private houses, which sleep up to eight.
Every night includes an hour at the Zen Garden spa. Dinner is served at Le Pressoir du Château, a restaurant set in a 17th-century press house carved into the rock, from Thursday to Sunday, with a buffet brunch on Sundays.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Château de Candes owned by the same family as Luxe St Barts?
Yes. Monique and Didier Pignet own both. Their son Bertrand and his wife Jingwen have run the château since 2022.
When is the best time to combine St Barts and the Loire Valley?
St Barts is at its driest from December to April; the Loire Valley is at its best from late spring and again in early autumn. Ending a winter on the island with a week in the Loire in April or May works well.
How do you get to the Château de Candes from Paris?
Take the train to Saumur or Port-Boulet, about two hours, then 10 to 20 minutes by car. By road, the drive from Paris takes around three hours.
Is the spa included at the château?
One hour at the Zen Garden spa is included with every night. The Spa Côté Loire can be booked privately at an extra cost.
