We are delighted to welcome you. Château de Malcombe is a peaceful place where nature is respected, with a warm, family-friendly atmosphere. These house rules are designed to ensure that everyone enjoys a calm and pleasant stay, in harmony with the property and with other guests on the estate.
Château de Malcombe is a nature retreat located in the heart of a 33-hectare woodland estate, within a Natura 2000 protected area, close to a bird reserve that is home to many rare species. During your stay, you may be lucky enough to spot grey herons, cormorants, pelicans, and abundant wildlife such as deer, roe deer, foxes, coypus, hares, martens, wild boar, and many other wild animals.
To preserve this natural balance and to ensure the animals’ peace and safety, please respect wildlife and keep a distance—do not approach or feed animals. This place is their refuge as much as it is yours, so thank you for helping us maintain its beauty and tranquillity.
The gîtes are located within the château grounds. Access is via the rear of the château. Vehicles must be driven slowly and parked only in the parking area near your gîte.
Each gîte has its own private terrace and garden area, marked by fences (wood and hedges). Please respect the boundaries of your private area and do not cross the terraces or gardens of other gîtes. You also have access to the swimming pool, as well as the forest estate and its private pond.
External visitors are not permitted to access the property or use its facilities (including the swimming pool). Additional guests may be considered only with the Landlord’s prior agreement and within each gîte’s maximum capacity: Champagne: 6 persons, Bordeaux: 5 persons, Burgundy: 4 persons.
The park around the château is reserved for the owners. Access to the caretaker’s house, the pool house, and the forest cabin is strictly prohibited. For security reasons, outdoor CCTV is installed on the estate; cameras cover only the shared outdoor areas around the château.
Check-in: from 4:00 pm
An earlier or later arrival time may be considered if you let us know in advance; we will confirm whether this is possible.
Keys will be handed to you in person on the day of arrival.
Please check the condition of the accommodation and its equipment upon arrival. Any issue, damage noticed upon check-in, or missing inventory item must be reported to us within 24 hours of arrival, so we can address it quickly.
The gîte is rented for holiday purposes only and for the number of guests declared at the time of booking. No undeclared persons are permitted to stay on site (including tents, camper vans/converted vehicles, or extra mattresses).
Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the gîte, and cigarette ends must not be discarded outside (lawn, forest, gravel areas).
The rental price includes end-of-stay cleaning, bed linen, and bath towels. Towels for outdoor use (pool, etc.) are not provided.
The end-of-stay cleaning fee covers basic cleaning only. It does not include cleaning the kitchen and appliances (oven, hob, refrigerator), washing and putting away dishes, emptying bins, or cleaning the plancha/hotplate.
Furniture and bedding provided (mattresses, pillows, protective covers) must remain in place during the stay. Mattress protectors and pillow protectors must remain in place, except in the event of an accident; in that case, they must be cleaned and put back in place.
Please inform us as soon as possible of any breakdown, damage, incident, or malfunction so we can arrange repair or replacement as quickly as possible.
Parties, loud gatherings, and events are not permitted.
The estate is, above all, a place for rest and relaxation. We kindly ask you to help preserve the peace and quiet of the property and the comfort of all guests throughout your stay. Between 10:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m., please avoid any noise that may disturb the rest of other guests.
Playing music outside is not permitted. Inside the gîte, music is tolerated provided it does not disturb neighbours or other guests.
You are responsible for all occupants of the gîte during the stay, including any incidents or inappropriate behaviour both inside and outside the accommodation.
For safety reasons and to protect biodiversity, swimming in the pond (and any other activity on the water) and walking off marked paths are not permitted.
Fishing is allowed in the estate pond on a strictly catch-and-release (“no-kill”) basis (all fish must be returned to the water). Use of the rowing boat is reserved for the château owners.
An outdoor table tennis table is available near the gîtes (bats and balls are also provided). For everyone’s comfort, it may be used between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm only.
The estate is located in a fire-risk area. Smoking in or near the forest is strictly prohibited, and open fires and wood/charcoal barbecues are completely forbidden.
Please respect the fauna, flora, and the life of the animals and birds (a bird reserve is nearby).
Access to the heated swimming pool (14 m x 5 m, depth 1.50 m) is reserved for guests staying in the Château de Malcombe accommodations.
The pool is open in season only, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (mid-May to mid-September), subject to weather conditions.
The pool gate must remain closed at all times. Children and non-swimmers must be supervised at all times and must use appropriate flotation devices.
Swimming trunks designed for swimming are mandatory, and babies must wear appropriate swim nappies. For hygiene and comfort, showering before entering the pool is mandatory. Sunscreens based on monoï oil are not permitted.
Cleaning & hygiene
Sponge, bin bags, washing-up liquid, 2 dishwasher tablets, multi-surface cleaner, tea towels, bucket and mop, vacuum cleaner, and a few rolls of toilet paper.
Laundry detergent pods are available on request (€1 per pod).
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi access is available (the access code is displayed inside the gîte). Please note that due to thick walls, some rooms may have limited or no Wi-Fi signal.
To ensure network stability and security, please limit downloads and browsing to personal use and lawful activities.
As mobile coverage (4G/5G) is limited in the area, we recommend using Wi-Fi calling (available on most recent smartphones and can be enabled in your phone’s calling/SIM settings).
Leisure
Garden furniture & plancha
Garden table and chairs, parasol, and gas plancha.
The plancha must be used on its protective mat and cleaned after use for the next guests. Please use the drip tray provided in the designated space to collect cooking grease.
Before departure, please clean and return all furniture and equipment to their original place.
Tourist information
A selection of brochures is available in the gîte, with ideas for visits (châteaux, museums, villages), nearby activities (hiking, swimming, wildlife parks, etc.), and a list of recommended restaurants and wine cellars in the area.
Please do not take the brochures and kindly put them back after reading so future guests can also enjoy them.
Sorting waste and following recycling guidelines is essential to help protect the site and the estate environment. The waste drop-off point is located at the end of the gîtes (tennis wall side):
Indoor bins must be emptied before departure.
For glass, containers are available at the entrance to the Lac de Rillé car park or in the village centre behind Rillé Town Hall.
Check-out: no later than 11:00 am
A later departure time may be considered if you let us know in advance; we will confirm whether this is possible.
Any departure after 11:00 am (or after the agreed time) may result in a late check-out fee equal to 50% of one night’s rate.
Please return the keys in person on the day of departure.
Thank you for returning the gîte in a clean and working condition. As the end-of-stay cleaning fee covers basic cleaning only, you are responsible, among other things, for cleaning the kitchen and appliances (oven, hob, fridge), washing and putting away dishes, emptying bins, and cleaning the plancha. Where applicable, an additional cleaning charge of €100 will be applied.