This château-stay near Compiègne is all-round family bliss

As you’re welcomed by charming hosts, Clary and Antoine, who have thought of every sumptuous detail to make the grown ups’ French château experience as memorable as the kids’, you may well feel you’ve all landed in French heaven.

From the upper level of this stunning Napoléon III château, there’s a beautiful family suite with two adjoining bedrooms, an indulgent bathroom, panoramic view of the grounds, a football ground to kick around in (with real goals by the way), table-tennis, swings, slide and lots of animals to meet: take the resident peacock Léon – tamed by and part of the family.

Rest assured that family-friendly Château Le Quesnoy provides all the baby kit you’ll need (hurray for travelling light!), and bikes are offered up too, so why not head off on the free-wheeling adventure that is the Compiègne forest with its enchanting cycle routes, just 6 km away. While you’re there, be sure to steer to the jewel in the forest’s crown: the exquisite medieval castle Château de Pierrefonds (wow factor guaranteed) and take a lakeside stroll, ice-cream in hand, for a real crowd-pleaser. There are other things to do besides near Château Le Quesnoy: an artisan chocolate maker’s (tasting obligatoire!), pony rides, paddle-boarding, a mini-farm complete with animals to pet, and of course, the Palais de Compiègne with its perfect-for-picnics ‘Percée des Beaux-Monts’ – a tree-lined avenue, stretching as far as the eye can see.

Back at base, there’s joyfully no need to scratch your head about where to eat dinner tonight – there’s a half-board option right here! Clary prepares wonderful dishes that everyone will dive right into – you can even ask her to make the kids’ favourite, if that makes life easier. Better still is that nothing’s too formal, so if the children want to have a run around outside while they’re waiting for dessert, so be it!

Factoring in some me-time for the adults is taken care of too at Château Le Quesnoy. Just ask Clary to call up her beauty therapist for a much-deserved massage treatment: with the kids occupied in the grounds or with a babysitter, that’s your dose of wellness covered! How’s that for your short-break recipe for success?