Once the heart of a working farm estate, the chateau is close to the village of Thièmbronne in the Pas de Calais, under an hour from the channel ports or the tunnel and about 35 minutes from Boulogne.
This 300 year old family built chateau has survived the French revolution and both world wars.
The earliest parts of Le Chateau du Gros Tison date back to the 1730s. It was once the heart of a working farm estate and other buildings have been added over the following centuries in a mix of styles.
The former gatehouses have been adapted for use as comfortable holiday cottages, but still retain all the charm of their original features.
The chateau is situated close to the historic town of Fauquembergues and the village of Thièmbronne in the Pas de Calais. It is in the St Omer region of northern France, with excellent access to all areas via the motorways linking Paris to the channel ports.
ACCOMMODATION:
The gatehouse cottages have two/three bedrooms, bath or shower, sitting-dining area and modern fitted kitchen. One has a log fire for winter months. All rooms have efficient electric radiators. Gatehouse 1 has sleeping for 5, a double bedroom, a twin and a single, shower and toilet , all on the first floor. At ground floor level is a sitting room-dining-kitchen, plus breakfast conservatory and a second toilet.This cottage has its original enclosed staircase which is steep by modern standards. The Gatehouse 2 has sleeping for 4, a double and a twin, but the main bedroom is large enough to accommodate an extra bed if required. bath/shower and toilet. Groundfloor provides sitting-dining-kitchen. Cottage 3 is larger having 4 bedrooms ( sleeps 8 ), lounge with inglenook fireplace, dining room-kitchen, 2 bathrooms.
There is one hectare of land, plus an outbuidling with the potential for a 'fermette' worth approximately an additional 50,000 Euros.
LOCAL AREA:
There are many excellent courses in this part of France. The nearest to the chateau is the competition standard St Omer just fifteen minutes by car, but other well known courses within a reasonable distance are Le Touquet, Hardelot and Wimereux. There are many fishing opportunites, excellent private pond fishing in two neighbouring villages and river fishing in the Aa and the Lys again close by, as well as inshore fishing at Etaples.
The amusement theme park Dennlys Park is at Dennebroeucq about 15 minutes from the chateau. The Vallée de l'Aa tourist train starts at Lumbres, again about 15 minutes from the chateau. You can take the train into St Omer and spend the day around the old town and the canal area , then get a return train and be home for an evening barbeque. For good reason, the region's most visited attraction is the marine world Nausicaa at Boulogne, 35 minutes from the chateau. Other popular destinations are Aqualud at Le Touquet, with both indoor and outdoor water slides, chutes and pools , and Bagatelle theme amusement park at Berck plage. Energetic parents might consider a time at Rando Rail where families can ride on a real pedal cart along old tracks , part of an abandoned railway line.
Other sites of interest:
La Coupole museum and the Eperlecques Blockhaus are former V1 V2 launch sites. Both are near St Omer . La Coupole is about 20 minutes from the chateau.
At Verchocq , barely 5 minutes away, is a riding stables, one of several within a reasonable distance.
The historic walled town of Montreuil sur Mer is a 30 minute drive and is well worth a visit for its choice of excellent restaurants.
The famous resort of Le Touquet is 40 minutes from the chateau. There you will find many fashionable boutiques cafés and restaurants, two casinos, beautiful public parks, a twice weekly open market and an atmosphere quite unlike any other.
The chateau is ideally located for those people interested in the military history of the region. Agincourt and Crecy are almost local. Arras, Vimy, Bethune , the Somme , Albert , Ypres and many other memorial sites can be visited in hours although they merit more time than that. Montreuil was General Haig's headquarters. La Coupole and Eperlecques have already been mentioned. At Etaples, a working fishing port close to Le Touquet, there are still to be found enormous concrete WW2 gun emplacements in the forest.
Shopping:
For your daily requirements a good supermarket plus other shops, including an Aldi , are located at Fauquembergues , approximately 5 minutes by car. Fauquembergues has a weekly open market in the town square by the 13th century church, and a couple of reasonable restaurants.
For the more ardent shoppers, the nearest hypermarket is at Lumbres , under 15 minutes drive . There is also a good supermarket nearby which sells more local and regional produce.
It is worth visiting the narrow lanes of St Omer's old town, where you will find items no hypermarket will stock.
The best open market is Etaples , on Tuesday and Friday from 8am until midday. As this town is a busy port for inshore fishing , the quayside restaurants serve excellent sea food and the fresh fish market is excellent.
Close to the Tunnel at Coquelles is the renowned large indoor mall City Europe. Very modern, air conditioned, easy parking but not particularly French.
Things to do & Places to visit:
There are many excellent courses in this part of France. The nearest to the chateau is the competition standard St Omer just fifteen minutes by car, but other well known courses within a reasonable distance are Le Touquet, Hardelot and Wimereux. There are many fishing opportunites, excellent private pond fishing in two neighbouring villages and river fishing in the Aa and the Lys again close by, as well as inshore fishing at Etaples.
For the young ones
The amusement theme park Dennlys Park is at Dennebroeucq about 15 minutes from the chateau. The Vallée de l'Aa tourist train starts at Lumbres, again about 15 minutes from the chateau. You can take the train into St Omer and spend the day around the old town and the canal area , then get a return train and be home for an evening barbeque. For good reason, the region's most visited attraction is the marine world Nausicaa at Boulogne, 35 minutes from the chateau. Other popular destinations are Aqualud at Le Touquet, with both indoor and outdoor water slides, chutes and pools , and Bagatelle theme amusement park at Berck plage. Energetic parents might consider a time at Rando Rail where families can ride on a real pedal cart along old tracks , part of an abandoned railway line.
Other sites of interest
La Coupole museum and the Eperlecques Blockhaus are former V1 V2 launch sites. Both are near St Omer . La Coupole is about 20 minutes from the chateau.
At Verchocq , barely 5 minutes away, is a riding stables, one of several within a reasonable distance.
The historic walled town of Montreuil sur Mer is a 30 minute drive and is well worth a visit for its choice of excellent restaurants.
The famous resort of Le Touquet is 40 minutes from the chateau. There you will find many fashionable boutiques cafés and restaurants, two casinos, beautiful public parks, a twice weekly open market and an atmosphere quite unlike any other.
War graves and sites
The chateau is ideally located for those people interested in the military history of the region. Agincourt and Crecy are almost local. Arras, Vimy, Bethune , the Somme , Albert , Ypres and many other memorial sites can be visited in hours although they merit more time than that. Montreuil was General Haig's headquarters. La Coupole and Eperlecques have already been mentioned. At Etaples, a working fishing port close to Le Touquet, there are still to be found enormous concrete WW2 gun emplacements in the forest.
Shopping
For your daily requirements a good supermarket plus other shops, including an Aldi , are located at Fauquembergues , approximately 5 minutes by car. Fauquembergues has a weekly open market in the town square by the 13th century church, and a couple of reasonable restaurants.
For the more ardent shoppers, the nearest hypermarket is at Lumbres , under 15 minutes drive . There is also a good supermarket nearby which sells more local and regional produce.
It is worth visiting the narrow lanes of St Omer's old town, where you will find items no hypermarket will stock.
The best open market is Etaples , on Tuesday and Friday from 8am until midday. As this town is a busy port for inshore fishing , the quayside restaurants serve excellent sea food and the fresh fish market is excellent.
Close to the Tunnel at Coquelles is the renowned large indoor mall City Europe. Very modern, air conditioned, easy parking but not particularly French.
