The western side ofcChateau de Detilly on a sunny day

It was a warm July morning when we first turned the key in the weathered wooden doors of Château de Détilly. Birdsong clung to the trees. The air smelled of sun-warmed stone and dry grass. The wheat fields wavered in the heat like a mirage. What I remember most, though, was the silence—a silence so deep my own thoughts felt unfamiliar. For most of my life in France, Paris was my compass. I taught at the Nouvelle Sorbonne and Sciences Po and lived just outside the city, close

Breakfast at Chateau de Detilly is more than a breakfast—it's and event. We serve only the best of everything.

The rose garden at Château de Deétilly is one of the biggest privately-owned ones in the Loire Valley. It has 81 arches and thousands of rose bushes.

Chateau de Detilly looking beautiful for an event.

The château seen from the southern side in summer

The original Château de Détilly also began as a hunting lodge built by Joseph II, the archbishop of Tours, in the 10th century on the site of an ancient Roman villa—Villa Destilliacus.

Greetings from Writers' Retreats in the Loire Valley! I’m delighted to share my journey as a novelist, playwright, and writing mentor with you. Here, you’ll find insights into my creative process, updates on my books and plays, and reflections on the writing life. You’ll also learn about the writers’ groups and retreats I’ve established, where passionate storytellers gather to hone their craft.