Stories of the Château
The history of Château de la Boutinière is what first drew us here. Over time, the story of the château has become clearer, shaped not by legend but by documented family history passed down through generations.
Château de la Boutinière was built in 1872 by the French architect Lubec and commissioned by a French widow, Madame Patricia Proa. She is believed to have been around 45 years old at the time, and the château was built for her grandchildren.
Madame Proa’s family originated from Michigan in the United States. Her father and grandfather, Messieurs Martineau, sailed from the USA to France in 1818 in their own sailing boat, accompanied by their servants. A few years later, around 1823, they purchased approximately 500 hectares of land, including a small hamlet known as La Boutinière.
This history came to life for us in 2022, when Madame Proa’s great-great-great-granddaughters, now living in Paris, visited Château de la Boutinière. Since then, they return regularly, each visit bringing new fragments of the estate’s past – copies of original garden plans, family documents, and photographs, including an oil painting of Madame Proa herself.
Becoming custodians of Château de la Boutinière means preserving these authentic stories and honouring the people who shaped this place long before us. As we continue the restoration, we do so with a deep respect for its origins and its enduring family legacy.
Alison
I have always wanted to live somewhere like this but property prices in the UK meant my dream had been abandoned
Zion is a Master builder with a background in engineering, I’m an interior designer. We first met on the dance floor and it was an instant attraction, so we continued as dance partners and soon became life partners and business partners, restoring properties in the UK.
One day, we saw Escape to the Château DIY, and our whole world shifted. We knew exactly what we wanted to do.
After looking at over 20 châteaux and a few false starts, we found Château de la Boutinière on a historical website. It was stunning. We asked a friend to drop a note through the door to see if the owners would consider an offer.
Little did we realise our friend would have to clamber over fallen trees to get down the drive! He thought he’d stumbled upon the castle from Beauty and the Beast!
Nothing in the photos prepared us for the first sight of the Château. Although it had been attacked by vandals spraying graffiti on its exterior walls, we could see past this to the handmade mosaic tiles on the doorstep, the limestone staircase, the hand-painted fresco ceilings, the solid oak doors and the linen-fold paneling – we were blown away. And the views! The majestic English park, the sweeping drive, the red roofs of the farm buildings glinting in the evening sun – it’s impossible to do justice to its beauty.
Zion
For me, Chateâu de la Boutinière is the perfect labour of love. I feel very lucky.
She’s a beautiful old building that drew us in like a magnet. I can use all the skills I’ve learned over the years, building and restoring homes for other people, to bring this beauty back to life.
We’re going to create the perfect home for Alison and I and the perfect family holiday and wedding destination for our clients and friends.
We have plans upon plans!
Our first job has been to make sure the Château is habitable, then we’ll start the huge project of restoring the grounds and gardens. We aim to create holiday gîtes and the perfect wedding venue and are hoping to hold our first wedding in 2022. We also have ambitions to be self-sufficient. We have a generator for electricity and a well for water. We have plans to create a walled vegetable garden.
I grew up in Israel, and for a while I lived in a kibbutz, spending my days in the workshops. I love the idea of a community of friends coming together to create something incredible. That’s why we’re so keen to share our adventure.
Our Château Journey
Contact Us
Get in touch with Alison and Zion
To join our Garden Days or Tea & Tour Afternoons, please visit our Château Events page for upcoming dates.
To celebrate your wedding, host a private event or plan a romantic escape at Château de la Boutinière, please contact us directly.