This is a story about stories. About how the individual tales of an impassioned woman (Madame Laëtitia Morlat), a forgotten region in France (the Périgord), and four historical properties (Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil) collide to create something special and sustainable for generations to come.
But let’s start at the beginning. Before Madame Morlat and before Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil, there was the Périgord – an historic French province split into four colour-coded regions: the Périgord Vert, Périgord Blanc, Périgord Noir, and Périgord Pourpre. Today, you might know it as the Dordogne département.
France’s forgotten province
Our story takes place in the Périgord Vert. Somewhere that feels utterly in the middle of nowhere, but in truth, is no more than two hours away from Bordeaux, Paris, and Saint-Tropez by car or helicopter (a choice that doesn’t shave any time off the journey but certainly adds a splash of noisy extravagance to this otherwise quiet luxury escape).
Whether arriving by road or air, you’ll be welcomed with the same sights: grapes swelling on vines under the southern sun, villages that look like they’ve been plucked from the pages of a fairytale book, sunflowers swaying side by side in rolling fields, and 1,000 (yes, one thousand) castles protruding proudly from rounded hills.
Despite this idyllic description, without the usual enticing symptoms of sea or city, this patch of French countryside had been somewhat overlooked. Until an impassioned woman made it her personal mission to preserve it, that is. A journey that will ultimately lead Madame Morlat to becoming known as the ‘guardian of history and heritage’ in the Périgord.
(L) © Madame Morlat by Franck Sonnet | (R) Château de Marqueyssac
The guardian of history and heritage
‘Nobody wanted to do it, so I said I’ll do it,’ says Madame Morlat. ‘It’s interesting to uncover parts of France that nobody knows, and I want to introduce people to this part of the Périgord.’
But Madame Morlat’s connection with the area runs much deeper – her family history dates back to the early 1200s, so it’s where she was born and raised. And despite having travelled and lived all over the world, the Périgord pulls her back time and time again.
What started as a desire to transform some rooms in her private home into guest rooms, soon exploded into the vision for Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil: four all-inclusive private estates that have been elegantly restored whilst revitalising the rich cultural heritage surrounding them.
Whilst they all share certain features – heated swimming pools, padel and tennis courts, and carefully curated artwork – each property has its own personality.
‘I love every property because each one contains a part of my soul and my spirit,’ says Madame Morlat. ‘Every property has its own story, and I want my visitors to be able to feel that when they are with us.’
The properties
© Gaelle Le Boulicaut
Château de Chanet
This honey-hued home is made for lovers. In fact, it’s where Madame Morlat spent her honeymoon. Inside the dry moat surrounding the property, you’ll find a giant chess set, a cosy film room, and 11 uniquely designed bedrooms (each named after an inspiring woman). It also has a secret: a cave containing several scrolls preserved in glass bottles, each containing a previous guest’s wish. Those brave enough can squeeze through its tiny entrance to retrieve someone else’s wish – and leave their own.
Sleeps 23 | domainedevieuxmareuil.com/chateau-de-chanet
Domaine de Bagatelle
The name of the game? Fun. The players? 16 of your nearest and dearest. This property’s chic, cream-clad rooms are all open-plan and airy. But our favourite space is the Orangerie – home to a row of bi-fold French doors that expose the raised patio that’s perfect for alfresco lunches and the infinity pool that overlooks an untouched patch of Périgord countryside. And with a spa, sauna, gym, and four more bedrooms on the way later this year, the future of this property is even brighter than the sun streaming through its windows.
Sleeps 16 | domainedevieuxmareuil.com/domaine-de-bagatelle
© Ivonis - Lucas Gorry
© Wilma
Domaine de Lavy
With a name that phonetically sounds out as the French word for life (“la vie”), it’s no surprise that Madame Morlat wanted to express a sense of eternity with Domaine de Lavy. This multi-level residence (made up of two separate houses – the original manor and the Soldier’s House) and its meticulously manicured gardens slant over a hillside in Saint-Pierre-de-Cole. Curl up in the cosy library, tinkle the keys of the grand piano, and taste the local honey varieties. Bucolic bliss.
Sleeps 20 | domainedevieuxmareuil.com/domaine-de-lavy
La Roussie Villa
Not a château, nor a manor. La Roussie Villa is an authentic former farmhouse that oozes warmth. But don’t get us wrong: it’s equally as elegant as its sisters. It’s Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil’s pint-sized property ideal for families seeking the chance to escape and reconnect. Inside, the art adorning the walls paints a picture of Madame Morlat’s eight years’ living in Japan. Outside, woodlands wrap the 17th-century home in a warm embrace that feels seriously secluded. The only order of the day? Sundowners on the sun-drenched terrace.
Sleeps 8 | domainedevieuxmareuil.com/villa-de-la-roussie
La Roussie Villa
By breathing new life into four once-forgotten properties, Madame Morlat has also breathed new life into their once-forgotten land – the Périgord. Thanks to the employment opportunities Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil has brought to the province, she has witnessed first-hand the local villages slowly repopulate after decades of desertion.
Speaking of guests and employees alike, Madame Morlat says, “Everyone brings their own meaning to Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil. It starts with me and carries on through everyone.”
It really feels like stepping into a fairytale frozen in time. A place where the owner’s brother went to school with the butcher’s father (true story), and everyone might burst into song and dance at any moment – which does, in fact, happen when Madame Morlat breaks into a short rendition of Nina Simone’s Feeling Good when describing how she wants all her guests to feel at Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil.
© Gaelle Le Boulicaut
The concept of kintsugi
Swiftly after moving to Japan, Madame Morlat became enamoured with the art of kintsugi: fixing something broken with something beautiful to enhance its value – like gluing the pieces of a fractured vase back together with literal gold.
“I am not broken because of my cancer. Because I have a life to live. The same goes for these properties,” says Madame Morlat, demonstrating how kintsugi’s metaphor for life has seeped into all aspects of her own.
Despite appearances, nothing at Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil is new. Because, in Madame Morlat’s eyes, nothing is broken. Everything in these properties was either here before the renovation and upcycled or sourced from antique shops around the world to give them a new life and home.
But it might surprise you to hear that the true gold in Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil’s offering isn’t in its picturesque surroundings or its exquisitely curated décor. No, it’s in something that can’t be seen at all: its service.
© Gaelle Le Boulicaut
Five-star service
Blending the privacy of an exclusive villa with the ease of five-star hotel service is a winning formula – and Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil nails it.
‘People need to be reunified in a special place, where it’s only them. Not in a hotel – in a villa. With everything we provide,’ says Madame Morlat.
The team works tirelessly to seamlessly pre-empt all guests’ needs. But none more so than the main group contact (you know, the one who usually books the property, organises all the activities, sources the staff, and manages everyone’s expectations). They describe this strain as ‘emotional labour’ – something that prevents this person from truly switching off. And by taking care of all this and more, they grant everyone in the group the invaluable gift of time.
In other words: a stay at one of Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil’s properties gives you the time and space to rewrite your own story – even if only for a week or two.
