Stay 
Louis Mandrin’s birthplace
approx. 1 km
A house dating from 1515 in the middle of the village, bought by the Mandrin family in 1644. The famous smuggler Louis Mandrin was born here on 11 February 1725 and left it in 1752.
Château des Ayes: a night in a château at Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs
The Château des Ayes stands in Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs, in the Isère, in the Dauphiné, the village where the famous smuggler Louis Mandrin was born. According to the Expedia listing, this country house offers overnight stays with a pool, sauna, whirlpool, garden and terrace, and also hosts weddings and seminars. Grenoble-Alpes-Isère airport is very close.
At a glance
- Location
- Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs, Isère department (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), at the southern edge of the Bièvre plain, about 33 km as the crow flies from Grenoble
- Accommodation
- Country château presented by Expedia as a venue for stays, weddings and seminars, with a restaurant
- Highlights
- Pool, sauna, whirlpool, massages, gym, garden, terrace, very fast free Wi-Fi, on-site parking
- Guest rating
- 8.0/10 from 274 reviews on Expedia (as of 14 Oct 2026)
- Check-in & check-out
- Check-in from 4 pm · check-out at 10 am
- Good to know
- Pets allowed (restrictions may apply) · breakfast at extra cost · smoking outdoors only · housekeeping with limited availability
Staying at the Château des Ayes: a night in the Dauphiné countryside
To stay at the Château des Ayes is to choose a large house in open countryside, in Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs. The title of the Expedia listing highlights accommodation, weddings, seminars and a restaurant, so the house also serves as a reception venue. It has a garden and a terrace.
For relaxation, the listing mentions a pool, a sauna, a whirlpool, massages and a gym. Wi-Fi is free in all rooms, at a stated speed above 500 Mbit/s. Rooms are described with bed linen and towels provided, a hairdryer, cable or satellite TV, a kettle and central heating; some have a separate dining area or a sofa bed.
Breakfast is available for an extra charge. The listing also mentions a concierge service, room service, a cooking service, and a laundry with iron and tumble dryer. Housekeeping has limited availability.
Photos of Château des Ayes
Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs: a little history around the Château des Ayes
- 13th century – The pink-brick fortress of Bressieux is built, seat of one of the four baronies of the Dauphiné.
- 1349 – The Dauphiné becomes part of the kingdom of France through the treaty of union of the Dauphiné with France.
- 1515 – Construction of the house that would later become Louis Mandrin’s birthplace, in the middle of the village.
- 1644 – The Mandrin family acquires the house.
- 1725 – Birth, on 11 February, of Louis Mandrin, a famous smuggler of the Ancien Régime.
- 1790 – The province of the Dauphiné is dissolved when France is divided into départements.
- 1904 – The ruins of the Château de Bressieux are listed as a historic monument.
- 1968 – Grenoble-Alpes-Isère airport is created on the commune’s territory, the year of the Grenoble Winter Olympics.
The sources consulted do not detail the history of the Château des Ayes itself, so this section presents the area around it. Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs is a small town in the Bièvre plain, at the foot of the last foothills of the Chambaran plateau, in the former province of the Dauphiné.
In the middle of the village, Louis Mandrin’s birthplace is a three-storey former seigneurial seat that once stood on arcades. A few kilometres away, the ruins of Bressieux recall the region’s feudal past.
Facilities and services at the Château des Ayes
The details below come from the Expedia listing (as of 14 Oct 2026); facilities may vary depending on the accommodation booked.
Relaxation & wellness
- Pool
- Sauna
- Whirlpool
- Massages
- Gym
Rooms
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms
- Bed linen and towels provided
- Hairdryer
- Cable or satellite TV
- Kettle
- Separate dining area and sofa bed in some accommodation
- Central heating
Services
- Breakfast at extra cost
- Concierge
- Room service
- Cooking service
- Laundry, iron and tumble dryer
- Housekeeping with limited availability
Grounds & events
- Garden
- Terrace
- On-site parking
- Weddings and seminars
- Smoking areas outdoors only
Where the Château des Ayes is: between Grenoble, Lyon and the Bièvre plain
The Château des Ayes is in Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs, in the Isère, at the southern edge of the Bièvre plain. According to Wikipedia, the town centre is about 41 km from Grenoble and 87 km from Lyon by road; Grenoble is some thirty kilometres away as the crow flies. Grenoble-Alpes-Isère airport, which lies largely within the commune, is about 7 minutes away by car according to Expedia, and Beaucroissant station 14 minutes.
Around the château, Expedia lists the Château de Bressieux and the Bressieux museum, ENAC Grenoble and, within 15 km, the Hector Berlioz Museum and the Cherry Rocher liqueur museum. Louis Mandrin’s birthplace is about 1 km away, and the Parménie charterhouse, on the heights, about ten kilometres.
Further afield, Voiron opens onto the Chartreuse massif, Grenoble onto the Alps and Vienne onto the Rhône valley. Expedia also mentions the Chambaran natural park, a wooded plateau next to the village.
Distances (as the crow flies from the Château des Ayes)
| Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs (village) | approx. 400 m |
| Saint-Geoirs (village) | approx. 800 m |
| Louis Mandrin’s birthplace | approx. 1 km |
| Grenoble-Alpes-Isère Airport | approx. 4 km |
| Château de Bressieux (ruins) | approx. 6 km |
| Parménie Charterhouse | approx. 9 km |
| La Côte-Saint-André | approx. 10 km |
| Voiron | approx. 19 km |
| Grenoble | approx. 33 km |
| Vienne | approx. 43 km |
Distances calculated as the crow flies; driving times to the airport and the station are taken from the Expedia listing.
Things to see around the Château des Ayes
Château de Bressieux
approx. 6 km
Ruins of a 13th-century fortress built of pink brick, seat of one of the four baronies of the Dauphiné. Listed as a historic monument in 1904, the site can be visited freely.
Parménie Charterhouse
approx. 9 km
A former Carthusian monastery at 749 m above sea level in the commune of Beaucroissant, overlooking the Isère valley and the Bièvre-Valloire area.
La Côte-Saint-André and the Hector Berlioz Museum
approx. 10 km
Birthplace of the composer Hector Berlioz (1803–1869). His childhood home, listed in 1942, is now a museum with the “Musée de France” label; the Berlioz Festival is held here every year.
Voiron
approx. 19 km
A town at the foot of the Chartreuse massif, former seat of the County of Sermorens, joined to the Dauphiné in 1355. Today it is the administrative seat of the Pays voironnais.
Grenoble
approx. 33 km
Capital of the Isère department and former capital of the Dauphiné, nicknamed the “capital of the Alps”. It hosted the 1968 Winter Olympics.
Tours & activities near Château des Ayes
Experiences in the region that you can book online with Viator:
First canyoning in Grenoble in the Vercors
The baptism of canyoning in Grenoble with Yes We Canyon is the pledge of a canyon descent out of the ordinary. In a preserved setting and to discover …
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Sports canyoning in the Vercors near Grenoble
Incredible excursion in the Ecouges canyon. One of the most beautiful canyon in Europe. Located on the Vercors, an extraordinary Pre-Alpine massif …
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Canyoning discovery in the Vercors - Grenoble
This outing will allow you to discover canyoning in the Vercors massif. I will guide you in the Versoud canyon with good humor and make sure that you …
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Canyoning Grenoble: the Furon canyon
The Furon is a super playful and grandiose Canyon, with an essential descent of the Vercors massif. Photos of your outing will be offered to you. The …
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Canyoning Grenoble: the Canyon of Ecouges
Exceptional canyon, due to its intensity and diversity. numerous jumps and slides, 3 large abseils with a view of the valley. the super ejectable …
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Discover Grenoble while playing! Escape game - The alchemist
Go on an adventure in the city of your choice in France with our Urban Escape Games. Stroll through the city with your team (with family or friends) …
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Grenoble Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt
Grenoble is ringed by Alps, powered by innovation, and full of history most visitors are too distracted by the mountains to notice. This app-led …
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Grenoble Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game
Grenoble becomes the crime scene in this self-guided detective game, where the clues are hidden in plain sight in the streets around you. The case is …
View details ›Some descriptions are machine-translated.
Who is the Château des Ayes for?
Relaxing for two or with friends
Pool, sauna, whirlpool and massages: the listing offers plenty of ways to unwind in the countryside.
Weddings & seminars
The title of the listing highlights weddings, seminars and an on-site restaurant.
Local history fans
Mandrin’s birthplace, the ruins of Bressieux, Berlioz’s house and the Parménie charterhouse are all within ten kilometres as the crow flies.
Travellers in transit
Grenoble-Alpes-Isère airport, from which several Alpine ski resorts can be reached, is 7 minutes away by car.
Good to know before booking the Château des Ayes
- Check-in is possible from 4 pm; check-out is at 10 am.
- Pets are allowed, though restrictions may apply: it is best to check with the property.
- Breakfast is available for an extra charge.
- Smoking is permitted outdoors only.
- Housekeeping has limited availability.
- The listing highlights weddings and seminars, so it may be worth asking whether an event is planned on your dates.
Find available dates at Château des Ayes
Frequently asked questions
Can you stay overnight at the Château des Ayes?
Yes, the accommodation can be booked via Expedia. The listing presents it as a country château with a pool, sauna and garden.
Is there a swimming pool?
Yes, according to Expedia the property has a pool. The listing also mentions a sauna, a whirlpool and a gym.
Are pets allowed?
Yes, pets are allowed, though restrictions may apply. It is advisable to check with the property.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-in is possible from 4 pm and check-out is at 10 am.
Is there parking on site?
Yes, parking spaces are available on the property’s grounds.
How far is Grenoble airport?
Grenoble-Alpes-Isère airport is about 7 minutes away by car according to Expedia, and 4 km as the crow flies.
Room photos, guest reviews and available dates are all in the Château des Ayes listing on Expedia.
Fancy a night in a château in the Isère? Check availability and current prices for the Château des Ayes on Expedia.
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