Live like a French aristocrat… from just £41 a night each: Book a grand chateau with friends and family this summer and you may be in for a bargain

Just the word ‘chateau’ sounds expensive, but staying in the castles and large country houses that were once home to French nobility doesn’t have to blow your holiday budget.

Gather the clan for a booking of up to a week and you’ll be surprised at how reasonable it can be.

BRITTANY FROM £41

Only the west wing of the 15th Century Chateau de Queblen near Quimperle has so far been restored, but the accommodation is far from medieval.

Eat in the shabby-chic kitchen-diner before moving to the elegant sitting room with marble fireplace and windows looking out to 40 acres of wooded grounds.

Among the five bedrooms, one with a wooden four-poster bed is reached via a spiral staircase. The Breton coast beaches are just 15 minutes away.

How to do it: A week in September costs from £2,896 for ten (Airbnb property reference 45252876; also see chateaudequeblen.com). Take the car ferry to St Malo from £349 return (brittany-ferries.co.uk).

NORMANDY FROM £69

A fountain plays outside the imposing Chateau du Mont, with its formal and Italian gardens. Within, rooms are full of original features and wood panelling, the nine bedrooms have a refined period air about them, and the bathrooms have been nicely modernised.

The thatched, beamed poolhouse has been converted from former stables. Bayeux and its tapestry are just 15 minutes away from this house whose guests have included the Dalai Lama and the Aga Khan.

How to do it: A week in May or September costs from £8,772 for 18 (chateaudumont-normandy.com). Take the car ferry to Le Havre from £146 return (brittany-ferries.co.uk).

BURGUNDY FROM £54

Just half an hour from Chablis, Chateau Bourgogne comes with its own wine library, and you can arrange for a sommelier to advise you which vineyards to visit. This creeper-clad property with crenelated turret and ten bedrooms has steep staircases, thick walls and a watchtower terrace.

The decor is farmhouse chic, with beamed ceilings and stone floors. A saltwater pool can be found in the grounds, and you can walk to the village to use the tennis court for free. Book a chef to rustle up something on the range cooker while you sip a glass or two.

How to do it: A week in May is from £6,004 for 16 (oliverstravels.com). Take the train to Montbard via Paris from £219 return (thetrainline.com).

LOT-ET-GARONNE FROM £48

Chateau de Galaup, near the hilltop village of Beauville, may be new to Vintage Travel’s portfolio this year, but it holds plenty of history within its thick walls, with an old archway, square keep and two stone spiral staircases.

The 15th Century property with five bedrooms has been converted into a comfortable living space that exudes relaxed elegance, with timbered ceilings and terracotta floors. Outside, a pool has far-reaching views over the rolling countryside of France’s South West. There is also a tennis court.

How to do it: A week in May is from £3,358 for ten or £2,786 for six (vintagetravel.co.uk). Fly to Bergerac from £119 return (ryanair.com).

DORDOGNE FROM £63

You can really make an entrance at the 32-acre estate at Chateau de la Forge, where wrought-iron gates open on to an avenue of trees. It leads to a classic Perigord country house with blue shutters against pale stone walls.

Expect polished wood floors, panelled walls and high ceilings in the downstairs rooms; there’s also a billiard room. Upstairs, the six bedrooms have a more modern feel, with colourful fabrics. There’s a pool in the grounds, and you can hire kayaks to paddle along the Dordogne in nearby Mussidan.

How to do it: A week in September is from £5,295 for 12 (simpsontravel.com). Fly to Bergerac from £119 return (ryanair.com).

CHAMPAGNE FROM £50

There’s surely no better place to party than in Champagne. Chateau de Mairy is just ten minutes from Chalons-en-Champagne and half an hour from Reims and Epernay, with as many cellars as you care to visit.

A historic monument, the 17th Century building with a private chapel has a genteel feel to its public rooms and 15 bedrooms, with chandeliers, panelled walls and floor-to-ceiling windows. Bathrooms and the kitchen aren’t of the same standard. Not that you need to cook here: it’s a short walk to the local restaurant, or you can book a local chef.

How to do it: A week costs from £7,145 for 20, or from £10,427 for 30 (chateaudemairy.com). Take the Eurotunnel to Calais from £232 (eurotunnel.com).

PAS DE CALAIS FROM £47

You’re unlikely to get bored at Chateau d’Hallines, which is just 30 minutes from the Eurotunnel terminal at Calais. Its indoor attractions alone include a trampoline room (yes, really), mini tennis court, games room, home cinema and snooker room. Outdoors you will find a heated pool and a tennis court.

The entrance hall leading from the exterior has a grand staircase leading to 12 colourful bedrooms sharing 11 bathrooms. Cook in the contemporary kitchen and serve dinner in the wood-panelled dining room, with its table for 30.

How to do it: A week in May is from £8,489 for 26 (holidaylettings.co.uk; ref 9074565). Take the Eurotunnel to Calais from £232 (eurotunnel.com).

PROVENCE FROM £71

A former retreat for French royalty, Chateau Aubenas near Forcalquier has an elevated view over the rolling hills of the Luberon. In gated grounds with a pool amid the pine trees, an olive grove and a sun terrace with barbecue, this cream-stone mansion is all about outdoor living.

Not that the interiors have been neglected; huge rooms with high ceilings have been decorated in a light palette, the modern, minimalist look rubbing shoulders with original features.

A dormitory for four children is in the tower, and there are four other bedrooms for eight adults.

How to do it: A week in August costs from £6,015 for 12 (cvvillas.com). Fly to Marseille from £92 return (ryanair.com).