Wedding at Château de Vallery: a photographer’s guide
A Renaissance château of the Princes of Condé, an hour south-east of Paris on the edge of Burgundy
By Marion Pinel, destination wedding photographer · Updated
Château de Vallery is a Renaissance château designed by Pierre Lescot from 1548, later the residence of the Princes of Condé, a listed historic monument in the Yonne, about 100 km and an hour south-east of Paris. It is hired with full exclusivity for weddings of up to about 300 guests, with 28 rooms and suites on site, free choice of caterer and no time limit.
- Location
- Vallery, Yonne
- Access
- Paris ~1 h · 100 km
- Rooms
- 28 rooms and suites
- Guests
- Up to ~300
The venue: a Renaissance château of the Condé
Château de Vallery was designed by Pierre Lescot, architect of the Louvre, for Marshal Jacques d’Albon de Saint-André from 1548, on the site of a medieval fortress. It passed to the Princes of Condé in 1564, who kept it until 1747, and the village church holds the mausoleum of Henri II de Condé. The gardens and the château are listed historic monuments.
The estate combines the Renaissance wing, medieval cellars, a yew park and hanging gardens, in 5 hectares of park and 60 hectares of forest.
Where the ceremony and reception take place
According to the château’s reception spaces and its wedding page:
- The church, the halls or the grounds: for the ceremony.
- The Salle des Tentures: about 240 for a cocktail and 140 for dinner.
- The Music Room and the Arbour: up to about 330 seated.
- The medieval cellars and the Oriental Pavilion: for the party and the late hours.
The château offers full exclusivity, free choice of caterer and no time limit. French Wedding Style lists hire from €18,000 in peak season, with a two-night minimum.
Photo spots to plan for
When I prepare a wedding at a venue, I study its layout, its orientation and its light beforehand, so that the day flows without anyone waiting for photos. At Château de Vallery, these are the places I would build the day around:
The Renaissance wing
Carved stone and tall windows by Pierre Lescot: the signature backdrop of the estate.
The yew park and hanging gardens
Topiary, terraces and perspectives for editorial portraits in the evening light.
The medieval cellars
Vaulted stone and candlelight for a moody, intimate series at night.
Light and timing
Vallery lies in the open countryside of the Yonne, so the evening light is long and warm over the park. The stone of the Renaissance wing turns golden at the end of the day.
In late June the sun sets around 21:55 in the Yonne, and around 19:35 by the end of September.
A wedding day here, hour by hour
An example timeline I would suggest for a late-June wedding:
- 14:00
- Getting ready in the château rooms
- 16:00
- First look in the hanging gardens
- 17:00
- Ceremony in the church or the grounds
- 18:00
- Cocktail in the yew park, family photos
- 20:30
- Golden-hour portraits by the Renaissance wing
- 21:00
- Dinner in the Salle des Tentures
- 23:00
- Cake and party in the medieval cellars
Getting there and where to stay
Vallery is about 100 km from Paris, around an hour by car, between Sens and Montereau.
The 28 rooms and suites sleep about 56 guests according to French Wedding Style, so most of the wedding party can stay on site. Around the wedding, take your guests to Sens and its cathedral, or to the forest of Fontainebleau.
Editorial wedding photography in Paris
See a wedding at the Ritz Paris and a wedding at Château du Prieuré, and my guides to the Ritz Paris and Château de Nainville, where I have photographed.
Paris wedding photographer →Questions about a wedding at Château de Vallery
Where is Château de Vallery?
In Vallery, in the Yonne, about 100 km and an hour south-east of Paris.
How many guests can Château de Vallery host?
According to the château, up to about 330 seated in the Music Room and the Arbour, and 140 in the Salle des Tentures.
Can guests stay on site?
Yes. The château has 28 rooms and suites, sleeping about 56 according to French Wedding Style.
How much does a wedding at Château de Vallery cost?
French Wedding Style lists hire from €18,000 in peak season, with a two-night minimum. Check current rates with the château.