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Hospitality

Château Saint-Jean

Private client - Montluçon

Chapel

A legendary site in Montluçon, the current château, awarded Relais & Châteaux status, has had many lives before revealing its immeasurable charm and serenity to us today.

To enhance the building’s architecture and the history of the site, the Delion family entrusted the interior architecture and design of this exceptional project to Jouin Manku. The château’s gourmet restaurant was thus conceived within the Chapel itself, which now lends its name to the dining room. A subtle modernity, deeply rooted in the Auvergne identity, has also been infused into the heart of the bar and the reception’s common areas.

While the design of Alain Ducasse’s restaurant at the Plaza Athénée stood out for its electrifying boldness, the aesthetic approach here has shifted toward a monastic simplicity, in perfect harmony with the building’s historical foundations.

Without detracting from the sacred atmosphere of the old chapel, a massive yet ethereal bell has been designed to break the echo in the nave, where tables for 22 guests are set. Each alcove invites guests to imagine the secrets of the 12th century, enhanced by the weathered stones and the scars of time that tell their own story. Finally, a charming parquet floor made of thousands of small wooden slats, paired with rough marble featuring shaded veins, completes a contemporary aesthetic that proudly embodies the Auvergne region.
Château Saint-Jean, Jouin Manku © Château Saint-Jean
Chapel, Château Saint-Jean, Jouin Manku © Château Saint-Jean

Bar

During the gourmet restaurant’s opening hours, the large, cozy bar is THE place to be. The Auvergne region, its volcanoes, its land, and the black stone from the mines are evoked through the design. Very contemporary, the bar features a central fireplace made of Volvic stone, reminiscent of a volcano. Several enveloping seats that can be turned to face one another captivate visitors with their shapes, which set the entire atmosphere of the space. 

The rich materials, the objects, the skylights, and the elements evoking the region: these are what bring the vision of the two designers to life. A love of innovation and the creation of something exceptional—something never seen before—manifests here as the primary inspiration guiding this project.
Bar, Château Saint-Jean, Jouin Manku © Château Saint-Jean
Bar, Château Saint-Jean, Jouin Manku © Château Saint-Jean

Process

Château Saint-Jean, Jouin Manku © Jouin Manku
Château Saint-Jean, Jouin Manku © Jouin Manku

Informations

Interior Architecture and Design   Jouin Manku
Patrick Jouin
Sanjit Manku
Charlotte Cardaire
Eloïse Dallonville
Bruno Pimpanini
François Isone

Custom Furniture

Patrick Jouin iD

Materials

Granito with copper, leather, fabric, brushed metal, and oak accents

Year

2019

Credits

© Château Saint-Jean