Domaine de la Thiau hosts weddings, birthday parties, receptions and seminars for up to 174 seated guests in a 200 square meter hall, with the estate hired to a single group. The property sits on a 3-hectare park near the Loire, about 4 km from the center of Briare on the road to Gien, in the Loiret.
Seminars and company events
Seminars are sold by the day or on a custom basis. The estate also offers a 24-hour or 48-hour formula for receptions and seminars that includes all the accommodation on site, which suits a team that wants to work, eat and sleep in one place. The reception hall comes with a sound system, lighting, a video projector and a white screen. During an event no other paying guests or receptions are accepted, so the group has the house, the park and the outbuildings to itself. Free parking is inside the property, and Wi-Fi is available.
Weddings and receptions
For weddings the estate is rented for 48 hours, for example from Friday at 3 pm to Sunday at 3 pm. A lay ceremony can take place in the landscaped park, and a 1,200 square meter outdoor area in front of the hall works for the cocktail and the next-day brunch. The owners set no time limit at night, charge no corkage and impose no suppliers. They share advice and lists of local providers on request.
Rooms and capacities
The reception hall measures 200 square meters and seats 174 guests, with a dance floor. A kitchen office is set aside for the caterer. Outside, the 1,200 square meter forecourt and the 2-hectare landscaped park give space for drinks, games and photos under old trees, including red oaks and a cedar the owners describe as three hundred years old. The page title mentions 180 guests; the detailed text gives 174 seated.
Accommodation
The estate can sleep 31 people across its guest rooms and gîtes. The guest house holds two suites, François 1er and Marguerite de Navarre, and two rooms, Louise de Savoie and Claude de France. Four independent gîtes in the old farm buildings complete the offer: Gîte de la Loire for 2, Gîte de la Ferme for 3, Gîte de la Vigne and Gîte du Val for up to 6 each. The owner has stopped selling nightly bed and breakfast stays, but the estate remains open for event formulas and for stays of at least four nights.
Catering
There is no in-house restaurant or caterer. Organizers bring the caterer of their choice, who works from the kitchen office next to the hall.
History and setting
The guest house dates from the early 18th century and was fully renovated in 2001. The park has a tennis court, table tennis, deckchairs and a small gym, and a private path of about 300 meters leads to the Loire towpath for walks. The Briare canal bridge, Gien and its château, and the vineyards of Sancerre are within a short drive.
Getting there
From Paris, take the A6 then the A77 toward Nevers and leave at exit 20 for Briare; the estate is about 2 km from the motorway exit, on the D952 toward Gien. Paris is about 150 km away, Orléans 70 km, Bourges and Auxerre about 80 km. For GPS, the owners suggest entering "La Grande Thiau" or "La Thiau" in Briare.
