A committed and passionate family
Thanks to a love for fine wines and a passion for the property, Luc and Clémence Planty acquired Château de Malle in 2024.
They have a broad set of ambitions:
To honour history. To celebrate the present. To anticipate the future.
For a shared vision:
Live and rejoice to create a living place with a generous soul.
Luc Planty, a native of Bordeaux, comes from a line of winegrowers dating back to 1641. Trained as an agricultural engineer, he is passionately committed to the preservation, study and reproduction of genetic resources. As president of the Bordeaux white grape varieties conservatory, his ambition is to find the most authentic expression of the great terroirs, based on natural genetic resources.
In life and in the vineyard, Luc Planty embodies boundless dedication.
Clémence Planty grew up in the heart of the great plains of Normandy. Big family gatherings were a source of inspiration, ultimately leading her to study hotel management internationally before eventually returning to France. She settled in Bordeaux, where she developed a passion for wine and honed her exceptional communication and marketing skills.
Her day-to-day work is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of this historic heritage.
400 years of history
-
1598Château de Malle was built at the instigation of Jacques de Malle, a member of an illustrious Gironde family and President of the Bordeaux Parliament
-
1650
Three generations after Jacques de Malle, the estate was managed by Pierre de Malle, adviser to Louis XIV, Minister of Justices at the Court of Guyenne, and a member of the Bordeaux parliament, continuing the family tradition.
-
1702
Jeanne de Malle married Alexandre Eutrope de Lur-Saluces, Chevalier, Comte d'Uza, Vicomte d'Aureilhan, Baron de Fargues, de Malengin and other places. One hundred years after its construction, this magnificent residence seemed to promise an exceptionally radiant future.
-
1717
The gardens of Château de Malle began to take shape, inspired both by the gardens of Louis the Sun King and the aspirations of the Renaissance period, thereby linking it to the previous century.
-
1785
Louis-Amédée de Lur-Saluces married Françoise Joséphine de Sauvage d'Yquem. Meanwhile, the youngest son, Louis-Alexandre, lived in Malle and continued the Lur Saluces de Malle line.
-
1793
Claude-Henri de Lur-Saluces was guillotined in Bordeaux. A highly symbolic execution, intended to prove that it was impossible to live as an aristocrat during the Terror.
-
1855
At the Paris World Fair, Napoleon III ordered a classification of wines. The Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industry initiated the project for the Gironde. Château de Malle was ranked as a Grand Cru Classé.
-
1943
The gardens were listed as a Historic Monument by the French Ministry of Culture. The residence subsequently received this distinction in 1949.
-
2001
In the gardens, the decorative flowerbeds were recreated according to the original 18th-century plan.
-
2024
Somewhat abandoned by its inhabitants, Luc and Clémence Planty acquired the entire property, with the promise of preserving it.
16th century
The residence was built. Château de Malle was an innovation in its day, combining the classical style and the Renaissance period. The identity of the architect behind Malle's design remains a mystery, and its secrets have been long forgotten.
17th century
Louis XIV established his residence at Versailles, surrounded by his Court, an eminent symbol of his authority and influence in Europe. In 1691, to remedy the deterioration in the state's finances, the Royal Edict prohibited the use of gold. As a result, Capucine-style joinery was installed in Château de Malle.
18th century
The 18th-century Château was adorned with gardens, pediments and a number of majestic interior decorative features that have been preserved to this day.
19th century
The Lur-Saluces de Malle family was elected royalist deputy for the Gironde for four successive terms, a fine revenge after the Revolution. Château de Malle returned to the front ranks of Bordeaux's great properties.
20th century
Extraordinary work was carried out at Château de Malle, particularly in terms of the gardens’ ornamental features. Subsequently, the château, which had been neglected for some years, was put up for sale with the aim of preserving this historic jewel.
21th century
Inspired by their love for fine architecture and vineyards, Luc and Clémence Planty are a passionate family whose ambitions include celebrating the present and anticipating the future of Château de Malle.
The Château
Château de Malle was classified as a Historic Monument on 8 September 1949 by the French Ministry of Culture, which described it as a residence and farm built at the end of the 16th century for Jacques de Malle, President of the Bordeaux Parliament.
The château is U-shaped and opens onto the main courtyard. It is built on a slope that has been divided into a succession of terraces that continue into the gardens. The main accommodation is flanked by two wings that turn perpendicularly onto the courtyard, each ending in a large corner tower with an imperial-style roof.
In the early 18th century, the château was embellished and the famous gardens for which Château de Malle is renowned were created.
The strength of Château de Malle lies in its well-preserved architecture and interior decoration, characterised by period furniture and paintings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.
In the early 18th century, the château was embellished and the famous gardens for which Château de Malle is renowned were created.
The strength of Château de Malle lies in its well-preserved architecture and interior decoration, characterised by period furniture and paintings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Book the tourThe Garden
The garden surrounding Château de Malle stands out for its authentic character and unique style in the region. Classified as a historic monument on 2 December 1943 by the Ministry of Culture, it is also recognised as a “Remarkable Garden”.
The beautifully landscaped grounds cover 6.5 hectares around the château. An innovation at the time, they differed from contemporary “French-style gardens” with Italian Renaissance inspiration creating a link to the previous century.
Château de Malle’s grounds are a harmonious blend of the Italian gardens created by the great princes of Tuscany, Rome and Naples, and the gardens designed by Le Nôtre at the Château de Versailles.
Come and stroll through the gardensEnjoy a stroll through the gardens
An original plan of the gardens at Château de Malle shows them as they were in the 18th century.
Historical analysis of the grounds is currently underway, with a view to restoring the remarkable gardens to their former splendour.
Support the project
Les chroniques de Malle
Le site château chateaudemalle.com vous offre des chroniques œnologiques, viticoles, historiques et touristiques rédigées par des experts de chaque domaine. Profitez de ces contenus enrichissants et suivez ces chroniques avec intérêt.
TAKE PART IN HISTORICAL RESEARCH
The restoration of the estate pays tribute to its 400 eventful years. You too can help to reveal its story.
Contribute
Live and rejoice
Their family motto “Live and rejoice” already permeates the atmosphere of the estate and concretizes the commitments made.
Read More
A NEW ERA IN THE VINEYARD
A new era begins in the vineyard where the technical team’s shared commitment is reflected: to enhance this exceptional terroir by listening to and preserving our environment.
Read More
OPENING TO THE PUBLIC
The estate will open its doors as is from 2024. Discover the Château and follow the restoration of its gardens and the restructuring of its listed vineyard.
Read More