For Sale: River Front Chateau Set on 8 Acres With Stables and a Chapel
Bedrooms: 8
Bathrooms: 6
Interior: 640 m² / 6,889 ft²
Lot: 3.15 ha / 7.79 acres
Amenities: Chapel, stables with 5 period boxes, tennis court, vaulted cellars, former caretaker’s house, garage barn, natural spring, enclosed parkland, direct access to the Canal des Vosges, private mooring
A restored château in eastern France, set on nearly eight acres above the Coney river, is on the market with Arrière-Cour for €1.2 million.
Located in Ambiévillers, Haute-Saône, near the Vosges border, Château de Freland offers 640 m² / 6,889 ft² of living space, with eight bedrooms, six bathrooms, a chapel, stables, outbuildings, vaulted cellars, a tennis court, and direct access to the Canal des Vosges with its own private mooring.
The current château dates to the mid-19th century and is tied to the industrial history of the Coney valley. It was built around 1850 by Annette Chavane, daughter and heiress of Joseph Falatieu, a forge owner who acquired the Freland estate in 1806. Before the château was built, the site was associated with the Freland forge, an ironworking property powered by the river, where water-driven hammers and hydraulic wheels supported local metal production from the 18th century.
The château was built on the site of an earlier ruined house across the Coney river, and the estate was later completed with a chapel in 1867. Its setting changed again in the late 19th century, when the Canal de l’Est, now part of the Canal des Vosges, was cut through the valley. The canal reduced the original parkland and left the château in its present position between the river, the canal, woodland, and the remaining enclosed grounds.
The estate sits in Ambiévillers, a secluded village in Haute-Saône near the Vosges border. The area is defined by forested hills, the Coney river, and the Canal des Vosges, placing the château within one of eastern France’s quieter landscapes of water, woodland, and 19th-century industrial heritage. Regionally, this is part of Franche-Comté, an underrated historic region between Burgundy, Alsace, Champagne and Switzerland, known for rural landscapes, forests, waterways, spa towns, and layered industrial heritage.
The château was fully restored between 2020 and 2025. Inside, period details remain throughout, including parquet floors, wood panelling, fireplaces, and a series of reception rooms on the main level. A large equipped kitchen connects to service spaces and the exterior, while the upper floors contain eight bedrooms, including five suites.
The restoration also covered the structure and technical systems. According to the agency, updates include lime-rendered façades, a traditional slate roof, improved insulation, individual sanitation, and a wood and pellet heating system. The result is a historic property that is ready to use, with modern comfort worked into a largely preserved 19th-century structure.
The grounds extend to 3.15 ha / 7.79 acres and are enclosed by restored stone walls and cast-iron gates. The park includes open lawns, wooded areas, walking paths, mature trees, a natural spring, a tennis court, and views across the surrounding water and forest landscape.
Several outbuildings add to the property’s range of possible uses. These include a former caretaker’s house arranged over two levels, period stables with five boxes, an old barn used as a garage, and additional storage space for maintaining the estate. The chapel, positioned near the entrance, gives the property a distinctive character and could support private gatherings or events.
With its current layout, the château can accommodate up to 16 guests, making it suitable as a large private residence, a family retreat, or a hospitality project. Nearby amenities are available in Vauvillers, while Corre, Épinal, Vittel, and the wider Vosges region are within reach.
The agency notes the property’s combination of restoration, seclusion, canal access, and historic character. For a buyer, it offers a rare version of rural eastern France: a restored château rooted in industrial history, set between river and forest, with a chapel, stables, tennis court, and nearly eight acres of private grounds.
All photographs belong to the listing agency. See more on Arrière-Cour.