I had read the reviews before booking so we were prepared for the unusual decor in the breakfast room & halls. I wanted to stay in at least one chateau & Lignan was one of the few in the region priced reasonably, a relative term.
The location is quiet with nothing in walking distance but is very convenient to several large cities & regions by car. We made a day trip to the Cote Vermeille stopping in villages from Coullioure to Cerbere & also had time to eat lunch & take in a boat excursion & still got back to the hotel before dark.
The hotel grounds away from the hotel are not particularly well kept but are very large with 500 year old trees. The river Orb flows along one side but is not accessible from the hotel grounds & can barely be seen through the trees. The pool area is well kept as are the terraces which are used for dining. It is a pleasant area to relax in. We enjoyed walking the grounds and many others were sun bathing & in the pool.
There is plenty of free parking.
The reception & bar are underwhelming as is the stained carpet in the elevator.
Our room was identical to the one pictured. The desk & table tops were rather scuffed & worn for contemporary decor. The room was a decent size, clean, with a comfortable bed & many pillows, a sheet & blanket & no duvet, new carpet and good AC. There is a bar frig., a small t.v. & wifi which we could not connect to. The gray tile bath was quite large and seemed new,. The shower had 2 shower holders, high and low, and worked well. The WC is separate. The towels were very white & fluffy but there were no wash clothes. There are 2 large windows looking down on the terrace. We were very comfortable for the 2 nights we were there & had no complaints.
We had not planned to eat in the restaurant but arrived late on a Sun. & there were no other options in Lignan-sur-Orb. The menu seemed quite expensive with most plats & some entrees costing 30E or more. Everyone was seated on the terrace which was very comfortable & bug free. After ordering a beer & Kir, we ordered the caramelized duck.The maitre d' seemed surprised we didn't want an entree or dessert with it. To be honest, we expected to be ripped off. Instead, each of us was served 3 small appetizers on a tray accompanied by a detailed description provided by our server, and a selection of breads - we chose the nut bread- even though we had not ordered an entree. One appetizer was a light crab mousse, one was a small duck brochette & the other a Chinese spoon of salsa without the spices. All delicious. This was followed by a small tray of 2 appetizers, which was followed by a single scallop appetizer - really delicious. Then our dinner. We each received 2 duck breasts, perfectly cooked with a crunchy caramelized top & a side reduction & tiny stuffed & sautéed courgettes. Everything was perfect. Although we didn't order dessert, we still received a pre-dessert : 2 small meringues with chocolate, a chocolate mousse topped with orange & a jelly-type square concoction like we had seen in many patisseries in Aude. We were completely full and can't imagine eating an entree and/or dessert in addition to all the samplings but most everyone did! What happened to lunch being the big meal!? Everything was really excellent as was the service & ambiance. With coffee our bill came to 85E which was reasonable considering the quality, variety, quantity & service. It was a two hour dinner. We would highly recommend dinner there.
We also had the breakfast buffet one morning. It was a typical continental breakfast but included some very good flavored yogurts & fresh fruit salad. At 13 E it didn't have cooked eggs as we had in a few other hotels for that price. We also had to ask for a second cup of coffee . There was a coffee machine, but it was not hooked up.
We found the female staff very friendly but were a bit put off by a couple of the male staff. The decor is odd but entertaining, especially at breakfast. We got the impression it is all tongue-in-cheek here, except in the restaurant! I give the hotel an average rating as a 3 star hotel but the restaurant gets an excellent rating.

My husband and I stayed here with our son, his wife and small child. The staff were very pleasant and helpful. I cannot say the chateau provided the best bedrooms we have stayed in, we had the only suite in the hotel which was not too large but had aspects both to the gardens at the side and front of the chateau. Basic furnishings but clean and pleasant. The bathroom and separate toilet were small but adequate. We understood that some of the bedrooms could be quite small so request the largest available. The gardens were extensive and house a small swimming pool. They were well maintained and the large patio is used for breakfast and meals in fine weather. The lounge is small as is the breakfast room. However in our opinion the one thing that makes the Chateau stand out is the evening meal. We chose the menu du chateau which in our opinion was both superbly cooked and presented but also very good value. Not cheap, but when compared to the price charged in the U.K. for the equivalent almost half the price. The pieces of art which adorn the whole venue in various guises are strange and many could have been taken from a teenagers' art class, but don't let this deter you from giving the venue a try. We did not think it was overpriced but don't expect luxury, just a very pleasant and welcoming place to stay with a fantastic evening kitchen.

The Chateau is apparently 9th century but the first impression is marred by the strange modern art sclptures which dot the grounds and building. A sculpture made from plastic toilet cleaner bottles and a painted twig (which could be yours for the right price!) did not add any positive atmosphere. The rooms are very basic with baths and only hand held shower heads, the carpets were grubby and the beds soft - the mattress that we had had a dip in the middle. The only extra facility is the pool - and staff to man the bar were hard to find. The restaurant provides a "gastronomic experience" which was overpriced, although to be fair, the chef agreed to provide plain steak and chips for the children who baulked at the ingredients described in the menu. We considered the whole package overpriced considering what is provided.