Château Mercuès Elopement in the Lot Valley
A complete South West France elopement package for couples planning from abroad
Château Mercuès is a privately owned 5-star Relais & Châteaux estate above the Lot valley near Cahors. This package combines a two-night minimum stay at the château with a full elopement day: a ceremony on the terrace under a wrought-iron arbour, photography across the property, and a sunset session in the medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie. A signature Cahors Malbec tasting in the historic cave is available as a separate experience.
From ceremony to portraits, from the terrace to the beautiful courtyard, I help you plan a quiet, considered day in a place that already holds the atmosphere most international couples are searching for. Every detail is shaped around photography, and around two of you.
Three tiers, starting from €4500. Full details below.
What this elopement experience includes
This is a complete and carefully designed elopement package, allowing you to enjoy your wedding day without stress or complexity. Included:
- Up to 7 hours of professional photography coverage
- Editorial, natural and documentary-style storytelling
- Guidance with timeline, light and flow of the day
- Online private gallery Minimum 300 high-resolution images delivered within 5 weeks
- Ceremony coverage on the panoramic terrace at Château Mercuès
Portrait session across the château grounds and the Lot valley
- Sunset session in the medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
Additional services & optional experiences
Beyond photography, this package can include coordination with vendors so the day runs without you holding it together. You choose how much support you want by selecting a tier below.
Optional services:
- bridal hair and make-up
- floral design, bouquet, boutonniere
- ceremony decoration
- Cahors Malbec wine tasting at the château cave
- private dinner at La Table de Mercuès accommodation in a Signature Suite at the château
- transportation and transfers across the Lot valley
Your ceremony setting at Château Mercuès
Your symbolic ceremony takes place under a wrought-iron arbour on the terrace of Château Mercuès, with the Lot valley unfolding through the cedars beyond.
I photograph the ceremony from two angles: one looking through the arbour with the valley behind you, the other turned toward the château itself.
A day at Château Mercuès, in rhythm
A simple structure that flows from morning calm to sunset over the Lot valley, photographed end-to-end.
14:00 Getting ready
15:00 Symbolic ceremony at Château Mercuès
16:00 Portraits across the château grounds
18:30 Sunset session in the medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, a 50 minute drive from Mercuès
A wine moment in the Cahors cave
Château Mercuès has its own Cahors Malbec wines, presented in a vaulted historic cave on the property. Cahors Malbec is the black wine of the region: deep, structured, recognisable. For Curated and Bespoke couples, I can arrange a private tasting in the cave with the château sommelier as a separate experience day, before or after the elopement itself, when the focus is the wine and the place rather than the wedding.
Who this experience is perfect for
This château elopement is ideal for couples who:
- planning a private and intimate wedding in France
- those who prefer a calm, considered experience over a large event
- couples travelling from abroad who want planning support
- people who value architecture, history and refined settings
Your photographer and guide in France
I’m Eugénie, based near Toulouse. I photograph weddings and elopements across Occitanie, the Dordogne and the Lot valley, with a focus on intimate château celebrations.
For the past several years I have worked with international couples, most of whom are planning their day from abroad and want both photography and a guide on the ground. That is what this package is built around.
My approach is editorial and natural. I plan the day around light and pace, suggest where to be and when, then step back so the day unfolds. The work afterwards is what couples come back to.
I work in English, French and Russian, which makes the planning conversation easier when you are coordinating from another country.
What couples are saying
“Eugenie was an absolute dream to work with! From day one, she went above and beyond helping us plan the day from across the world, keeping it running smoothly, even recommending our fantastic caterer. Beyond her incredible talent, she brought so much warmth, calm, and joy to our wedding day.” Katie Macleod, elopement at Château Bagen, 2025
“I could not be more grateful that my husband and I found Eugenie for our elopement. From the beginning she was communicative, professional, and even when some plans faltered, she connected us with the lovely owner of Château de Belmont Saint Foi. Anytime someone asked me if I was stressed about our wedding plans, I could honestly answer no because of how seamless Eugenie made the entire thing.” Katie Chapman, elopement at Château de Belmont Saint Foi, 2025
Investment
Three tiers, designed to match the way you want to approach your day. Photography sits at the centre of each at 7 hours of coverage, with planning support layered as you need.
Essentials · from €4500
Photography-led elopement at Château Mercuès with the support to make the day flow.
- Up to 7 hours of editorial photography coverage
- Minimum 300 high-resolution images delivered within 5 weeks
- Online private gallery
- Planning guidance: timeline, light, and flow of the day
- Ceremony coverage in the gardens at Château Mercuès
- Portrait session across the château grounds and the Lot valley
- Sunset session in the medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
- Vendor recommendations for anything you arrange yourself
- Accommodation arrangement at Château Mercuès, two-night minimum, booked direct with the château
For couples who want a refined photo experience and prefer to coordinate logistics on their own.
Curated · from €6 500
Everything in Essentials, plus active coordination and a signature Malbec moment.
- Vendor coordination: I introduce, book, and manage the day-of timeline
- English-speaking officiant for your symbolic ceremony
- Cahors Malbec wine tasting in the château cave, organised with the château sommelier
- On-day timeline management
- Accommodation arrangement at Château Mercuès, two-night minimum, booked direct with the château
- Cahors Malbec wine tasting in the château cave, organised as a separate experience day with the château sommelier
For couples who want a refined day at Château Mercuès without the planning load.
Bespoke · from €12 000
A fully designed multi-day elopement at Château Mercuès, shaped around what matters most to you.
Everything in Curated, plus:
- Multi-day coordination of all vendors and logistics
- Accommodation arrangement in a Signature Suite at Château Mercuès
- English-speaking officiant for your symbolic ceremony
- Private dinner at La Table de Mercuès on a separate evening, the château’s gastronomic restaurant
- Transportation across the Lot valley for arrivals, transfers and locations
- Accommodation arrangement in a Signature Suite at Château Mercuès
- Cahors Malbec tasting in the historic cave with the château sommelier on a separate experience day
For couples planning from abroad who want a fully tailored, multi-day experience at one of the Lot valley’s most refined estates.
Plus vendor costs you pay directly to providers
- Hair and makeup artist: €450
- Bouquet and boutonnière: €280
- Ceremony floral design: available on request
- Cahors Malbec wine tasting at the château cave: €120 per couple
- Stay at Château Mercuès (two-night minimum, room category per couple, Classic to Signature Suite): from €350 per night
- Private dinner for two at La Table de Mercuès: from €600
- Transportation: available on request
These are billed by and paid directly to each vendor, kept separate from my photography and coordination fee:
A note on dates and availability
Château Mercuès is a privately owned Relais & Châteaux property, and bookings depend on the château’s own calendar. All elopements are confirmed individually based on:
- Château Mercuès availability on your requested dates
- Room availability for a two-night minimum stay at the château
- Management agreement to grant ceremony access on the terrace
- Restaurant availability for the Bespoke tier
If your preferred dates are not available at Château Mercuès, I will suggest alternative dates or other château options in my network, including Château Bagen and Château de Cénevières.
You may also like
If Château Mercuès is not the right fit or not available on your dates, I offer two other curated château elopement experiences in the same region.
Château Bagen Elopement Package
A private château experience with on-site ceremony access and a multi-day option.
Château de Cénevières Elopement Package
A photography-led day combining château portraits with the medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie.
Let’s plan your elopement at Château Mercuès
If a refined château above the Lot valley, a ceremony on the terrace under the arbour and a sunset session in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is what your day looks like, I would be glad to plan it with you. Reach out with your preferred dates and a short note about what matters most for the two of you.
FAQ. Château elopement in France
Can foreigners elope at Château Mercuès?
Yes. International couples typically have a symbolic ceremony at the château and handle the legal paperwork in their home country. France’s civil marriage residency rules are difficult for travelling couples to meet, so the symbolic format is the practical choice.
Where is Château Mercuès located?
Château Mercuès sits above the Lot river, six kilometres from Cahors, in South West France. The closest airports are Toulouse-Blagnac and Bordeaux. A rental car is recommended for the Lot valley.
Is the ceremony legal?
The ceremony in this package is symbolic. It carries the form and emotion of a wedding without the legal step, which couples typically complete in their home country.
Can you help us find vendors?
Yes. From the Curated tier I coordinate hair, make-up, florals, officiant and the château signature experiences with vendors I work with regularly. For Essentials I share recommendations and you arrange directly.
How far in advance should we book a Mercuès elopement?
For international couples I suggest reaching out six to nine months ahead. Château Mercuès is a working hotel and restaurant, and high season dates from May to October book early.