Planning Your Wedding in France — What You Actually Need to Know
A practical guide from the team at Domaine de Christin, for couples organising from abroad.
Almost every international wedding at Domaine de Christin is organised from abroad. Couples in London, Sydney, New York and Brussels have planned full weekends here without setting foot on the estate before the week of the event. It works — reliably, calmly, and well.
But we know the questions. We have answered them many times. This page is our attempt to answer them honestly, before you even have to ask.
THE CEREMONY
A legal marriage in France requires administrative preparation that most international couples find impractical: residency requirements, documents to translate and apostille, notice periods, and coordination with a French mairie. For couples coming from the UK, Ireland, Australia, the US or elsewhere, the reality is that most choose to complete the civil formality at home — before coming to France.
This changes nothing about the day itself.
What you celebrate at Domaine de Christin is a symbolic or humanist ceremony — and it can be as personal, as moving, and as beautifully orchestrated as any legal wedding. The words are entirely yours. The officiant is someone you have chosen. The ceremony space — whether under the plane trees of the Majestueux, in the open air of La Prairie, or in the intimate setting of La Rêverie — is yours for as long as you need it.
We work with experienced English-speaking officiants who have conducted ceremonies for couples from every corner of the world. If you need a recommendation, ask us.
YOUR SUPPLIERS
We do not impose a caterer, a florist, a DJ, a photographer, or a wedding planner. Ever supplier at your wedding is there because you chose them — or because we recommended them.
To guarantee the quality of events and preserve the image of Domaine de Christin, certain external suppliers are not authorised to work on site. We will tell you clearly who they are.
The fully equipped professional kitchen in Le Chai d’Eden is available to whichever caterer, private chef, or cooking team you bring — or you are welcome to use it yourselves. Large BBQs are also available on site for more relaxed moments.
Once you have confirmed your booking, we will send you the list of suppliers we know and trust — caterers, photographers, florists, DJs, English-speaking wedding planners — along with our full documentation pack. These are recommendations, not conditions. You remain free to do this entirely your own way.
GETTING HERE
The estate is at exit 26 of the A9 motorway, between Nîmes and Montpellier. Both cities have TGV stations and airports with direct connections to major European hubs and Paris CDG.
From the UK
Ryanair flies direct from London Stansted to Nîmes — two hours in the air, thirty-five minutes to the estate. easyJet and others connect London Gatwick, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh to Montpellier.
Alternatively, the Eurostar to Paris and the TGV south takes around five hours door to door from central London.
From the US, Canada & Australia
Fly to Paris CDG — with direct connections from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Montreal and Sydney (via Dubai or Singapore). Then three hours and twenty minutes on the TGV to Montpellier.
Car hire is available at both Nîmes and Montpellier airports, and we can recommend transfer services on request.
From Europe
Nîmes and Montpellier are connected to most major European cities by direct flight or TGV. From Paris, the drive is a pleasant six hours south on the highway.
ARRIVING AND LEAVING
The estate is available to you from Friday morning. Your guests can arrive throughout the day and settle into the gîtes and studios at their own pace. The weekend ends on Monday morning — but not before ten o’clock. There is no rushing.
If you would like to arrive on Thursday — or if some of your guests want to stay until Tuesday — we can discuss extending the booking. Some celebrations deserve more than a weekend.
For guests staying at the villas in the olive grove (eight kilometres from the estate), a shuttle can be arranged between the two sites for Saturday evening.
WORKING WITH US FROM A DISTANCE
We correspond in English and in French — whichever works best for you. We offer 360° virtual tours of the accommodation, the reception spaces, and the estate grounds on our website, so you can explore every detail before you arrive. And of course, the five real wedding films on our Real Weddings page show you the estate as it actually feels on the day.
We answer questions at hours that make sense for your time zone — whether that is a Tuesday morning in Sydney or a Sunday evening in Toronto.
We have done this enough times to know what you are worried about. The distances. The logistics. The suppliers you cannot meet in person. The feeling of committing to a place you have only seen in photographs and films.
We can tell you, honestly, that it will be all right. The international couples who have organised from abroad tell us, without exception, that the process was calmer than they expected. And that the weekend was more
than they had imagined.
“Hélène and Éric were not only attentive and responsive, they were proactive. They were involved right to the end, which made everything feel easy.” — J & S
QUESTIONS WE ARE ASKED MOST OFTEN
Can we visit the estate before booking ?
Yes — and we encourage it. Walk under the plane trees. Stand in the Cour d’Honneur at dusk. Most couples know within ten minutes. If you cannot visit before you decide, we will arrange a video tour and talk through your vision in as much detail as you need.
Is there a music curfew ?
No music curfew inside Le Chai d’Eden. The music stops when you decide it stops. The Garden Féerie (our semi-outdoor reception space) operates until one in the morning.
What is the maximum number of guests ?
The estate accommodates up to 131 guests on site overnight. For the event itself, the Chai d’Eden seats up to 200 for dinner, and the outdoor spaces can host cocktail receptions for up to 400. Many of our couples have more guests celebrating than sleeping on site — the two numbers do not need to match.
Can we bring our own catering team ?
Yes. The fully equipped professional kitchen in Le Chai d’Eden is available to any caterer, private chef, or cooking team you choose. You are also welcome to self-cater. Large BBQs are available on site. The list of caterers we recommend is shared with you after booking, as part of our full documentation pack.
Is the estate available for the full weekend ?
Yes. When you book Domaine de Christin, the accommodation and reception spaces are reserved exclusively for you and your guests — no other clients, no shared spaces. The estate is also a working farm and private residence, so the agricultural land (vineyard, olive groves) remains part of everyday life here. That is part of what makes it authentic. From Friday morning to Monday morning, the spaces are yours. Extensions are possible on request.
READY TO TALK ?
If you have read this far, you probably have a question we have not answered here. Write to us — in English, at whatever hour suits you.
June, July and September weekends fill early. If those dates matter to you, do not wait.