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Add Braselton to Your North Georgia Bucket List
When it ’ s time to plan your next trip , consider a visit to this charming spot , capped by a stay at the fabulous Château Élan .
BY JILL BECKER
Looking to start the new year off with a new attitude ? A great way to make that happen is with a relaxing and rejuvenating weekend at the gorgeous Château Élan , the luxe Braselton resort and winery just two hours east of Northwest Georgia . Available accommodations are the spacious inn guestrooms , lavish spa suites , and private two- or three-bedroom villas .
One way to kick off your weekend at Château Élan is with a round of golf on one of its three courses set amid a landscape of rolling hills and geese-filled lakes , followed by a hearty breakfast
Above : Versailles Restaurant & Bar at Sarazen ’ s , the clubhouse restaurant overlooking the Woodlands course . If you ’ d rather ease into things a little more , you could treat yourself to a luxurious facial , massage , or other treatment at the on-site spa and then enjoy a leisurely brunch under the glass-topped atrium at Versailles Restaurant & Bar .
Definitely somewhere on the agenda should be a trip to the winery , which is open daily for tours and tastings . Château Élan produces more than 30
Above : Château Élan Winery
wines made with grapes grown in its Braselton and South Georgia vineyards , along with some transported from California ’ s Lake County and Clarksburg regions . Book a tasting and you ’ ll be able to select seven 1.5-ounce pours from its portfolio of reds , whites , blends , and sparkling wines . You can also order a charcuterie board with your tasting if you ’ re feeling a bit peckish .
If wine ’ s not your thing , you can enjoy a pint of ale at Paddy ’ s , an Irish pub built in Dublin then shipped to Château Élan and reassembled on-site back in 1997 . Delicious bourbon cocktails and Southern gastro pub fare await at Louis ’ House of Bourbon , while coffee aficionados will appreciate the artisan espressos and other offerings at Le Petit Cafe . The resort also offers a fabulous afternoon tea service , complete with petite sandwiches , scones , pastries , and sweets .
To fill out the rest of your stay at Château Élan , you can get into the swing of things on one of the five lighted tennis courts or four pickleball courts , or you can borrow a bike and go for a spin around the 3,500-acre property . You can take a long stroll on the series of gravel hiking trails that meander through the grapevine-strewn grounds , or you can
18 | NW GEORGIA LIVING NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024