Chateau-sur-Mer

One of the many historic mansions in Newport, and worth a visit. However, if you are short on time, you may want to pass in favor of Rough Point, the Breakers, or one of the other more highly-​rated mansions.

Comparatively, this is one of the lower-​on-​the-​totem-​pole properties on the Mansions Tours list. But, to be fair to everyone… this was probably one of my husband’s favorites. It’s a gorgeous property and the guide was very informed and loved sharing his information. It just isn’t quite as impressive as the others.
Now for the tour guide: One of the ladies on our tour was a blind woman. Our tour guide did a PHENOMENAL job of describing every minute detail of the property. I’ve never heard such extravagant words used to describe a wall covering (in this case fabric, not paper) or the details etched into wood carvings. Usually you aren’t allowed to touch anything in the mansions, but the guide took her by the hand and let her feel some of the intricate details in multiple things throughout the house.
If you have the time, do the 5-​property pass. It’s actually the best deal. I just wouldn’t suggest trying to fit them all in one day… it’s exhausting.

While not as big or famous as some of the other mansions, still a nice place to visit. The house has a lot of interesting features including additions and remodels. It was interesting to hear about when and where those were completed. The family had a history worth hearing about as well.
Our guide was OK. The tour seemed a bit rehearsed and there were a lot of «ummms». The person selling tickets up front was very matter of fact.
It was nice to walk the grounds afterwards. All of the trees are labeled and the grounds well kept.

Do yourself a favor and do the smaller mansions first. Sur Le Mer was very nice. Only a guided tour. About 60 minutes but does not compare to the Breakers.

It was okay. The tour guide was very knowledgable. But the front desk woman was pretty rude, very SLOW, a bit racist. Every staff member is just very slow…

While it is a fabulous Victorian home, it just doesn’t compare to the other Newport mansions. Our guided tour was fabulous, though a bit long on the first floor and really rushed on the second floor. The tour guide was super knowledgable and did not talk down to us, like her counterpart in Rosecliff did. It is definitely worth a tour to see what pre-​Edwardian mansions looked like!

This is one of the smaller mansions in Newport, but it is elegant, richly furnished and well maintained. The tour guide Donato was very informative not only about the house, but the family that lived there. The exterior is also unique. This is a nice «go-​see» if you’ve been to the larger mansions and wanted to see something a little different.

This was our favorite mansion tour in Newport. The thing that made it special was the personal guided tour, as opposed to the audio tours. It’s really something to be able to listen to stories about the house, ask questions to the guide, and to just learn from someone who really appreciates & cares for the mansion. The tour almost seems too short, partly because they’re still restoring some of the house’s water damage, and partly because it was just really interesting!
I’m going to let you all discover the cool stories for yourself, so I’ll spare you the details of Château-​sur-​Mer. But I will mention that the grounds outside of the mansion are absolutely gorgeous! I mean, there’s a croquet field, complete with little bleachers! The Moon Gate is the star (pun intended) of the property. There are even little stairs that go up and over it, but I didn’t have the guts to climb the weather-​worn steps.
Château-​sur-​Mer certainly isn’t as big or flashy as some of the other mansions, and it’s not on the water (in spite of its name), but it’s very beautiful & definitely worth a visit when you come to Newport.

Aside from the forced guided tour and overhyed monkeyseat, this was my favorite property.

Gorgeous 1850s historic home with lush grounds really wowed me. I’ve been to the Breakers and Marble House but I think this was my favorite, perhaps because it was built and used as a year-​round residence and because it’s more «intimate» and less «palatial» than those other, larger mansion. Our tour guide was excellent, providing a lot of detail on both the house and the family that lived in it. Meanwhile the grounds are gorgeous, with dozens of «specimen» trees, including a weeping beech and a weeping Japanese pagoda tree.

Sure it is another amazing Newport mansion, I’m just not much of a Victorian style fan. If you are, I’m sure you’ll love it.

Maybe it was our mistake by going to the two most amazing mansions (The Elms and The Breakers) the day before visiting Château-​sur-​Mer. The preservation of the mansion was great, but… I, along with what seemed like everyone else in the tour group, wanted to die after 5 minutes of the tour. It was terribly boring, and I still have no idea who owned the mansion. I don’t even think it had a kitchen. I don’t think it was even a mansion, just a big house, really.
The tour guide was super boring, but knew what she was talking about. This mansion made me realize I will never torture my children by bringing them to things like this at age 13.
Just make sure you do this one first, last, or never.

Of all the Newport Mansions to tour, would say that I enjoyed Château-​sur-​Mer the least. But I think it was because of the tour guide, I hate to say that but she was a bit slow talking and went on a little to long in the first room that I did something that I felt really bad about. My husband was giving me the stink eye and I mouthed that I was already bored and we haven’t even really left the first room and so when they all moved on, we didn’t join and left for another mansion. We bought a pass (so recommend the pass) and it there was only an hour left to use it so we jutted off to a different mansion. Basically, I would save this one for the bottom of your list, if you are in a time constraint.

Château-​sur-​Mer is a refreshing change from the younger, bigger, more ostentatious (and audio-​tour-​only) Big Four (Breakers, Elms, Marble House, Rosecliff) Newport mansions.
The walls are covered in beautifully carved wood — all the rage in the mid 1850s — including the only two rooms remaining in the entire US that were designed and carved by Florence masters (and then disassembled, brought to Château-​sur-​Mer, and reassembled).
It is really nice to have the personal attention of a guide, and it makes for a much more pleasant experience than the audio tours (where everyone is in their own little world and ignores each other). It’s also nice to be able to ask questions — the docents are so well informed!

Great tour. This one’s a live tour with a docent (the Breakers uses headsets with prerecorded material). This house is a stark comparison to the Breakers. Its much smaller, has far more wood working, and some Arts and Crafts wallpaper and furniture. We visited this one later in a day that also included a visit to the Breakers. I highly recommend seeing both on a visit to Newport.

This was the first of the Newport Mansions I visited. Our tour guide was a charming and knowledgeable old man; I quite enjoyed his commentary. I must say I am partial to the architectural style of The Breakers. While cherubs and bright colors lined the walls of The Breakers, the Château had more bats, darker coloring, less sunlight, etc. However, in its individual capacity, the Château is a beautiful Mansion and definitely worth seeing.

Château-​sur-​Mer was another beautiful Newport Mansion that I visited. We took a short guided tour which was interesting. It is a darker house which is very different than the Breakers or Marble House but I did enjoy it a lot.

Château-​sur-​Mer was the first Newport Mansion that I have ever visited. They offer a guided tour and our guide, Barbara, was excellent. The Newport Preservation Society staff was very friendly, knowledgeable and professional. The mansion offers a glimpse into aristocratic life during the Victorian era in America. It is one of the older mansions and I am glad that I got the chance to check it out. I recommend it!