Chateau Hopping 2010
We did it again! After much consideration we chose France for our Summer 2010 tour of privately owned Vacation Rental Properties and BB’s. Why France? Because everyone in France has a chateau- or at least that was our impression.
FLYING TO PARIS
Paris in May and Paris in June are two different cities. The first one is liveable and the other is not. Tourists (like us) are to blame of course. The invasion starts around mid June and by the end of the month one has to choose between dignity and staying away from the main attractions or an all-out fight for survival: to enter the metro, to get a table at a restaurant or to walk between rooms at Versailles.
Your best bet in Montmartre! Au Sourire de Montmartre B&B
Random acts of kindness by local BB owners make the whole experience so much more pleasant: Ilhame, the gracious owner of the Au Sourire de Montmartre, an upscale and cozy bed and breakfast in the heart of Montmartre ensured that each of our 3 days in Paris started on a positive note. Great breakfast with all you can eat croissants, baguettes, cheese and other delicacies that the French like to munch on in the morning were professionally served in a unique dining space. Rooms are cozy but comfortable with Mac computers, internet access and very interesting looking bathrooms. We highly recommend this BB mainly because of its central location with only a short (though step) walk to the top of the Bohemian city, and 100 meters to a metro station with connections to all the major sights.
THE HOPPING BEGINS
After leaving the insanity of Paris by driving in circles through a web of one way, no turn, leave your car at home kind of streets (even with GPS you will get lost- we promise you that), we somewhat relaxed having connected to the main highway that by-passes the heart of the city. Our quarters were located at the Chateau de Craon, only miles from the world-famous Loire Castle region. The drive was pleasant and uneventful with short stops in smaller towns to experience the “true” France.
Chartres- View form the ancient bell tower- breath-taking!
Chartres is especially worth a stop. With its amazing cathedral that easily rivals that of Notre Dame of Paris, charming streets and very much walkable centre, it offers a pleasant rest stop. The view from the bell towers is heart-stopping, considering the structure was build nearly a thousand years ago. Despite the steep 9 Euro admission fee for 15 minutes of exercise (300+ steps in an ancient staircase) it is something that leaves long lasting memories.
Chateau de Craon- imposing and elegant- with excellent BB inside.
Chateau de Craon is very well marked as soon as one drives through the town and at that point gps is optional. Our general experience at the chateau was that of extreme organization, with nothing being left to chance. Our most reliable hosts Loik and Helene, ensured that nothing could possibly go wrong. Although we experienced a lot of kindness from all our hosts, Craon definitely stands out. Craon is a grand Chateau, worthy of a 17th century aristocratic government official. Very well proportioned and logically situated atop of a gentle hill, it offers magnificent views from each and every room.
Original 18th and 19th century furnishings of the Chateau de Craon
The most striking feature of the Chateau is the originality of furnishings and decorations which we guessed have not been updated for good 100 or even 150 years. The chateau is extremely well maintained – including its furniture, and it offers a perfect journey into the 18th century France and a taste of the country-side lifestyle. The surroundings could not be more guest-friendly- there are acres of parks with paths for evening walks, there are ponds with swans, tennis court for those wanting to stay fit and a good size swimming pool to cool off. Bravo! Most visitors come to Craon on their way to the Loire Castles Region and to marvel out some of the France’s best antique shops- one a few kilometers from the chateau! Antique furniture can be shipped all over the world.
Plessis is a smaller but perfectly run Bed and Breakfast- 10/10!
Our next stop was Chateau de Plessis only 20 miles away from Craon. It is located near river and the surroundings tend to have more hills and forests. The chateau is much smaller in scale but strikingly cozy and calming. We found that rooms were equally well furnished with original furniture, books and even pottery. We especially loved the charming park-like surroundings of the chateau and the swimming pool was much appreciated as the weather just turned hot. On every corner of the property one can see the tender care of the owners whose family owned the chateau for nearly 300 years! Second generation B&B operator, Valerie, was a dream- hostess with extremely relaxed and friendly attitude. This family run property is near the very top of our all-time list of BBs and it would be a mistake to overlook it in your Loire-area travels.
The small yet extremely charming medieval chateau de Bezonnais.
Keeping in mind that we had fabulous encounters with previous chateau owners, we set to our next destination- Chateau de Bezonnis hoping for start another friendship. Bezonnis offered us no disappointment. Here we received a jovial and warm-hearted welcome- and the owners agreed to accommodate us one night early. We were delighted by the warm reception, the inclusion into the family gathering that night. We chatted away sipping the seemingly bottomless champagne provided by the hosts… This was probably the most picturesque and unique chateau on our trip as it was surrounded by a mediaeval, water filled moat and beautiful park grounds.
Chateau rooms retained most of their original character with most antique furnishings found in the common rooms on the first floor. For couples we highly recommend the small structure in the garden which must have been a gardener’s house at some point. It has the most charming view of the chateau across the moat and offers maximum privacy as a self contained unit with a very large and unique bathroom in the attic.
EARTHLY MATTERS
The cost of the trip is surprisingly low with average accommodation well below a high-end city hotel. For those considering to stay in Paris between June and September we say- forget it and head to the interior for best value, originality of sights and a crowd-free relaxing experience!
Based on double occupancy €70 per night in Paris then ranging from E50 to E110 per person at most chateaus. The best flight option we found was AirTransat at about $750 round trip from Vancouver to Paris (direct flight!) and a car rental will devour about €300 of you hard earned cash. Gas is expensive in France and so are toll booths on highways- put away €300 for that if you’re driving for a week- OR- forget a car in Paris, take a train to the closest large city outside Paris (Le Mans in our case- for about E120 round trip) and rent a car for your chateau hopping- 6 full days. You will save the planet, and a good chunk of coin.
Please feel free to contact us for a detailed itinerary- our editors will be happy to help you plan your trip! Email us at DT@rentfortheholidays.com