From the moment the gates of Les Vieux Murs swing open to welcome you, a lovely, private world will unfold.  It is one of charming hosts, beautiful guest rooms, delicious breakfasts and an estate filled with rolling lawns, wonderful old trees, and a restful tranquility.  Yet, you are only steps away from the historic village of Souvigny where Les Vieux Murs is located. 

The famous priory in Souvigny is associated with the Cluny Abbey, and the département is the birthplace of the Bourbon kings of France.  The castle at Bourbon-l'Archambault gave the family its name, and the House of Bourbon ruled France (with few exceptions) from the 10th century until the end of the monarchy in France.

Les Vieux Murs is so named because of the remnants of ancient walls that are on the property.  But, the early 20th century manor house is, in contrast, quite elegant and stately.  Monsieur and Madame Louyot have renovated their home to a high standard, and the tastefully decorated en suite guest rooms couldn't be more comfortable and serene.  The Louyots also provide excellent suggestions of where to dine in the evenings and what to do and see in the area, including visits to the many Romanesque churches in local villages or spending a day exploring the medieval city of Moulins. 

VisitLes Vieux Murs on our site today, and let us know if you would like more information or wish to make a reservation. 
 
 

France Magazine, the publication of the 
French-American Cultural Foundation,
is filled with fascinating articles and
cultural information about France . . .
and very few advertisements.

Menton's famous Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival) turns 80 in 2013, centered around the theme of travel. Titled "Around the World in 80 Days: Menton, the Secret Stop," the fest will represent different monuments around the world all in the form of lemons. The event hosts vibrant parades of citrus fruits, elaborate sculptures made of lemons and oranges, gardens lit up at night, and other exceptional spectacles. To celebrate countries around the world, this year, the Biovès Gardens will boast a Statue of Liberty, the Cairo pyramid, a hot-air balloon, a train, the London Tower Bridge and more made of incredible citrus fruit. Past years have transformed characters like Walt Disney, Asterix, Tintin, and Alice in Wonderland into lemon structures.  Some 150 tons of citrus fruits are used in the gardens, and it is expected that there will be 250,000 visitors from all corners of the globe!

Look for the Golden Citrus Parade (February 17, 24 and March 3 at 2:30 PM), the Moonlit Parade (February 22 and March 1 at 8:30 PM) and the Citrus Exhibition, open daily.

The brand new Louvre, the Louvre-Lens, was officially inaugurated by President François Hollande on December 4, and opens its doors to the public on December 12th, offering free admission for an entire year to welcome the public.

It was designed by Japanese architectural firm SANAA (Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa), along with American firm Imrey Culbert and landscape designer Catherine Mosbach, and the design plays with glass and light.  It is on fifty acres that were occupied by a major coal mining site, and consists of five buildings and is only an hour and ten minutes from Paris by TGV, between the cities of Lille and Arras.

There are three principal galleries with masterpieces from the Paris Louvre focusing on the periods of the Antiquity, the Middle Ages and Modern art.  For more information visit their web site at http://www.louvrelens.fr.

We are very pleased that Château de Rère in the Loir-et-Cher département will soon be joining our site.  We had the pleasure of a stay there in September and were quite impressed by the long family history of the château in addition to its charm and comfort.

Our host and hostess couldn't have been kinder or more amiable.  We enjoyed lovely breakfasts in the elegant dining room, spent our nights in a marvelous suite overlooking the moat and gardens, and had delicious lunches and dinners in nearby restaurants suggested by our host.  Château de Rère is stately and grand ~ in the same family for centuries ~ and the ideal château experience for travelers to the French countryside. 

Look for them on our site in January!  Don't hesitate to contact us before then if you want more information or would like to make a reservation.

If you are looking for the perfect destination in Normandy, look no further than Château de Bénéauville about halfway between the city of Caen and the Channel coastal town of Cabourg.  This stately château offers a spacious twin room or a suite for bed and breakfast guests, a heated swimming pool, sauna, and the opportunity to fish in their pond or borrow bicycles to explore the countryside.

Bedrooms are en suite with views over the gardens.  They are richly appointed and attractive with all the comforts you would expect at a much loved family home.  Guests will find this a good base for visits to the D-Day landing beaches (Gold, Juno and Sword are very nearby), spending the day at the beach, or visiting Caen - the city of William the Conqueror and the Mémorial de Caen. Normandy's Côte Fleurie is where one will find the towns of Deauville and Trouville-sur-Mer with casinos, restaurants, museums and an aquarium.

Plans are already underway for the 2014 World Equestrian Games to be held in Normandy between August 24 and September 7.  If this is of interest to you, book a room at the château soon - and the château would also be willing to reserve a few of its stables for anyone who wants to be there with their horses.  A half million visitors are expected to attend the Games!

For more information or to make a reservation, please visit Château de Bénéauville on our site and contact the owners directly by email or telephone.

Time for lunch or dinner?  Stop in the charming village of Selles-St-Denis at the restaurant of Auberge du Cheval Blanc, shown in this photo.  We did, and not only was lunch perfect, including the two amuse-bouches we enjoyed, but the village was quaint and memorable.  It is on the D724 only a short drive north of Château de Rère (mentioned above).  Don't miss it!

Château de Jalnay, in the northern Vienne - a short drive from the Loire River - is an elegant and sophisticated château owned by a dedicated and friendly Dutch couple.  Their love for this property is evident in each and every room of the château.  Beautiful bedrooms with modern en suite bathrooms are offered to their guests, and the dining room and salons are comfortable and welcoming.

This historic château was constructed in three phases beginning in 1668 and completed in 1850.  Of course, it has been modernized since then, and the new owners have brought it into the 21st century without losing any of its authenticity or charm.

Guest rooms are perfection!  Lovely color palettes, fine furnishings and the ultimate in comfort.  Modern, state-of-the-art bathrooms are en suite offering every amenity.  This is the B&B you will return to again and again.  Breakfasts and dinners are of the highest quality and prepared with great expertise ~ making your stay even more memorable! 

An added attraction is the troglodyte caves you will discover on the estate ~ room after room where people once lived!  Visit their pages on our site to see photos and read more.

Château de Jalnay is the ideal destination if you want to be near the attractions of the Loire Valley in a peaceful country setting.  Your hosts, Robert and Marie-Louise van den Bos are waiting to welcome you!

News from Our Members . . .

• Spend the New Year holidays at Château de la Barre in the lovely Loire region of France.  There will be guided tours of the Royal Châteaux, a visit to Medieval Le Mans, Christmas markets, wine tastings and so much more.  The holiday culminates on December 31st with a New Year's eve festive gala dinner, hosted by Comte & Comtesse de Vanssay in their magnificent XVIIth century grand dining room with all the family silver and crystal.  For dates and prices please contact us today!  Time is running out to book your elegant room at the château.

• Enjoy CHRISTMAS and WINTER HOLIDAYS at Château de Prauthoy.  Many dates are available (all nights except December 24 and December 31) so book soon.  Celebrate the season in Champagne Country!  Contact inquiry@au-chateau.com for details.

• Château des Allues in the Savoie is the perfect destination all year 'round.  For winter holidays, contact them soon to book your room.  Gourmet dinners are offered as well. Current special offers include 'Séjour Découverte' which is one night for two people including a gourmet breakfast for € 140 for the night, 'Séjour Gourmand' for two persons which includes an apéritif, two dinners with drinks included, a gourmet breakfast and a surprise gift for € 236 for one night, and finally 'Séjour Détente' for € 376 which includes all of the above but is for two nights.  Visit their pages on our site and contact Monsieur Vandeville directly by email or telephone for more information and reservations.

• Now is the time to book your stay at Domaine des Faures in the Dordogne.  It can be rented in its entirety in July and August or book bed and breakfast accommodations during other months of the year.  Most interesting is the opportunity to join your hosts on various Garden Tours during the year.  Visit their pages on our site to see descriptions of the different tours and prices, and then contact us for more information.

• Looking for personalized French cooking lessons?  Look no further than Château de Canisy in Normandy.  They are now offering a 3-day French Cooking School holiday with their chef, Christian Small.  Learn to cook in the kitchen of this 1000-year old château to discover the world-renowned cuisine of Normandy through local market visits, an afternoon of tasting the gastronomic specialties of the region and several hands-on cooking classes.  Of course, accommodations are included, and the per person cost is €990.  For further details please contact us at inquiry@au-chateau.com and mention "Cooking at Canisy" in your message.

Once again we've been happy to read about our member, Laurence Ployez, Champagne producer, in Wine Spectator magazine.  Her Champagnes always receive high accolades, so we thought we would share the most recent with you.  And don't forget that you can enjoy wonderful B&B accommodations at Domaine Ployez-Jacquemart near Reims, France, by contacting her through her pages on au Château.
 
 
 
 
 

• We are sad to report that two of our members have left au Château. 
• Château de Grézan, known as La Petite Carcassonne, in the Languedoc has been sold to become the new owners' private residence.  We will miss Marie-France Lanson, who has been a friend for many years, but she will remain in the region, and we hope to be able to see her again in the future.
• The second member to leave us is Château de Montcru in the Ariège - a lovely property that has been with us for many years.  The owners have decided to no longer offer guest accommodations at their château and to move on to other things.  We wish them well.

This beautiful château with its own wine producing vineyards is a bed and breakfast and vacation rental in the Beaujolais region of Burgundy not far from Lyon.  There are five spacious and elegant guest rooms, all en suite, some with WiFi - which is also available elsewhere in the château.  Guests will love the location of the château in the Rhône département only three miles from the A6 autoroute.

We are very pleased that Château de Longsard will become a member of au Château, and we look forward to bringing you more information and photos on our site in January.  Do return to see more, but if you are interested in a reservation before then, please contact us.

Braised endives is a Belgian recipe that we enjoyed recently in Paris.  This normally bitter vegetable (when eaten raw) becomes lovely when braised in butter. 

You will need four heads of Belgian endive, trimmed and washed, two tablespoons of butter, two teaspoons of lemon juice or to taste, a teaspoon of sugar, salt and pepper and minced parsley (about a tablespoon).

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and butter a deep ovenproof skillet with a lid (a small casserole would do), and arrange the endive in one layer.  Dot them with butter and sprinkle with lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.  Add enough water to 1/2 inch depth and cover the surface of the endive with a buttered sheet of waxed paper cut to the shape of the skillet or casserole.  Put on the lid. 

Braise for 30 - 40 minutes or until tender.  Turn them occasionally and add some water if needed to prevent them from burning.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley.  Serves 4.

Bon appétit!

The answer to last issue's quiz: "one would be standing in front of the Cafe du Trocadero, 
between the intersections of the Avenue Raymond Poincare and the Avenue d'Eylau with 
the Place du Trocadero et 11 Novembre, Paris, Île-de-France, France."
We didn't expect that much detail, but our first correct answer was that one!
There were several other correct guesses, and we thank everyone who participated.
Our winner hails from Oklahoma, USA.  Congratulations!

The answer to this issue's Quiz 113 will appear in our Spring issue in March 2013.

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