Our Featured B&B:   Le Relais des Trois Châteaux

   Our Featured Rental:   Château de la Caillotière

  

• Château de Courcy
  
• Château de Janville
  

   Hoping to visit France ?

  News & Offers from our Members

Look at the history of this building to find that it was a post house and restaurant founded in 1850 for travelers between three prominent châteaux:  Blois, Chambord and Cheverny.

The restaurant kept its original name, Les Trois Marchands, to maintain the tradition and has an excellent reputation in the region for superior cuisine and service.  Its chefs have earned the prestigious designation of Maitres Restaurateurs. The menu offers local fresh products resulting from organic farming and agriculture.

The owners, Bernard and Véronique (who are charming and welcoming to all their guests) are dedicated to reducing their impact on nature by preserving natural resources and limiting pollution.  We have known them for many years when they owned the nearby Château du Breuil, and you won't find anyone more involved in providing their guests with comfort and a perfect experience in France.







Thirty-five spacious en suite guest rooms offer the ultimate in comfort and convenience in this four-star accommodation.  Although more of a boutique hotel and not a B&B, it is like you are staying with a family with the added amenities of an elevator, free WiFi, a mini-bar in each room and adjustable air conditioning.  And, Le Relais is in a superb location for any time of year.  Visit it on our web site to see and read more.

For more information or reservations, please contact us at inquiry@au-chateau.com,
and we'll be happy to help.

 

[Photos ©Bernard Gattoliat   All Rights Reserved.]

Our  Featured Rental:
 Château de la Caillotière
a 19th Century gem in the Pays de la Loire . . .


Château de la Caillotière

The ancestor of the present owners, an ambassador, built this château over 200 years ago.  The seventy acres of land include woodlands, lawns and gardens for peaceful strolls and exploration.

The six bedrooms in the château offer authentic French décor with period wall coverings and antique furniture.  A modern kitchen with a dining area and view to the park is perfect for gathering at breakfast, while a spacious and elegant dining room seating up to sixteen makes the dream of château living a reality.  A chef can be arranged if you would like dinner prepared for your group.  Visit the château on our site to see photos of the rooms and grounds.




Myriad interesting pastimes can be enjoyed at the château:  there is a games room and the opportunity to play tennis on the court or swim in the beautiful pool.  In addition, a horse and a pony reside at the château so riding lessons can be organized on the miles of bridle paths traversing the estate.  Table tennis, badminton, and fishing in the pond, as well as a game of pétanque may interest you.

Day trips in the area should include some time in Angers to see the half-timbered houses and visit the Château d'Angers, a monumental fortress built in the 9th and early 13th centuries [photo right]. 



Do take time to see the city of Nantes and the grand Château des Ducs de Bretagne [photo below]. Nantes was the center of the province of Brittany until the 1956 separation creating the Pays de la Loire.

Of course the entire western Loire Valley is rich in history and historic sites, vineyards and fascinating towns all along the River Loire.  There is also the Puy de Fou theme park, and six or more royal châteaux in easy driving distance.

As you can see, a stay at Château de la Caillotière has endless possibilities for the enjoyment of a classical château in a region filled with French and Loire Valley history and easily reached by train or automobile from Paris or its two airports.

Visit Château de la Caillotière on our site today to learn all about this fine estate to rent for your special occasion or a holiday away with family and friends.   Contact us at inquiry@au-chateau.com.

[Photos, unless otherwise indicated, copyrighted by G & C de Noblet.  All rights reserved.]

French Quiz 138

Where are we?

Hint:  not where we are standing, but what is in the distance

Name this UNESCO World Heritage Site

Send your answer by email to newsletter@au-chateau.com

[Photo © Cold Spring Press.  All Rights Reserved.]

OUR  TWO  NEWEST  MEMBERS

Château de Janville in the Seine-Maritime
is now accepting reservations

Château de Janville

The château offers 9 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms, sleeping fifteen people very comfortably.  The professional kitchen is perfect for preparing meals for your group to enjoy in the elegant dining room.  Dining en plein air is also a fine option.

Spend time in the heated family pool for a refreshing swim.  If desired, a baby sitter or private chef can be made available upon request.   Nearby is the delightful village of Veulettes sur Mer and its fine beaches, bakeries and supermarkets, and, of course, restaurants for your enjoyment [photo left]. 

The Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery is 38 kilometers away from the château and at 25 kilometers is the ornate Palais Bénédictine in Fécamps, dating back to 1863.  It was here that the lost recipe of a Bénédictine monk was found making it possible for wine merchant and industrialist, Alexandre le Grand,  to once again  produce the mysterious monk's liqueur.  The museum and art gallery telling this story are well worth a visit.

Visit Château de Janville on our site now and, perhaps, book your stay!  And, be sure to contact us with your questions or to make a reservation.

Château de Courcy in Normandy

  Villes et Villages de France

Théâtre antique d'Orange

The Vaucluse city of Orange has this splendid first century Roman theater, still used for the summer Opera Festival.  A statue of Augustus Caesar faces the audience from his niche in the wall.  It is a grand structure and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.

We hope you will visit Orange and its theater, take the little bus tour around the city, and enjoy just one more legacy of the Roman Empire so well preserved in France.

News from Our Members . . .
& other travel information

We have to bid adieu to the lovely Isabelle Bretton whose Domaine des Castelles has been a member of our site since 2002.  She sold her estate to retire, and we will miss her, as will all the guests she hosted over the years.

Château de Détilly in the Loire was sold as well, following the untimely passing of our friend David Jones.  Our thoughts are always with Sandra at her Palladian Estate Winery in St Helena, California.

Also sold in 2020 were      
      o  Château du Barthas in the Gers département of Occitanie
      o  Château de Roque Bas near Bordeaux

We do not know at this time if their new owners will continue hosting guests, but if they decide to rejoin au Château, we will let you know.

Also for sale is the lovely Le Vieux Murs in the bucolic Allier.  Visit our site's Châteaux for Sale page to learn more.

 

** David Daniel, the charming host of Château de Sommesnil in Normandy, is offering a 30% discount in 2021 to reservations made through au Château! **  Be sure to contact us for your stay at this elegant château.

---

Hoping to visit France ?

2020 was an especially difficult year for the hospitality and tourism industry, as it has been for travelers, but we are thankful that almost all of our members have been able to hang on, and many are planning to welcome guests again soon.  It certainly hasn't been easy for anyone.

If you have an interest in booking a stay in one of our member châteaux in 2021 and/or 2022, please contact us with your dates and questions.  We will promptly ascertain availability.  All members have taken great pains to clean and sanitize their properties for the safety of all guests.  All French government regulations will be followed as guests begin to arrive once again.

As of this writing, people from European Union Member States, Andorra, the Holy See, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland can enter France, as well as hauliers (those transporting goods by road), a cross-border worker or a resident of a cross-border area (within a 30 km radius of one's residence).  Keep in mind, the restrictions can change at any time depending upon the COVID-19 situation.

For Americans planning travel to France, the US Department of State provided the following on February 2:

      French Requirements

• Travel Restricted: Most United States citizens cannot travel to France at this time due to broad travel restrictions. Only essential travel is allowed, including entry by French citizens, residents of France, foreign (including United States citizen) students (with appropriate visa or residence permit), and spouses and children of French citizens.
• Borders Closed: Additionally, under the January 29 border closure, entry from the United States must fit into specific categories, outlined here in English and in the regulations detailed in French.

      If permitted to travel under rare exception:

• Sign an Attestation: An attestation is required.
• Get a Test: COVID-19 PCR test required.
• Quarantine: A seven-day self-isolation is required upon arrival and a test again at the end of this period.

US citizens can return to the United States from France at any time.  There are testing requirements both before leaving France and upon returning to the United States, as well as self-quarantining rules, so please check with the CDC web site for the most up-to-date information. 

We encourage you to stay optimistic about future travel, protect yourself and others by social-distancing and wearing masks, and as soon as you are able, please get vaccinated.  If we all do these things, we will once again be free to travel, visit friends and family in other countries, and return to some semblance of our former life of travel to France.

UPDATE:  As of 2/26/21 the following 20 départements have surpassed the government's preferred number per 100,000 of COVID-19 cases, so they are under strict surveillance to be sure all health precautions are being observed:

• Les Alpes-Maritimes 
  
• Les Bouches-du-Rhône
• La Drôme
• L'Essonne
• L'Eure-et-Loir
• Les Hauts-de-Seine
• La Meurthe-et-Moselle
• La Moselle
• Le Nord
• L'Oise
• Paris
• Le Pas-de-Calais
• Le Rhône
• La Seine-et-Marne
• La Seine-Saint-Denis
• La Somme
• Le Val-d'Oise
• Le Val-de-Marne
• Le Var
• Les Yvelines

For more updated information on this and other topics from France, visit FRANCE 24 news.

  
Be sure to visit our Special Offers page often to see
what properties are discounting their rates or
offering guests a special bonus for booking through au Château.

Remember
  au Château gives every inquiry personal, prompt attention ~
 and we are here to answer your questions,
unlike the automated online booking services.

Easy Recipe:  Piperade

We are borrowing this recipe from Susan Herrmann Loomis' newest book, Plat du Jour, and hope you not only enjoy the piperade, a recipe from Basque country, but will buy this and other of her cookbooks.  We appreciate the amazing recipes Susan shares and teaches in her On Rue Tatin classes in Paris and Normandy.

PIPERADE ASTUCES:  You can make this sauce without the eggs and serve it with any number of other things – roast chicken, steamed fish, garlic-rubbed toast, or all by itself!

Pipérade freezes well, so make it in summer to brighten your winter evenings!  PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes COOKING TIME: 1 hour 17 minutes (+/-) DIFFICULTY LEVEL: simple

1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large onion peeled and thinly sliced; 2 cloves of garlic, peeled (green germ removed) and minced; 34 ozs (125g) very thinly sliced air-cured ham such as Parma; 4 pounds (2kg) tomatoes peeled, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped; sea salt; hot paprika or Piment d'Espelette; 4 to 6 large eggs; Fleur de Sel; basil or flat-leaf parsley sprigs

Place the oil and the onion slices in a large heavy skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and the garlic, season lightly with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers have softened but aren’t completely limp, 5 to 7 minutes.

While the peppers are cooking, cut the ham into thin strips.

Stir the ham into the peppers.  Then add the tomatoes. Increase the heat if necessary, to bring the mixture to a boil, then decrease it so it is simmering steadily.  Season lightly with salt and piment d’Espelette, cover, and cook until the ingredients have formed a soupy mixture and are tender, about 1 hour.  Check and stir from time to time to be sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Break the eggs one by one into the mixture, cover, and cook until the eggs are just set, 3 to 5 minutes.  To serve, use a large, shallow spoon to scoop around each egg, grabbing some tomatoes and peppers as you do, and set it delicately in the center of a shallow soup bowl.  Once all the eggs are out, scoop out more tomato mixture and surround the eggs with it.  Garnish each plate with fleur de sel if desired, and the basil or parsley and serve immediately.

  Published January 12, 2021, the Kindle version is available instantly. 
Or order the hardcover copy online from Amazon with a click below:


Contact  Susan  at  On Rue Tatin susan@onruetatin.com and learn
more about her classes and French cooking and cuisine.



And, subscribe to the online newsletter, FRANCE On Your Own
from our sister web site of the same name.  Published since 1997, our newsletter
offers regional reviews, expat experiences, and lots of travel information to explore
FRANCE On Your Own.  And, it's Free!  Click here to subscribe.
Please put Subscribe in the subject line.