This may be an unassuming area of France, but with a sprawling national park and honey-stoned villages, the Perche (in southeast Normandy) is a destination you ignore at your own peril. It’s the perfect short-haul getaway for history-lovers, foodies and walkers looking for the intriguingly unfamiliar only a hop, skip and jump from busy Paris.
Villa Fol Avril – a charming converted coaching inn – is a triumphant blend of old and new, and from the converted stables to the modern decked swimming pool it’s the historical charm and pretty surroundings that resonate.
Rooms: Hosts Sandrine and Philippe share an exquisite eye for detail and have taken care to incorporate the character of the surrounding countryside into Villa Fol Avril’s 12 beautifully furnished rooms. Furniture, stair banisters and key-holders are all hand-crafted from local wood while linen bedcovers and cushions come from the long-established Maison Fassier in nearby Rémalard. New oak combines with original beams and attractive antiques have been introduced alongside sections of exposed stone or brick. The result is wonderfully light, airy and unobtrusively contemporary – a perfect homage to the building’s history.
Two of our favourite rooms (Rooms 6 and 7) are nestled under vast oak beams on the second floor and display their unhewn charm through rustic furniture, a soft slate-blue colour palette and luxurious wool blankets. For a little more space, Junior Suite au Jardin and Exception each have a private terrace or balcony to extend the bedroom outdoors. Large bathrooms are impeccably presented with thick towels and decadent Damana toiletries.
Food: It’s not just the rooms that display the influence of the hotel’s surroundings; lunch and dinner are also infused with the delights of the locality; fresh local fare that is wonderfully spoiling without being needlessly fancy. Better still, in the summer it is enjoyed out on a sunny terrace where you can acclimatise to the gently bustling village life. In colder weather dining is relocated to the smart oak and chocolate linen-lined dining room (though be aware that in winter the restaurant’s opening hours are more limited, so you many have to dine elsewhere on certain days). Luckily there’s a surprisingly impressive choice of restaurants nearby (including the luxurious Chateau de Villeray at Condeau), although you’ll need wheels to reach them. Breakfast is a simple, but perfectly tasty, continental offering of croissants, fruit, yoghurt and coffee.
Top Tip: Most guests come for one to 2 nights. But you could happily spend longer here, as it’s a great base from which to discover this little known region of France. You could even do a day-trip to Paris if you wished – it’s less than 2 hours away!
i-escape guest review: “Lovely lovely place – great service and very quiet location, we were there late June and it was lovely and quiet, had the gardens and pool to ourselves often. We were upgraded to a garden suite which was fantastic – massive room, really nice style, and a lovely decked terrace to chill out on. Highly recommended!”
Ruth, United Kingdom (28.06.14)