Hotel Lous Grits

Marsolan, Gascony, France

Overview

On a high bluff overlooking the rolling hills and wooded valleys of the Gers, Marsolan sees little passing traffic apart from pilgrims following the Way of Saint James towards Santiago. The Pitron family, seduced by the village's utter serenity and its ancient stones, have fashioned their diminutive hotel in keeping with the spirit of the place, taking an ancient occitan proverb as their touchstone: Oun grits e y a, Diù qu'habite - 'Happy the home where a cricket is to be heard'.

The original 18th-century chai was taken down stone by stone, then reinvented by some of the region's finest craftsmen so as to combine the building's original materials with top Noughties creature comforts. Every last corner has manicured good looks yet it retains an almost monastic feel thanks to things aural taking a front seat: rooms have a state-of-the-art music system and on arrival you'll be handed a CD of classical music. Lous Grits eschews the mundane in favour of inner nourishment and is a perfect choice if you're looking for R&R of the most peaceful kind.

Highs

• 5 sumptuously comfortable guest bedrooms
  
• One of the loveliest regions of Gascony is right on your doorstep
  
• Meticulous decorative detail with heaps of original paintings, mosaics and stone work by local artists
  
• A sense of retreat, of inner sanctum, and of real repose
  
• A chance to experience the gastronomic delights of the Gers, home to magret, foie and armagnac

Lows

• A stay here is no cheap treat, but it's well worth the splurge
  
• Don't expect much in the way of action: the village has just 250 souls

Rooms

The decorative care-and-flair of Lous Grits' jazzy bar/sitting room and dining room is also on show in its 5 guest bedrooms, each of which is named after a different Gascon wind. The 2 ground floor rooms, Balaguero and Miejournal (the only twin) give onto a decked inner courtyard and are classified as Superior. Up above them, accessed by way of a spiral stone staircase or a swish stainless steel lift, Soulano is the only Suite. This room has a private terrace and measures in at a whopping 57m². But my favourite rooms were the 2 Luxury Doubles on the top floor, Amarijo and Cantoleso, which both have decked terraces looking to the distant peaks of the Pyrennees.

The decoration of the rooms was a labour of love for owner Martine, who drew on the combined nous of the region's finest stone masons, carpenters and artists. A decorative palette of soft pastel colours provides a subtle backdrop for the warm tones of the terracotta-tiled floors or, in the case of the ground-floor rooms, shining oak parquet. Cut flowers and a series of paintings inspired by La Corrida add a more zesty note whilst antique dressers and wardrobes evoke the building's past life. The overall vibe is warm and feminine, conceived to appeal to all of your senses: you're greeted by the aroma of essential oils and are encouraged to listen to the CD of classical music that you're given at reception.

All rooms are comfortable with a capital 'C' and reflect Martine's love of fine fabrics (courtesy of Pierre Frey, Elitis and Sahco if you're au fait with the names). Top-of-the-range mattresses are bedecked with fine cotton sheets and silk bedspreads and you're treated to a triple bank of pillows, an alpaca throw from the Camargue and a cotton dressing gown with the Lous Grits logo. Subtle lighting ups the intimacy factor and bathrooms are just as keen to please. They come with heated towel rails, handpainted tiles and all but one have double sinks of the freestanding or surface-top variety. Expect a pile of snowy-white towels and stacks of bathroom goodies, including make-up remover pads, tissues and herbal shampoo, soap and gel.

Room includes:

• Phone
• CD player
• Radio
• Internet Connection
• Safe box
• Air-Conditioning
• Central Heating
• Extra Beds

Eating

Gascony's famed douceur de vivre (sweetness of life) stems not only from its gentle climate, but also from the quality of its regional cuisine. Happily, Lous Grits pays full lip service to the cult of Good Food in the Gers. You dine in the diaphanous dining room, which has 4 huge windows opening out to the courtyard, or when the weather allows, out in the decked courtyard. Soleado crockery, Pierre Frey napkins and glassware courtesy of Villeroy & Boch are as good-looking as the rest of the house.

Breakfast, which is served any time from 7.30 through to midday, could be better described as brunch and will include the local fromage blanc served with honey, homemade cake or crêpes, a choice of breads and croissants straight from the oven of the village bakery, freshly squeezed orange juice, a big range of organic jams and, if you fancy one, a boiled egg. The best teas and coffee are on offer, the latter of the espresso variety.

At breakfast you'll be asked if you intend to eat dinner at Lous Grits. Marie or Martine will run through that evenings's table d'hôtes menu, which always sticks to a classical, Gascon 4-course structure. The culinary brief is to buy all ingredients fresh from the local markets, to source organic produce and to stick to the time-tried recipes of the Gers whenever possible. Some variant on the foie, magret or confit theme will always be part of the menu, as will a selection of the region's cheeses and a homemade dessert. You can choose from a small wine menu, which lists a selection of mid-range wines from Gascony and Bordeaux.

If you prefer the idea of dining out you could hardly be better placed, with half a dozen of south west France's top gastro venues within easy driving range. The Pain Adour et Fantaisie has a superb restaurant overlooking the river at Grenade-sur-L'Adour. The food is both creative and gourmet, aiming to rework the traditional recipes of the Bas Armagnac. La Table des Cordeliers at Condom would be a great choice if you've got something to celebrate; with a 13th-century chapel as its backdrop, Eric Samprieto's superlative modern Gascon cuisine has been fêted with a Michelin star. Auberge le Prieuré at Moirax has also recently been awarded a Michelin star or, closer to Lous Grits, there are a number of good restaurants in Lectoure, which include Le Bastard and the Auberge de Bouviers.

Dining features:

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Organic Produce
• Vegetarian Menu
• Breakfast

Activities

• Shop for a gourmet picnic at the local markets; the Lectoure event on Fridays is particularly colourful
  
  
• Indulge in spa and beauty treatments at the Centre Termale at Lectoure. As a guest of Lous Grits you're entitled to a hefty discount
  
  
• Walk part of the Pilgrim's Way of St James, which passes by just yards from Lous Grits
  
  
• Take a balloon flight for a bird's eye view of the Gers then celebrate your return to terra firma by cracking open a bottle of local bubbly
  
  
• Have a game of tennis on the hotel court or play golf: there are are 9- and 18-hole courses close by with discounts for hotel guests
  
  
• Visit the castle at Lavardens, the Cistercian abbey at Flaran (which has a fabulous art collection), and the stunning cathedral at Auch (photo 5)
  
  
• Plan your stay so as to coincide with one of the summer music festivals that take place throughout the Gers; there's a fabulous 2-week jazz fest in August

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Food and wine
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Hot air ballooning
• Museums/galleries
• Shopping/markets
• Tennis
• Wine Tasting

Essentials

Who goes?

Being in its infancy, trends amongst foreign visitors are yet to be established at Lous Grits although the word is already out in Toulouse and Bordeaux. This is a place that is bound to build up a reputation amongst both music lovers and foodies.

When to go?

The Gers is beautiful at any time of year. If you're a sun worshipper, May - October would be the best time to come, although sunny winter days, when the higher Pyrennean peaks are capped by snow, are hard to beat. But come wind, rain or shine, you are guaranteed a culinary feast throughout the year.

Features

• A rooftop terrace with views of the Pyrenees
  
  
• The decorative pick-and-mixing of contemporary and antique furniture works really well
  
  
• A stylish bar-cum-music room with a selection of vintage armagnacs and framed album covers
  
  
• Free internet access in rooms and computer for guest use in the library
  
  
• The sensitive recycling of the building's original building's base elements, like beams and floor flags, belies the fact that Lous Grits is only a couple of years old
  
  
• The hotel is an ode to both music and art, and reflects the Pitron family's love of beautiful objets

Location

Location
Hotel Lous Grits is set in the small town of Marsolan, in the Gascony region of southwest France. It's an hour from Toulouse.

By Air:
Toulouse Airport (80km) and Bergerac Airport (136km) are the closest. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
The hotel can arrange a transfer from Toulouse - see Rates - but we'd suggest hiring a car so you can explore the region.

By Train:
If you'd prefer to travel overland from the UK, take the Eurostar from London to Paris, then the TGV to Agen (36km); from here you can hire a car or ask the hotel to collect you.

By Car:
If you need to hire a car, we find Holiday Autos are usually the cheapest and you can book online or on the phone and collect your car at the airport.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com

More on getting to France and getting around

Rates

Reviews

Press Reviews

Conde Nast Johansens
"Immerse yourself in gracious French living! Looking out to picturesque views of Marsolan’s rooftops and surrounding countryside through quaint, small bedroom windows and from terraces, this traditional Gascon home is an exquisite little hotel designed with sophisticated taste incorporating modern conveniences and local charm. Get away from it all and feel seduced by village life."

The Times, June 2008
"In Gascony, life relaxes down to ambling pace. Chaps drive tractors, ladies carry proper baskets and all meet up under the arcades of the village square, itself simply the continuation of country life by other means. There’s tons here to see (Lavardens castle, Flaran Abbey’s art collection, Auch cathedral’s extraordinary choir stalls) and do (biking, boating, hiking, horsing), but they can wait. Today, there is a sunny terrace to sit on, foie gras to eat, wine and armagnac to drink.

Noble overtones abound at the Hotel Lous Grits, in Marsolan, between Lectoure and Condom. It’s small, certainly, but with considerably more feminine elegance than is usually encountered in country villages."

Guest Reviews

Reviews are from people who have booked through us.