Emma Les Sources de Cheverny, a peaceful haven in the French countryside with excellent local food
Les Sources de Cheverny is a spa hotel in the Loire Valley in France, and the sister property to Les Sources Des Caudalie Spa on the outskirts of Bordeaux. We haven’t been to Bordeaux but did visit the Loire Valley a few years ago on a wine trip so know the region and its famous wines. In addition to wine, it’s also known for landmark castles like Château de Cheverny, which is a mere bike ride away from the hotel, Tintin fans will recognise the château as the Belgian comic book creator Hergé used Cheverny as a model for his fictional “Château de Moulinsart”.
Background
Les Sources des Cheverny is a family affair. In 1999, Les Sources de Cheverny owner Alice Tourbier (née Cathiard) and her husband, Jérôme Tourbier, had just graduated from business school. They were given the challenge of developing the family-owned hotel and spa, Les Sources de Caudalie, the one near Bordeaux.
Alice’s parents, Florence and Daniel Cathiard (an ex-skiing champion and sporting goods entrepreneur-turned-winemaker) supported Alice as she started a career as a hotelier. At the same time, her sister Mathilde Thomas developed the Caudalie range. These two areas merge perfectly in the idyllic surroundings of their hotels.
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Wine made on-site and vinotherapy, spa treatments made from grapes!
The Loire Valley is all about wine and it’s in abundance at Les Sources des Cheverny. Here, you can taste La Grand Vigne, a delicious wine produced on their own private estate, and sample many fine wines within the two on-site restaurants, and even if you’re not a fan of drinking wine, you can still enjoy the benefits as the spa treatments are made using by-products of the winemaking process.
Location
Located within easy reach of Blois (The TGV train runs from Paris to Blois Railway Station), the 18th Century Chateau de Breuil and associated accommodations are so discreet and peaceful that you may miss the signage.
Character
Relaxation is the word here, spacious rooms decorated in a modern style with a nod to the traditional landscape outside. The chalet-style suites are large enough for families whereas the chic chateau rooms bring antique furniture to use alongside colourful rugs and lux fittings.
Whether you relax in the Scandinavian-styled reception lounge or in the chateau while listening to vintage vinyl, you are surrounded by nature. This is the kind of hotel that has a room dedicated to boots, so you don’t need to pack your walking boots for a walk amongst the 110-acre forest.
Rooms
You can’t miss the Le Baron Perché suite, this is their stand-out suite. A wooden cabin that stands on stilts and overlooks the lake. A haven of peace, or the ultimate love nest.
This glorious cabin takes its name from the Italian novel ‘The Baron in the Trees’ by Italo Colvino. The young Cosimo and his father quarrel because he refuses to eat his soup. He then climbs the trees of the garden and promises to never come down again in his entire life. This leads to many adventures and I can see how this resonates with Les Sources Des Cheverny with its 110 acres of land.
At Le Baron Perché you’ll find a private Nordic outdoor bathtub located on your private terrace surrounded by panoramic views of the lake.
There are a variety of rooms on offer, not just the impressive Le Baron Perche. There are 49 suites and rooms in total, each with its own influence of the surrounding nature. All rooms come with ensuite bathrooms with two sinks, bath, shower and hairdryer; eco-responsible shower products, flat screen TV; air conditioning; wifi; safe and minibar.
Facilities
The Spa by Caudalie is an experience worthy of a visit on its own, whether you are trying the crushed cabernet body scrub or a massage with Caudalie Vinoscuplt balm using family-owned vinotherapy products. I have since become a convert to the Caudalie range after my experience here.
The heated outdoor pool in the grounds is free to use and surrounded by trees, grass and flowers, again adding to the natural feel. Use of the indoor spa pool, wooden jacuzzi and hammam, requires booking a treatment or buying a pass.
The hotel has bicycles available for those seeking to discover the area in a more relaxed way. Chateau de Cheverny is about a 10-minute bike ride away (and on flat ground). Park up your bike and discover the local shops, the Chateau and its gardens plus there is a ‘Maison des vins de Cheverny’ wine shop beside the Chateau, where you can also sample local wine.
Food and Drink
Restaurant Le Favori is the hotel’s one Michelin-star fine-dining restaurant and is headed up by chef Frédéric Calamels. Le Favori has a calming ambience where the surroundings of the hotel grounds are encouraged inside through the glass walls.
The menu at Le Favori utilises the natural flavours of the Loire Valley, which are enhanced by the skill of Chef Calamels.
L’Auberge is the hotel’s more bistro-style restaurant, which is located inside a homely old farm building. The wooden tables seem made for sitting with friends and discussing the food in front of you. The vaulted, beamed ceiling, along with the rotisserie grill, fireplace and open-plan kitchen enable L’Auberge to be one of those restaurants you want to linger all night in.
Likewise, with La Favori, dishes here are made with local and seasonal ingredients alongside ingredients from further afield. On the menu, you will find smoked sturgeon fillet, lettuce and curry emulsion alongside guinea fowl, and grilled hake.
Since visiting Les Sources des Cheverny, they have received two Michelin Keys which means an exceptional stay and I would concur with this. Modernity and nature balance perfectly here to create an experience which is both refreshing and nurturing. If you do go, remember to book dinner in both restaurants if you can.
We were invited to review on a complimentary basis and reviewed as if visiting independently.
