Thinking of where to spend a week or two this summer?  Doesn't this lovely pool just beg you to come to Château Robert?

Surrounded by thirty-five acres of landscaped park, the château offers those who rent it supreme privacy, tranquility and exclusivity.  Guest room windows overlook marvelous trees, hedges, gardens, and vast lawns.  Peaceful and relaxing strolls in the park will become part of your daily routine.

Visitors to the Atlantic Coast of France will appreciate the location of Château Robert.  Not far from Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Bayonne and the beautiful Basque and Béarn countryside, every day will be an opportunity to discover more of the riches of the southwest.

Golfers will find many well-designed and popular courses in the region easily accessible from Château Robert, and people who love horseback riding will have easy access to equestrian centers nearby.

Play tennis, fish for trout in the château's pond, or just enjoy your days in the heated saltwater swimming pool at the château.  You never have to leave the property to have a wonderful, restful and memorable vacation! 

If cooking is your favorite pastime, week-long cooking courses are taught at the château in the newly renovated and spacious kitchen.  Just sign up when you book your stay!  Or, perhaps you would like someone to organize wine tastings and vineyard visits for your group.  Several packages are offered for those who rent the château.

The bedrooms, of which there are ten, are tastefully and stylishly decorated.  Each one offers luxurious ambiance so that guests truly experience staying at a fine French château.  Comfortable beds, exquisite furnishings and elegant fabrics combine with views over the estate to make each guest room a wonderful retreat for its occupants.  There are nine bathrooms in the château, several salons and a drawing room with a pool table for those who are inclined to enjoy a game or two.  A grand dining room completes the picture to bring each wonderful day to a close seated around the table with your friends and family to enjoy a fine meal provided by the chefs on staff. 

Château Robert is the perfect destination for those seeking a place to gather their loved ones for a family holiday or as an exclusive getaway for a group of good friends.  Don't waste any time making your reservation!  This offers you the opportunity to enjoy château life at its very best. [The château is rented by the week from Saturday to Saturday.]  Visit their pages on our site to learn more and make your reservation!

Whether for a long weekend or an entire week near the exquisite Breton coast, you couldn't find a better destination than the charming and hospitable  Domaine de Moulin Mer! 

This fine manor house, Domaine de Moulin Mer, offers five tastefully decorated en suite guest rooms starting at €65 ~ including breakfast!  A fine dinner is also offered at a reasonable price with advance reservations.

If you are trying to escape the hectic pace of everyday life, think about the tranquil and relaxing countryside surrounding this lovely chambres d'hôtes: water sports, fishing, sailing, hiking, cycling or walking down to the shore.  Visit Quimper to visit the faïence producers; explore the Baie de Douranenez and Parc Naturel Régional d'Armorique or historic Huelgoat; take a drive to charming and quaint Pont Aven, the city of painters and a fine Musée des Beaux-Arts.

Superb Guest Rooms and semi-tropical Gardens

The Domaine provides guests with immaculate, comfortable guest rooms with modern en suite bathrooms.  The gardens surrounding the Domaine are beautifully lush and represent the semi-tropical micro climate enjoyed here.

Brittany offers so much to travelers in addition to its fascinating history and prehistoric relics.  It offers a peaceful getaway for personal rejuvenation!  Contact Domaine de Moulin Mer today to make your reservations!

                     (1)  Arles         (a) 2nd largest city in France by population
                       (2)  Lyon          (b) its origins are in the sixth century BC
                         (3)  Marseille      (c) largest city in France by surface area
                           (4)  Nîmes           (d) 3rd largest city in France by population
                             (5)  Paris            (e) 14% of its population are foreigners

Experience Bordeaux like an insider.  Visit and taste at world-famous châteaux!  Enjoy great food, wine and fun, and stay at a private eighteenth-century château.

Ronald and Margaret Rens invite you to join them on a wine tour.  They are experts in Bordeaux wines and have scheduled some wonderful tours for summer and autumn:

Short Bordeaux packages offered all year 'round, and corporate and other group tours can be tailor made to your requirements.  Click here for more information.

It's time to pack your bags and head for Gascony . . . land of the Three Musketeers, and, in this instance, a pretty, cheerful château offering comfortable rooms, fine dining and wonderful spa treatments.  Château de Pomiro's proprietors are eager to welcome you to their romantic and lovely home, complete with four-course dinners using the château's own garden produce and local products to serve delicious Gascogne specialties.

Six beautifully decorated double rooms are offered at the château, all en suite, to ensure your comfort.  Breakfast is included in the room rates.  There is even a fully-equipped gym for daily workout sessions.  And, don't forget to make a reservation for a spa treatment; you can choose from Swedish massage, Hot Stone Therapy, a Chinese foot bath or Reflexology by qualified therapists in whole- or half-day sessions.  Manicures, pedicures, make up sessions, and facials are also offered.  And, of course, there is a fine swimming pool for a refreshing break from all your busy tourist activities!

The château owners specialize in large celebrations and weddings ~ special occasions and family gatherings are hosted at the château and include a welcome drink upon arrival, a first-night get together evening meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner on each day and a special Gala evening to mark your special event.  Music can be provided as well.  There is a superb outdoor area for the reception, but it can also be held in the spacious dining room.

For your next stay in France, do consider this exceptional chambres d'hôtes run by a couple who have many years in the hospitality and restaurant industry in Europe and know exactly how to make their guests feel right at home!

Visit Château de Pomiro on our site today.

During your stay in the elegant and authentic Château de La Barre, fly at the speed of the wind and in complete freedom over the small Loir valley, its hills, river, picturesque villages, vineyards, luxuriant gardens, and Renaissance manor houses. 

Depart at dawn to drink Champagne in the skies;  then return to the château where an English breakfasts awaits you. . . 

Or

. . . Land into the sunset to be met by the ground crew with your flight certificate before being welcomed with Champagne in the Salon Rose of the château followed by a candlelit dinner in the Grande Salle à Manger. 

During the day, visit some châteaux, gardens and the remarkable old city of Le Mans, home of the Plantagenets and stage set of numerous films. Or, simply relax and enjoy the life of an XVIIIth century gentleman in the elegant drawing rooms or amble in the garden and park. 

In the evening, after a glass of brandy in front of the imposing XIVth century fireplace of the billiard room, return to the quiet elegance and comfort of your own room. 

In the rolling Gers hills and the land of the Three Musketeers, one will discover this amazing Medieval castle dating as far back as the thirteenth century.  Surrounded by green parkland, specimen trees and meadows of sunflowers and rapeseed, this incredible château is just waiting to be rented for your next family gathering or special event.

Château du Barthas is fully renovated to a high standard with all modern conveniences.  Yet, it retains the feel and historic ambiance of its Medieval past with monumental fireplaces, thick stone walls and towers with winding stone staircases.

With seven guest rooms (and a possible eighth with its own bathroom in the second floor loft), the château is perfect for family gatherings and celebrations or for a group of friends to rent for a week or two for a holiday.  Comfortable common rooms, a fully-equipped kitchen, washer and dryer, and an historic dining room enable guests to make themselves at home and enjoy each day to the fullest.  And, for a special event, the reception room can seat up to 60 for dinner!

Situated between Toulouse ~ called the Rose City for its brick old town ~ the center of culture in the region, and Auch, the capital of historic Gascony, the castle is ideally located for tours, wine tastings, visits to Armagnac distilleries and just enjoying the rolling green Gers countryside.

We hope you will visit Château du Barthas on our site today to read all about it and see photos that are sure to encourage you to make your reservations! 

This is a wonderful mid-day summer meal and easy to prepare.

You will need mixed baby greens such as mesclun, a light salad dressing made with extra virgin olive oil and red wine or balsamic vinegar, a very thin baguette (ficelle) cut into 12 equal 1/2" slices, 12 thin round slices of goat cheese, freshly minced herbs including thyme and basil (or  dried herbes de Provence, rehydrated and patted dry on paper towel), and three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Put bread slices on an ungreased cookie sheet, and top each with a slice of goat cheese; sprinkle with herbs, and drizzle olive oil lightly over each one.  Bake for 5 - 6 minutes in the oven, monitoring them so that they do not become too dry.

Arrange three croutons on each salad.  Serve immediately.  Makes four servings. 

Bon appétit!

The answers are: 
Quiz 85 - 1c, 2d, 3a, 4b, 5e
Quiz 86 - The answer will be in our July / August au Château News
Quiz 84  from last issue -  Le Mont St-Michel.  We had one winner!

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