Like so many aspiring hoteliers entering the business after careers elsewhere, Monsieur and Madame Tissier set out to achieve perfection. Unlike so many of their peers, they appear to have succeeded.
Their handsome chateau dates from 1835 and has glorious views over its 100 acre estate from a position of sublime rural tranquillity. Avoid the attic accomodation with velux windows and opt instead for the dearer rooms which are of a very high standard, with prices varying according to size and aspect. Room 10, the most expensive, is singled out for particular praise, memorable for its elegance and outlook.
Tributes abound, too, for Thierry Guinot’s cuisine. Feast on his menu dégustation, a bargain at about £50 a head and even more memorable when taken al fresco on the panoramic terrace.
What else have the owners conjured up for their guests? Stylish drawing rooms if you need to unwind, a billiard room if you feel in the mood, a sauna and a heated (June – September) pool over by the orchard and kitchen garden. Oh, and renovated stables with 30 or 40 horses in case you feel like a hack in this picturesque, totally unspoiled countryside. There’s a fishing lake, too, and cycles or mountain bikes for hire. And by the time you’ve finished reading this, they’ve probably thought of something else for your ongoing pleasure. Perfection? Not for want of trying.