Owned by the Girardon family, this is a four-square 18th century manor house, hidden behind a stone wall in the centre of a pleasant village within striking distance of the A7 motorway.
Philippe Girardon is the chef. There is a certain purity in his cuisine. The eggs come from his own hens, fruit from his orchard and the truites de montagne are finished in the ‘bassin’ in his wooded parc. Combine this with innovation plus a little ‘exotisme’ and you have a recipe for memorable dining.
The accommodation is split between the garden annexe (4* with A/C and wifi) and the original 2* mansion. The former is a sleek modern building on two floors, served by a lift, and all the spacious rooms (renovated in 2000) have both bath and shower, a separate loo and a terrace, albeit with not much of a view. Bedrooms in the main house are obviously cheaper; they have more traditional furniture and older bathrooms but are preferred by those who cherish the period charm of the building. Whichever you choose, you’ll appreciate the clubbish ambience in the bar and its pretty terrace for summer dining.
We also like the 3* 'Cottage', situated 800m from the hotel, with 13 contemporary air-conditioned rooms and a super bistrot for tasty, uncomplicated cusine (closed on Wednesdays & Thursdays).
Clairefontaine is a stylish family affair and an excellent solution as a gourmet stopover just off the busy north-south highways.