Fodor's Expert Review Château de La Ballue

18 km (11 miles) east of Combourg, Bazouges-la-Pérouse, Brittany, 35270, France

Nineteenth-century writers Alfred de Musset, Honoré de Balzac, and Victor Hugo were all once guests at this quintessential Normand château, famed for sophisticated gardens that feature witty sculptures, leafy groves, impressive columns of yew, a fernery, a labyrinth, and a Temple of Diana. Dating from 1620, La Ballue has a rather severe and forbidding exterior. Inside, however, the dynamic English-speaking owners Alain and Marie-Françoise Mathiot-Mathon offer a warm welcome. Gleaming wood paneling and period antiques adorn the main floor, from which a huge granite staircase leads up to the lovely guest rooms—four large, beautifully decorated, fabric-swathed salons (each with a four-poster bed) and a luxury suite.

PROS

  • exceptional taste
  • a superb example of the "art de vivre"
  • cool history

CONS

  • isolated location
  • expensive breakfast
  • ornate decor not for everyone

QUICK FACTS

Hotel
$$

HOTEL INFO

Phones: 02–99–97–47–86

HOTEL DETAILS

5 rooms
Rate Includes: No Meals

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