NORMANDY: Le Domaine d'Ablon

                                                                  

I’ve written about Paris Perfect many times over the years, starting in 2011. 

This was my first favorite Paris Perfect rental:

As time went on, Paris Perfect added so many new apartments, it was impossible to have just one favorite:

A new rental from Paris Perfect that I love!!!

And this one!!!

Originally, Paris Perfect rented out furnished apartments to travelers in Paris who wanted a more realistic experience that an impersonal hotel just can’t provide.  Their concept was successful and over the years, Paris Perfect branched out adding apartments for short-time leases in London through London Perfect, then in Italy through Italy Perfect, next came Bali Perfect and finally, more locations throughout France.

A few months ago we had a popular contest for a free stay in a London Perfect apartment of the winner’s choice:

Today, I’m going to introduce a new online shop from Paris Perfect along with a gift to those who order.

But first, I wanted to show you a new destination in Paris Perfect that you might not have seen before…Normandy.

The beautiful countryside photograph by HERE.

The Paris Perfect rental property in Ablon, Normandy is located right below the English Channel and near Deauville and Honfleur in the Pays d’Auge region. It is a quick swim to Brighton, England, if you are up to that!!!   The D-Day beaches are close by and are something you would want to pay your respects at.

\The Paris Perfect Normandy location is great for either a long stay or a short stay, if you are traveling between Paris and London or Provence. 

Normandy is totally unique from much of France.  Here, the houses have thatched roofs and are achingly charming in a Hansel and Gretel or Sleeping Beauty sense with thick thatched roofs. Others are brick and are reminiscent of Belgium. Besides the thatch, materials used that are common to the area are flint, granite, and ancient wood.

A small town in the Normandy countryside

The area is known for three things: apples, seafood, and dairy – or others say cider, Calvados, and Camembert. Still others name another variety of three.

The Normandy boutique hotel offered through Paris Perfect started out as a farm in the early 15th century.  The property was bought in 2011 and construction on the hotel started in 2015.  It opened a few years later.   The small hotel, Le Domaine d’Ablon, has continued to grow at a slow pace – but it will never be large, the final hotel will have just 12 rooms.

Notice the authentic thatch roof at the hotel – it’s so thick!!!

Le Domaine d’Ablon is pure eye candy where antiques and art work mix together to create a home away from home.

Paris Perfect guests have their choice of staying in a dovecote, a restored barn, or a 15th century cottage.

The grounds are as luscious as the restored buildings.  There are orchards with many varieties of apples and vegetable gardens where guests can forage, along with an herbal garden, all of which Chef uses for his meals that are said to be absolutely delicious.   Guests can take cooking lessons from Chef, which he will then serve in your room in front of a roaring fire.

The owner of Le Domaine d’Ablon has the most interesting story.

He is Christophe Delaune, shown above looking at plans of his hotel.   In his mid 40s, he is a native of the seaside town Le Harve.  He left it all behind to seek fortune and fame but after finding both, he realized he missed his Normandy birthplace, terribly.

Back then, Delaune, a wealthy president of a multi million dollar company, owned a 37 acre estate in Provence which enabled him to indulge in his true love – gardening.    He spent $11 million on his Aix-en-Provence garden alone and once hosted a three day flower show at his estate that 25,000 people attended. 

Christophe and his wife, Véronique Delaune,  traveled the world before settling down at Ablon, after selling their penthouse on Paris’ St.-Germain-des-Prés.  He had longed to create a luxury hotel and the idea grew from his own small, 15th century cottage on the farm he had bought at Ablon near Le Harve.  Why not create his dream hotel there?

The couple built two new Norman styled houses on the 12 acre property at Ablon – from scratch, which surprises guests who think the buildings are centuries old, like his original 15th century cottage.  One of the new Normandy houses was for the owners to live in so that guests can now rent out the original cottage. 

The number of guests staying at Le Domaine d’Ablon at one time is kept low so that privacy is maintained or conversely, friendships may be found.  Guests have their own garden to tend, a unique concept in the hotel business. 

In the end, there are plans to create a small village of 12 houses with an indoor pool, an orangery, a media venue,  and a restaurant.

An aerial, drone photograph of the property.  At the far left is the long gravel entry.  The round shape is the new Dovecote, which is available to rent through Paris Perfect.  Past the Dovecote are the wooden gates that lead to the “village” – two rows of buildings which face each.   In the center of the courtyard is a French fountain.  One building on the right, the barn, has two suites on the 2nd floor that are rented out.   Across is the newly built, large house where the Owners live. Behind this is the herb garden and the original cottage from the 15th century.   You can rent this restored cottage from Paris Perfect.  Finally, at the far right are the stables.

Another aerial view – from the opposite direction.

LE DOMAINE D’ABLON

The gate off the street that leads to the farm.

Entering Le Domaine d'Ablon with the Dovecote on the left.  To the right are the wooden gates that lead to the courtyard.

Paris Perfect’s  “Normandy Livarot Suite” - the Dovecote.   It sleeps two with a king sized bed.

Enter through white painted gates.  Notice the charming stairs to the second floor of the Dovecote.  Does Rapunzel live here?

The double doors that lead to the sitting room in the Dovecote.

The Dovecote!  Is it old or new?!?!  

Originally the flowers were to be all white or blue, but that seems to have evolved to a more colorful palette over the years. 

The second floor that leads to the bedroom.

The view up to the second floor.

Close up of the pattern on the walls of the Dovecote.

Thatched roof.

A meal is set up outside the Dovecote on this sunny day.

Inside the first floor – an octagon.  The chandelier is beautiful!

Another view.    The shelves are filled with the personal collection of the owners:  from the plant, animal, and mineral worlds.

No expense was spared in the hotel.

Precious accessories such as crystal flutes and silver trays.

Yummmmm!!!

Most photographs were taken for the hotel’s website by www.stephaneleroy.fr

The bedroom – the second floor of the Dovecote is an amazing feat of architecture, rafters that reach to a center skylight. 

Another view.

Behind the bed is the bathroom, separated by a floating cabinet.

A side view of the bed and bath.

For such a small bath, the luxe factor is high:  double sinks in a marble countertop.  Shower and a claw foot bathtub with trendy encaustic concrete tile floors.

I love how the textured bedspread in gold mimics the color of the wood while the red velvet is such a wonderful pop of color.   The curly headboard is juxtaposed by all the straight rafters.

A peep of the Dovecote through the landscaping.

A drone view in the fall of the Dovecote.  Notice the plants at the top of the thatched roof – you will find these plantings at the top of all the thatched roofs.

The plantings are actually iris – and here at the hotel, all the thatched roofs have iris at their tops.  This is an old, ancestral event, planted so that the clay bed where the iris is planted allows the rhizomes to become fixed at the thatch.  The iris also help the drainage in heavy rains.

Hey…..this is just what I read translated from French.   It makes no sense to me either!!!  Rhizomes??????

Moving on….

Once you pass the Dovecote, you go through the gates to the “village.”

The gates.  There is a double gate in the center and another door is on each side of the double ones.  Above is a thatched roof.

The view through the gates to the courtyard.

A view of the inside of ceiling of the gate – which is as pretty as the outside!

Through the gates, the cobblestone courtyard, with a fountain in the center.   At the right is one section of suites.  On the left, unseen here, is the owners’ house.

The view of the courtyard looking back towards the gate.  At the right is the owners house, on the left are two more suites.

A summer view with white roses climbing up the walls.

BEFORE:   The owners house being built on what will become the cobblestone courtyard.

BEFORE:

The owners house being built, seen from the other side.  Here you can see at the right the 15th century cottage that is original to the Le Domaine d’Ablon.

AFTER:  The owners newly built house on the courtyard.  So pretty!!!

It’s hard to believe this is new construction.

Another view.

In the summer, meals are set up on the courtyard.

The owner’s house on the right with the view towards the entrance gate.

The Owner’s House.  Inside, the main living room is set up as a library for guests.   Through the arches is the owner’s office and reception area for hotel check-ins.

The roaring fire.

I love the high ceiling that overlooks the sitting area.

The owners’ house is brand new – but those beams and arches have to be old!   While you can “fake” old beams, these look too authentic to me.

To me, this looks like a library of video tapes, although it’s hard to see for sure.

Books or videos or both?

The chef or the owner brings in breakfast or brunch to the rooms.  There is no sit down restaurant, yet.  Guests can order room service from a menu or from what they forage in the gardens.   Lunch is set up outside or inside, while dinner is usually placed before the fire.

Some guests prefer to eat at nearby restaurants, while others choose not to leave their rooms!

Lunch on a tray.

Everything is so pretty – the dishes, the glasses, the cutlery.  And then there are the fine linens, robes, the toiletries by Bulgari - everything is first class and so is well thought out.

Blue and white transferware, silver trays – dessert hour.

And then there is the monogram – here sewn into the gorgeous linens.

The chocolates have the monograms on top.

Even the butter pats are monogramed!!!

The food is as pretty as the utensils!

The living area of the owners house, open to the guests.

Check in & Check out – in the study area of the living room.

Past the living room/reception area is the owners’ sitting room – a soothing vision in creamy white with gray walls.

A close up of the stone and brick fireplace.

And past the sitting room is the owners’ kitchen – a mix of antique and industrial.  Blue & white encaustic concrete tiles.

The sitting room is on the other side of this wall and antique cabinet.

Upstairs is the owners’ bedroom and their children’s playroom.  The hallway is long and narrow to fit inside the second floor frame.

A black and white photo. Two beautiful antique French chairs sit in this sitting area on the second floor.

I LOVE these chairs with this extra front leg.

The master bathroom.

A black and white photo of the master bathtub with the rolled top.

Here is what the owner’s half timbered house looks like on the courtyard.  Again, this is brand new – but was constructed to look old, down to its thatched roof with its crown of irises.

And, on the opposite side, the owners house overlooks the herbal garden and the original 15th century cottage.

Look under the thatched roof at the construction of the curved arches.

An aerial drone view of the owners house – with the long pond along the backside, flanked by flowerbeds.  You can also see the other house across the courtyard from the owners’ house.  At the lower right, the cobbled sidewalk leads back to the courtyard and the Dovecote.

Aerial drone view:   At the far left is the owners cottage and in the middle is the original 15th century cottage.  The herbal garden is in front of the original cottage.

Another aerial drone view from the opposite side.  The original 15th century cottage’s half timbered side which overlooks the outdoor dining terrace.  To the right you can see the Owners’ home at its right.  Notice the cobbled path that leads to the Dovecote at the lower far right.

The back side of the owners house.  A pond runs along the house, flanked by flowerbeds. Wisteria climbs up the walls.

Another photo along the back side of the owners’ cottage shows the long pond and climbing roses on trellis.

And yet another flowering season.

BEFORE:   The original, 15th century cottage on the Le Domaine d’Ablon.  The owners lived here before their large house was built on the courtyard.     This side of the original cottage has the half timbered look, while the other side is much plainer.   And this side now holds the outdoor dining terrace.

TODAY:  The timber side of the 15th century cottage and its outdoor dining terrace.  To the far right is the Owners’ house.

BEFORE:   Another before photo.  At the right is the opposite side of the original 15th century cottage.  The Owners’ house on the courtyard, is shown being built on the left.

TODAY:  Close up of the restored 15th century cottage.  Along with the Dovecote, this is another cottage you can rent through Paris Perfect – The Cidre Cottage.

 

Notice the section on the facade, at the very right, above the three terra cotta pots.  See it again, below:

Notice that section here, this photo was taken of it with its 15th century petrified wood and stucco.  It’s just amazing!!!

Between the 15th century cottage and the Owners’ house is the outdoors dining terrace.

Lunch on the dinner terrace at the 15th century cottage.  The wisteria is in full bloom.

No restaurant yet.  Guests order dinner – in the morning from the menu.  Or if they catch or pick something to eat – Chef will fix it up and deliver it for dinner in their cottage. 

The opposite side of the 15th century cottage, the plainer side, which overlooks the herb garden.

Iron gates lead to the herb garden.

Another view of the two windows on the 15th century cottage.

Close up of those two windows, encased in the thatched roof.

Close up of the bottom of the thatch.  Amazing.

The two cottages:  The Owners’ and the 15th Century Cottage along with the herb garden out front.

Aerial view of the 15th Century Cottage and the herb cottage.   The cobbled walk leads to the front and the Dovecote.

The large yard past the dining terrace at the 15th century cottage.

White roses frame the centuries old door.

Inside the cottage.  The owners first lived here while they planned, then built, their hotel – including their new house.

Notice the old fireplace.  Remember this house was built in the 1400s!!!

Notice the beams and the wainscot.

Obviously the tiled floors were added much more recently.

Same view, fire lit.

The kitchen is past the living room.

The powder room with original timber walls.

The kitchen with a La Cornue range.

Breakfast is delivered, but if you want to cook, the kitchen is fully stocked.

Love the open window.

Just darling.

This view is out towards the dining terrace and the large lawn.

The front door to the cottage.

At the opposite end are the stairs to the second floor. 

Going up.

The cottage sleeps 4, 2 in each bedroom.  This bedroom right off the stairs has twin beds.  You have to walk through this room to reach the master bedroom.

The master bedroom looking through to the twin bedroom.   Notice the hardware on this door at the left.

The master bedroom.   The headboard is the brick fireplace from below.

Another view – look at that door!!!  That must be original.

The bathroom is up to date with its selection of robes, tub, and shower. 

The sink is inset into a French cabinet.  The shower is lined in chic white subway tiles.

Rolled top tub and fabulous faucet.

One other view – look how high the ceiling is, here.  On the first floor, the ceilings are quite low.

One note – there is a you tube of the hotel and there is a scene in this house, with the host, and I must say – anyone over over 6’ might be way too tall in here.  To view the video, go HERE.

The landscaping is so beautiful!

The 15th century cottage and its dining terrace after a snowstorm.

Throughout Le Domaine d’Ablon are wonderful fountains.

Once you leave the gardens and the 15th Century Cottage, you can take the cobbled path up to the picket fence.  This leads past the Dovecote to the wooden gates and back to the cobbled courtyard.

                                                                               

The cobbled courtyard with the center fountain.  On the right is the Owners’ house and on the left is what is called the Barn where there are two rental suites. 

The two suites, located on the second floor in the Barn, are available to lease – the Large Suite and the Small Suite.

The two suites can be combined to create one extra large suite.

Again, the barn is so charming as are all the Normandy buildings on the farm.  It’s as if Snow White lived here.

A door on the barn with the window above could not be cuter.

The stairs at this end of the barn lead up to the small suite.

Notice the underside of the thatched roof in the stairwell that leads up to the small suite.

The door to the small suite.

Notice the construction of the thatched roof – the material is held up in place by the simple beams.  Here the roof looks fragile on the underside, but from the outside it looks as strong as a tiled roof.

The small suite is called the Camembert Suite by Paris Perfect.  It sleeps 2 with 1 king bed and 1 bathroom‘

The door leads up to the suite through the bathroom.  The chandelier and mirror make the room more of a foyer than bathroom.

The grays and soft blues are as pretty as they are soothing.  Beautiful double vanity in soft gray.  The rolled top bath is surrounded by white subway tile.  Through the door is the bedroom.

The encaustic tile floor adds a decorative touch.

Love this bathroom!   Notice how the door has to be cut to fit in under the roof line.

The bedroom is blue and taupe.  Through the door is the bathroom.

The flatscreen hides in the armoire.  This door is usually locked.  To create one grand suite, the door can be opened to combine the small and large suite.

The large suite is entered through the opposite side of the barn.

This suite has a sitting room furnished in browns and reds.  Through the usually locked door on the left is the small suite.

The stairs are found behind the sofa.  Past the stairs is the bathroom.

I love this suite!  Love the decor and the architecture – the rafters in the wall add such a decorative touch!

Later, a guest took this photo, showing a chandelier had been added in the stairwell.

Antique chests and a donkey.  Adorable!!!   Through the door is the small suite.
                                                                

Tea is served in blue and white dishes on silver trays.  Usually the owner himself will bring up the meals.  Christophe Delaune says he enjoys meeting and getting to know his guests and he and his wife take a very active role in running the hotel.

The large suite which can be rented by Paris Perfect has a bedroom in dark and light green.  Notice the roofline and how the two rafter windows are found on each side of the room.

This part of the suite, the bedroom, is built off to the back of the barn and looks like an add on, which of course it isn’t.

The view from the bed to the sitting room.

And a view from the window.

All the flowers in the room come from the gardens.  Not sure what they use in the winter.  Perhaps the greenhouses are for that reason.

This bathroom is in blue and white.

 

Another beautiful tub!

Towel warmers are found in each suite, as are Bulgari toiletries.

Every detail is thought of, including hooks for hanging the terry robes.

 

Another interesting fountain found at the farm.

The stables are adorable, almost too cute to be real!

Notice the walls are actually decorated with pieces of brick.

Horseback riding is one activity available to guests.

Only here would a carport be so cute!

These greenhouses are found in the kitchen garden.

Cars are available to tour Normandy with or without a driver.

Bikes – motorized or not.

                                                               

Bee keepers – another activity guests can take part in or just observe from far, far away.

An aerial photograph of the cobbled walkways and the herb garden.  Looks like a painting!!!

                    

Cows bid the guests hello and goodbye!

To visit Le Domaine d’Ablon, go to their web site HERE.      or go to Paris Perfect HERE.

AND on the Paris Perfect web site, be sure to visit their new online shop, which I am so happy to be announcing today!!

HERE.

The new Paris Perfect shop features beautiful, high quality sheets with the Paris Perfect Eiffel Tower logo.   They were sweet to send me a set and the sheets are of the highest quality and are just so pretty!!

Here are the sheets, showing the logo.

The sheets are special for several reasons:  only long staple cotton is used.  Long staple cotton is similar to Egyptian cotton, but it takes longer to grow and it costs more than Egyptian - but the extra effort is worth it.   These long fibers are strong enough to be spun into one long, single ply thread which is softer and stronger than Egyptian. 

Additionally, the Paris Perfect sheets are 400 thread count, single ply long staple cotton, which is considered one of the best in terms of quality.  Sheets with 800 or 1,000 or more thread counts are false advertisement which Paris Perfect explains in great detail HERE.

Besides sheets, they sell jewelry and other items, but vintage art is a main draw.

Guests are always asking Paris Perfect about the source of the art used in their rental units and, in answer, Paris Perfect’s Maddy has spent the past few years collecting art for the store!   The vintage pieces are mostly from Paris’ premier antique market - Marche aux Puces.   All art is original and all is affordable.

The shop also stocks original jewelry and accessories.

Maddy discusses the Paris Perfect sheets HERE.

The Paris Perfect store is HERE.

Finally, as a thank you for being such fans of Paris Perfect over the years, they are offering us a gift!

If you purchase a set of sets – they will add in the square pillowcase at NO extra cost.

                                                             The square cases add a nice dimension with the traditional sized pillow cases.

In order to get your free square pillow case – use this link to purchase your set of sheets:   HERE

NOTE:  Once you order your sheets – order the pillow case and it will then show as a credit in your cart.

Thank you to Paris Perfect for your friendship and loyalty!!!!  It is much appreciated!!!