| | | 2008-07-09
By Richard Pizzol et Emmanuel TresmontantTwo charming, delightful chambres d’hôtes, where originality vies with authenticity.
 © la Maison du BailliLa Maison du Bailli in Villiers-le-Sec From the countryside not far from Rambouillet, in the Paris region, Geneviève and Francis Coquet decided to move to the Calvados region of Normandy. Villiers-le-Sec, to be precise – a small village set in the countryside, a stone’s throw from Caen and a couple of miles from the sea. The large building, a farmhouse typical of the Bessin region and a former seigneurial fief, is impressive, the garden restful and the peace and quiet total. There are three rooms. Or rather two, since one of them is a family suite: a large space for the parents, a separate room with twin beds for the children. The set-up is certainly very appealing, but above all original. Thus, the rooms have names: “Vol de Nuit” (Night Flight), “Petite Chérie” (Little Darling) and also “Tonight or Never” - very often reserved for a wedding night.  © la Maison du BailliThe charm of this place lies in a multitude of sometimes unconventional little details, which betray the proprietress’ passions, loves and tastes. The walls are adorned with photos and paintings, mirrors and frames, such as the one containing photos of lovely, long legs of women. On the shelves are pebbles bearing little words of welcome or good sense. Elsewhere, shells on a table, branches, flowers everywhere, candle holders, giant fluorescent vases. Breaking with the image one would expect of such a residence, styles blend and cross over, are made and unmade, because everything is constantly changing and evolving. So, settle in to this home from home – that’s the impression passing guests have, setting it down in the visitors’ book, where they speak of “this house which has a soul”, this place where “it’s like stepping into an interior decorating magazine”, this atmosphere where “scent, music and light combine”. Not forgetting the “wonderful breakfasts” taken in the dining room or on the terrace facing the garden full of greenery and flowers, that English visitors must particularly appreciate.  © la Maison du BailliSo here you are for a weekend or a week in the heart of a Normandy that unwittingly boasts a wealth of history, already far in the past yet very much present. The crossroads show, one by one, the direction of the military cemeteries that are a reminder of the enormity of the sacrifice and the youth of the combatants. All the roads inevitably lead you to the landing beaches, but the Bessin region also has Bayeux and its famous tapestry, which is now listed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World register. And if you wish to deviate from the great classics, ask Geneviève and Francis. They will recommend a visit to the Renaissance château of Fontaine-Simon, or the very beautiful French-style gardens of the Château de Brecy. If you are a sporty type, you can walk to and along the coast, try your hand at sand yachting on the beach of Asnelles or discover the 27-hole Omaha Beach golf course. And in the evening, after so many visits, walks or encounters with history, you will go back to the Maison du Bailli – the perfect place to relax. La Villa sans Souci in ÉtretatWhen you arrive in Étretat, there is just one thing on your mind: exploring the shingle beach immortalised by so many painters and climbing the cliffs, one after the other: on the right, the Falaise d’Amont (with its little Notre-Dame de la Garde chapel intended for sailors), and on the left, the Falaise d’Aval, which offers one of the finest sights on the Normandy coast with its monumental arch fashioned by nature and its 70-metre-high Aiguille (Needle).  © Villa Sans SouciLa Villa sans Souci in ÉtretatWhen you arrive in Étretat, there is just one thing on your mind: exploring the shingle beach immortalised by so many painters and climbing the cliffs, one after the other: on the right, the Falaise d’Amont (with its little Notre-Dame de la Garde chapel intended for sailors), and on the left, the Falaise d’Aval, which offers one of the finest sights on the Normandy coast with its monumental arch fashioned by nature and its 70-metre-high Aiguille (Needle). To make the most of this marvellous site, I recommend setting your bags down at La Villa sans Souci, a Norman house from 1903, located a few minutes’ walk from the town centre. It is reached via a long avenue of lime trees at right angles to Rue Guy de Maupassant (who was the resort’s most famous visitor). Jean-Pierre Milan and his wife Jocelyne, who revived this august residence just three years ago, greet you as if you were old friends and as if they had always lived here. And yet, from 1970 to 1995, Jean-Pierre was proprietor of the legendary Closerie des Lilas café and restaurant in Paris. Jocelyne, after having lived in Africa, was one of the co-founders of the Figaroscope magazine. La Villa sans Souci seemed the obvious way forward for them one day, being both full of good vibes and close to the capital…  © Villa Sans Souci“Since we often went to the cinema in Paris,” explains Jean-Pierre Milan, “and our customers at the Closerie consisted mainly of artists (in the 1980s-1990s I had created the Best Scriptwriter’s Award there), we had the idea of turning this house into a Bed and Breakfast dedicated to the silver screen.” Thus, from ground floor to attic, the rooms are adorned with posters, photos and armchairs from an old film club in rue Mouffetard in Paris… Each of the four rooms* is named after a film and has a DVD player so you can watch it: so on the first floor, suffused with the memory of Marilyn Monroe, you can watch Billy Wilder’s “Some Like It Hot”, unless you prefer Pedro Almodovar’s “High Heels” in the room on the 3rd floor. For my part, I was lucky enough to spend the night in “The Lady and the Duke” room (an excellent film by Eric Rohmer about the French Revolution) where furniture, engravings and clothes arranged on mannequins are all from the 18th century! Jean-Pierre Milan’s other passion consists of collecting old miniature cars: there are hundreds of them on display throughout the house, notably in the 1930 lounge-cum-library whose picture windows look onto the grounds and where a delicious breakfast (fresh fruit juice, homemade jams, bacon and eggs, butter brioche, goat’s cheese from Étretat) is served in the morning. Where to go for a bite to eat Without hesitation, I recommend the Du Golf restaurant on the Falaise d’Aval. Besides the magnificent view of the 18-hole green overlooking the sea, here you can sample a lovely market cuisine made using fine regional produce: salads of whelks with lentils, home-smoked salmon, brill with fresh herbs, cassolette of sole with shellfish, etc. Above all, the wine list is worth the trip, with Marcel Lapierre’s natural Beaujolais, Robert Denogent’s Pouilly-Fuissés, Vincent Geantet-Pansiot’s Gevrey-Chambertin and Gilles Barge’s Côtes-Roties. *To benefit from the “chambre d’hôte” (B&B) label, a house can only offer a maximum of 5 rooms. Practical informationLa Maison du Bailli 2, route de Courseulles 14480 Villiers le Sec Tel: + 33 (0)2 31 37 61 70 lamaisondubailli@yahoo.fr Prices (2 nights minimum): €80 for a room for two, €120 for the suite for four. No smoking. Open all year round. Villa sans Souci 27 ter, rue Guy de Maupassant 76790 Etretat Tel: + 33 (0)2 35 28 60 14 Prices: from €50 for one person (“Moulin Rouge” room) to €145 for two including breakfast (“Certains l’aiment chaud” room – “Some Like It Hot”). Internet connection. Restaurant Du Golf Route du Havre Tel: + 33 (0)2 35 27 04 56 (set menus at €22 and €28) | |
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