A Voyage in the Vendée at the Château de la Bijoire

Recently I had the pleasure of spending several days in La Vendée (a department in west-central France, on the Atlantic Ocean) with our dear friends, Catherine and Hugues de Bretagne.  I stayed at the Château de la Bijoire which has been in Hugues' family since it was built in the mid-19th century.

For the past 2 years Hugues de Bretagne, a prominent Parisian architect, has been meticulously restoring his family Château which now has 12 bedrooms each with a new "American bathroom".

The entrance hall welcomes you into the dining room with seats 18 people, off of a new modern kitchen, perfect for preparing festive meals or having cooking classes.  The smaller of the two drawing rooms has some magnificent tapestries.  And, there is now also a swimming pool and an art studio, where Catherine de Bretagne, a Parisian painter and teacher from Les Beaux Arts, gives weeklong painting classes.

You may wonder why I am giving you so much information about the Château de la Bijoire?  It is because they are now planning to rent their château by the week to carefully selected families and friends for birthdays, anniversaries, and family reunions.  And I have offered to help them find some American families who might want to celebrate together in France.













The region of La Vendée is only several hours from Paris by train and there is a great deal to do in the area.  The Atlantic Ocean is a mere 15 minutes away.  The charming port of Les Sables d'Olenne has  a wonderful spa and many fabulous restaurants including Fleurs de Thym, which you can read about in my previous blog.  There is a terrific winery, J. Mourat, nearby and private castles which can be visited.  Cooking, art, & flower arranging classes can be organized at Château de la Bijoire.  And, if you want a true "French" vacation, a private chef can prepare all of your meals at "home".

So let me know if I can help you plan the family party of your lifetime!