Chateau de Bouceel

AS WE PULLED INTO THE GROUNDS of Château de Boucéel there was a welcome waiting for us at the front gate.  With a friendly wave, the very approachable Comte Regis de Roquefeuil-Cahuzac was strolled down to welcome us to his home.

And some home it is, too. With a French aristocratic lineage dating back almost a thousand years, the Comte and Comtesse are gracious, relaxed and fun. They welcome guests like old family friends and love seeing others enjoy their magnificent family home.

Eighteenth century Château de Boucéel oozes style and history. Loiter in the grandiose entrance admiring the armour and chequered marble floor and the Comte will tell you about the château's history with the enthusiasm of someone who only moved in only yesterday. Our eyes were drawn to the beautifully detailed wood panelling, and to the dining room`s sumptuous curtains. They look as vivid today as they did when they were made for his grandmother.

Timeless corner of Normandy

Family photos tell some of the story, and the place is so much part of his life that he tells us, I'm not sure if I own the house or if the house owns me. We are definitely part of each other.

Château de Boucéel dates back to 1763, when it was rebuilt after the French revolution. This timeless corner of Normandy offers no hint of its treacherous past: the grounds are so  picture-perfect that you could be forgiven for thinking you were looking at a huge artwork. The front of the château overlooks a slope rolling down to a mirror-smooth lake across which swans  glide. Lovers can while away their time on the tiny white bridge, or peep into the family chapel.

Sumptuous and panelled salons are decorated with innate good taste in Louis XV and XVI style. Luxurious bedrooms are named after the family`s ancestors, and are rich in personal touches.

Canopy beds, huge picture windows, lofty ceilings, parquet floors and monogrammed linen are just the thing to encourage decadent lie-ins. Take a bath overlooking the grounds which stretch off to the orchards and have a sound night's sleep behind floor to ceiling shutters. Or bunker down in the rustic Old Bakery, a pretty cottage in the grounds, to really get away from it all.

The Comte is a mine of information on the area's restaurants, and was happy to book us a table. He suggested driving to Mont St Michel after dinner to see it crowd-free and magically illuminated after dark. We did, and nearly exhausted our camera's memory chip.

Breakfast was a sociable affair when we swapped travel tales around the table with fellow guests over croissants, coffee and chocolat chaud. A taste of Normandy high living we were all loath to say Au Revoir to.

© Room for Romance