Bulles & Bubbles... — Hotel in Bar-sur-Aube

Staying at Bulles and Bubbles, in the Champagne region near to Troyes, is an enjoyable and memorable "experience". Bulles snd Bubbles has a unique sense of "quality": quality rooms and facilities, quality (indeed exceptional) food, and an unspoilt rural environment. It is far more than the usual anonymous bed for the night with an overpriced breakfast to send you on your way.

Your host, Julien, grows much of the food he serves in his garden. The Jerusalem artichokes are superb. His eggs come from his own chickens, fresh for breakfast each morning. The milk he collects from the farm around the corner after the evening milking. He eagerly took us on a short walk (with the traditional milk can for the milk), showing us the farm and his garden. It reminded me of my own childhood 75 years ago in a similar small village in northern France.

Of course he bakes his own bread and puts farm butter on the table and serves local wines, many with famous names.

Our dinner and breakfast were served on a round dining table in the living room, by the wood fire. The table was covered with a crisp tablecloth and professionally laid with matching serviettes.

Julien is a talented chef serving imaginative and pretty plates of tasty food made largely from local produce (his garden!). We started with crab balls covered in a crust mafe from Korean breadcrumbs. Then there was fish served with potato mash with Jerusalem artichokes and sauté home grown vegetables. Desert was a divine chocolate fondant, perfectly cooked. All washed down with a fine 2018 Montagny Premier Cru.

I am lactose intolerant, a challenge for a French chef accustomed to cream sauces and butter. I had notified him of the problem the day before. Julien coped beautifully and I was able to enjoy a full fine dining experience. Quite different from the usual approach of cutting away entire dishes from the menu and then removing the problem components from the remaining plates.

Breakfast started with a fancy apple compote (home grown of course), followed by omlette using that morning's eggs. Home baked bread and a variety of pastries, hams, saucisson sec and jams. Not to forget freshly squeezed orange juice and fine coffee.

Located in the tiny rural village of Juvancourt, a short and straightforward drive off the A5/E17, Julien is there to welcome you to the house on arrival. On the outside, the house is a 17th century limestone brick house, rather typical of the region. On the inside it has been beautifully modernised while keeping the rustic feeling of the environment.

You enter the house into a beautiful "hyggli" living room with a welcoming fireplace and sofas. Upstairs is the large and comfortable bedroom. On entry, Julien asks that you exchange your shoes with the house shoes he provides and then takes you on a walk around the house. He kindly asserts that this is your house during your stay, inside and outside. Outside includes a large swimming pool in a beautiful English garden. In warmer months you can relax there and even take your meals there. Sadly it was too cold when we were there, but we instead enjoyed his log fire in the cosy living room.

Would we stay there again? Of course, and with pleasure. Thank you Julien for a memorable stay, and good luck with this venture - with the love you have put into this project you deserve...

What a lovely stay!🤩 Julien and Lilian were warm and caring hosts and went out of their way to make us feel at home.Their property is so beautiful and is located in the countryside with amazing views. They also grow their own vegetables.The bedroom is spacious and beautiful with a clean toilet and bathroom downstairs. They also have a cute little garden with a pool where we opted to have our dinners. Julien cooks from his heart, he prepared the best French 3-course meals for us and all of his dishes were Michelin star standards. The fish with cavier sauce and the Crèpe suzette was delicious and mind-blowing.The breakfast was also out of this world...especially the baguettes. He pampered us during our stay and treated us like Royals. Thank you for making us feel at home in a foreign land. We miss your company and will definitely visit again❤️❤️❤️❤️. Au Revoir and lots of love, Grischa...

What an amazing find? This fine place is just off the motorway and on arrival we were blown away by the beauty of the property, the kindness of the hosts and the excellent food! Their garden where we had dinner in the evening and breakfast, is so enchanting! So peaceful, and beautiful! They recommended fine champagne and wines to accompany our evening meal which was fish based! The guys a magician? He forages, and then cooks to Michelin standard? We were treated like royalty. Completely spoiled and pampered by their attention. The bedroom was massive, so spacious with a beautiful bathroom and toilet downstairs. There’s a beautiful pool! Shocked by how wonderful this place is! The breakfast was something else? Best bread maker in France. Unbelievable stay and will be counting the days till we come back! Thanks Lilian...