Château de la Ballue — Hotel in Fougères-Vitré

I had the unique pleasure of being the only guest on a foggy November evening and the only downside was that I was only able to stay 1 night. It is in a very rural area and in colder months, apparently always misty so it felt a bit like I was in an old gothic novel. However, the warm welcome I received from Marie-Francoise and her family dispelled that fantasy. The chateau is beautiful and welcoming with lots of lovely touches. As it was far from town, I had arranged for a light supper prior to arrival. It was an excellent homemade meal with a delicious vegetable soup and the absolute best galette I have ever had. And fresh tarte tatin for dessert. The common rooms are beautifully furnished with intimate seating areas, interesting artwork and books throughout. My room was also well furnished and very clean. It is a very old chateau so there are little steps to remember and I loved the two doors for each room where 1 opens in and the other opens out. Everything was very comfortable and I appreciated that they had a heavy down comforter and extra blankets on the bed to ward off any chill. I was cosy and slept well all night long. And I was pleased that the shower had good water pressure. In the morning breakfast is served in a lovely room with light blues and lighter furniture. The breakfast is varied and hearty with delicious fruit salad, yogurt, more galettes, and eggs if you want. Had a walk around the amazing gardens, which still were beautiful in foggy Autumn and would love to come back in nicer weather. There is a nice swimming pool and outdoor sauna to enjoy in a warmer month. Chateau La Ballue is a gem in rural Brittany and worth a visit. It was so lovely and I felt very welcomed by the family and staff. If you prefer standard hotel and amenities, this probably isn't the spot for you. However if you want to stay in a real chateau and experience a bit of history and beautiful gardens and a family-run enterprise, I highly...

We felt a bit like we had landed in Downton Abbey, however on a much smaller scale, but the interior of the several living rooms (and our bedroom) plus the setting for breakfast was certainly "grand". The house is decorated with taste, has lots of well maintained period furniture, an impressive amount of silver (from nick-nacks to table ware), china, chandeliers and candles, this certainly felt like visiting a noble family's country estate. Very comfortable bed in a huge room with windows overlooking the gardens in the back (we had the Chambre Perse). Very dark and quiet at night! The bathroom is simple with a single sink, low toilet and a bath with hand-held shower (no curtain). Fast hot water, huge towels and make-up mirrors. Breakfast is almost the best part with beautiful silverware, fine china, candelabras and a side-buffet with an extensive Continental breakfast. Staff will ask for coffee or tea and how you like your eggs (we had excellent cheese omelettes all 3 mornings we were there) and delicious warm crepes. All guests sit around a long table in the dining room, which also encourages conversation. The only negative I have to mention is that you have to drive at least 1/2 hour to get dinner. No restaurant on the premises. But there is an "honor-bar". And in the former stables next to the Chateau now is a gift shop that also sells snacks and homemade cakes for lunch or (as we did after an extensive lunch out), a light dinner, with wine by the bottle or the glass. The (very impressive) gardens are a treat for a morning walk and they're open to non-guest visitors as well. This was a wonderful stay to experience country living in a real Chateau in France. We recommend it and hope to return. The owners are a delightful French couple assisted by their sons. My wife and I traveled two weeks through Normandy and Brittany and this was one of our...

This is one of those places you'll think about for many years to come.|The gardens are sensational, merged between classic geometric formal gardens and a piece of modern art. You can get lost in them time and time again and every morning and evening we'd spend time wandering around discovering new areas.||We visited with our dog and he was made to feel welcome and loved all the smells and little hidden areas of the land. They have dogs on site but there were no issues and they are well behaved show winning dogs.||The owners are clearly in love with the site and have been there several decades with their sons now an integral part of the hotel operation. You felt like you were joining a family and they were always on hand to answer a question or cut you a slice of cake from the excellent tea rooms on site.||The rooms are fabulously eccentric with strong colour choices, tall ceilings and old furniture. Our room didn't have a stand up shower which I knew when booking but it added to the experience of being in a chateau. There are no TV's to distract you and you just have to wander around, look out of the windows, explore the charming little towns or go for a swim in the newly installed big heated outdoor pool.||Breakfast is another hilight,it's of home made/grown items like the honey, yoghurt and eggs with plenty of choice.||There is no restaurant on site although you can get a meat and bread platter from to order or bring your own food back if you wish.||I'd go back in a heartbeat and it's a fabulous place to forget about the...