In the Loire Valley of France, those who venerate the places that transmit calm and serenity will appreciate a corner as special as the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud.
Located in the heart of the Royal Abbey is the Fontevraud l’Hotel, which perpetuates the art of hospitality by prioritizing comfort and simplicity above all, in an attempt to recreate that monastic atmosphere of centuries ago. You also will encounter award-winning chef Thibaut Ruggeri and his restaurant, which earned one Michelin star this year.
The Fontevraud l’Hotel, perpetuates the art of hospitality prioritizing comfort and simplicity above all.
Built in 1101 by the monk Robert d’Arbrissel, initiator of the Fontevraud order, nowadays this abbey is one of the largest surviving monastic complexes from the European Middle Ages and a historic monument.
In its church, members of the Plantagenet royal dynasty are buried, including Leonor of Aquitaine, King Henry III and his son Richard I of England, better known as Richard the Lionheart.
The tombs are much visited by tourists, just like the chapel, the refectory, the beautiful Romanesque-style cloister, the gardens and kitchens of the complex.
But do not be confused. Here the luxury exists, and is noticed and felt in details such as bed linens in cotton and linen, the iPad that will be given to you to access all the hotel services and discover the Royal Abbey and its surroundings; the bathroom products made with natural ingredients, the large windows that provide a soft and natural surrounding light, the beds with mattresses made with coconut fiber, and many other features, as well as materials, that guarantee peace, calm and tranquility.
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After check-in, it is a pleasure to attend the restaurant led by the prestigious chef Ruggeri, winner of the Bocuse d’Or 2013 and who proposes a contemporary and refined cuisine, presented with great taste and balance, in a place where light, silence, wood and space prevail.
At nightfall, guests can have an exclusive experience by having private access to the Royal Abbey for an exceptional visit in which they can walk through the 34 acres of pure silence and quiet, enjoying the unique atmosphere of the cloister, watching the twilight of the afternoon through the Romanesque arches and visiting the many historic buildings to discover a place where the time has happily stood still, inviting to meditate on its almost a thousand years of history and, why not, also about themselves. ■
