Just outside of Saint Martin de-la-Cluze near Grenoble is the Chateau du Paquier
We arrived at our favorite country retreat around 6 p.m. the other day, with an hour and a half to relax and freshen up before Helene and Jacques, our hosts, welcomed us along with the other six guests of the house to the beautiful garden of their ancient chateau for the start of the evening meal.
Jacques serves Carol her apertif before dinner.
We were served our choice from at least six different apertifs, accompanied by snacks to whet our appetite for the bounty which waited for us inside. Dinner was served in four courses, including a wonderful quiche composed of goat’s cheese and a side salad, then tomatoes slow-roasted with plenty of fresh herbs from their garden. The main course was pork served with scalloped potatoes, simple and yet delicious. Dessert was a selection of cheese and then as a bonus, raspberries with real whipped cream. All of this was washed down with pitchers of their house wine, raised in their vineyard in southern France. We had rose, white and red to choose from, each delicious.
A warm welcome to Chateau du Paquier on the nights when they serve dinner to their guests.
We bring only special guests to this alpine hideaway. Congratulations Helene and Jacques for being selected as one of of top 100 B&Bs in France by a prestigious English newspaper.
The fountain and view across the spacious yard to the site of a future small restaurant to be opened by the daughter and son-in-law of the owners