Auberge du Bon Laboureur Hôtel and Restaurant, Chenanceaux, Loire Valley, France

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Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France

We decided to stay in Chenanceau on our trip to the Loire valley and chose Le Bon Labourer primarily because they have a very good restaurant that has a Michelin star. The town of Chenanceaux has a different spelling than the château due to Louise Dupin de Francueil, owner of the chateau during the French Revolution, who is said to have dropped the “x” at the end of its name to differentiate what was a symbol of royalty from the Republic. As a result of her good relations with the village, the Château was spared the iconoclastic damage suffered by many other monuments during the Revolution. The population of permanent residents hovers about 400, as of 2012, but there is a large influx of tourists during the summer months, because the village adjoins the former royal Château de Chenonceau, one of the most popular tourist destinations in France.

Vineyard at Sunset. Chenanceaux, France
Vineyard at Sunset. Chenanceaux, France
Field of Sunflowers. Chenanceaux, France
Field of Sunflowers. Chenanceaux, France

The village is also situated in Touraine-Chenonceaux wine-growing area, and bordered on its northern edge by the Forest of Amboise. They also have many beautiful fields of sunflowers throughout the region.

Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Secluded Area with Pool. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Secluded Area with Pool. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Part of the Hôtel Compound. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Part of the Hôtel Compound. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Back of the Main Building. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Back of the Main Building. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Garden. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Garden. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Courtyard. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Courtyard. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France

The hotel is divided among several buildings with the intimate charm of a bed and breakfast.

Dining Room. Auberge du Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Dining Room. Auberge du Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Table Setting with Crinkled Linen. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Table Setting with Crinkled Linen. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Amuse Bouche. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Amuse Bouche. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France

The table setting was very beautiful, country with a crinkled linen tablecloth and napkins. I must admit to hours of ironing to get the wrinkles out of linen but these crinkled cloths were really beautiful and added a rustic but also elegant touch to the table setting. The amuse bouche was a poached foie gras I think.

Langoustine Appetizer. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Langoustine Appetizer. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Lobster Appetizer. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Lobster Appetizer. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Olive Loaf Bread. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Olive Loaf Bread. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France

For our starters, Lisa had the langoustines and I had the lobster. This was accompanied by an absolutely delicious warm olive loaf bread.

Roasted Saddle of Lamb in a Herb Crust, Filet with Lamb Juice and Garlic Cream. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Roasted Saddle of Lamb in a Herb Crust, Filet with Lamb Juice and Garlic Cream. Le Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Roasted Saddle of Rabbit Enclosing a Fresh Pea Mousse. Auberge du Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Roasted Saddle of Rabbit Enclosing a Fresh Pea Mousse. Auberge du Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France

For our main course, Lisa had Roasted Saddle of Lamb in a Herb Crust, Filet with Lamb Juice and Garlic Cream. I had the Roasted Saddle of Rabbit Enclosing a Fresh Pea Mousse, It looked beautiful and was just as good to eat. Great wine list, too. Both dishes were delicious.

Raspberry Purée. Auberge du Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Raspberry Purée. Auberge du Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Mille-Feuille. Auberge du Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France
Mille-Feuille. Auberge du Bon Laboureur Hôtel, Chenanceaux, France

For desert we had a small bowl of raspberry purée and their take on a Mille-Feuille with raspberry sherbet which was beautifully plated and also tasted great.

The Maine Street of Chenanceaux at Dusk, France
The Maine Street of Chenanceaux at Dusk, France

We stayed at this hotel for one night and absolutely loved it. Our room was in a separate building across the street. Very nice large room with wood rafters and a modern bathroom. The bar area or lounge is really comfortable and is a great place to just sit and enjoy a nice glass of wine. The town is small but quaint with a great little store to get baguettes, pain au chocolat or just a plain croissant. They also have beer, wine and cheese. The hotel itself is a grouping of little buildings. This is a Relais de Silence Hotel, they are a member of 200 charming hotels across Europe. There is a pool across the street that is surrounded by trees and a relaxing break after seeing the château. The restaurant was loved by just about everyone on TripAdvisor. The menu is exquisite and the food, service, staff, and attention to detail is easily the equal of the best in Paris. We also were pleasantly surprised by the very affordable price. The château is just a 5-10 minute walk down the street, at 9 PM they have an evening promenade where the château is lit up. Our only regret is that we did not stay longer, we are already planning a return visit. Just about everywhere you look both inside the hotel and in the town reminds you of the exquisite loveliness of the area. If ever there were ever an enchanted kingdom, this hotel, town, château and it’s environs would have to be it.

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References:

Official Website: http://www.bonlaboureur.com/

Relais de Silence Hotels: http://www.relaisdusilence.com/EN/

TripAdvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187123-d219872-Reviews-Auberge_du_Bon_Laboureur-Chenonceaux_Loire_Valley_Centre.html

Château Chenaceau: /chateau-chenonceau-loire-valley-france/

Château Chenanceau Gardens: /chateau-chenonceau-gardens-and-forest-loire-valley-france/

Château Chenanceau Interior: /chenonceau-chateau-the-interior-loire-valley-france/