A paradise just an hour south of Calais welcomed us with a feast for the senses; a beautiful garden, the scent of flowers, tinkling fountains, the colours of summer, the sound of bees and the aromas of the herb garden.

Hundreds of roses bounced into view as we crunched over the gravel surrounding the chateau. The perfume of the flowers lingered in the air creating a delicious, summery scent. Bees were buzzing and butterflies fluttering, whilst the occasional rabbit sat nibbling, oh so quietly, in the hedgerow. As the perfume of the roses bounced across my nostrils I inhaled and exhaled deeply. An incredible feeling of peace and tranquility infused my body from the tips of my toes to the knotted muscles of my neck and shoulders. An afternoon and evening of relaxation lay ahead.

Chateau de Beaulieu is a charming mixture of old and new, part historic house, part funky design hotel. Stylish and modern bedrooms, enthusiastic showers, comfortable beds and high quality bed linen make for a really great night’s sleep.

The cocktail bar is both stylish and cosy. It’s a great place to start the evening with a coupe de champagne or perhaps a spritz. We started off with a generous glass of rosé champagne each. Then there’s a nice choice to make for dinner – is it to be the funky bistro or the Michelin starred restaurant. It’s the bistro for us….and on a Sunday evening it’s more than half full with a mixture of locals, and passing through types like us.

The menu is seasonal and interesting. Escargots in a delicious parsley and a creamy garlic sauce or oysters straight from the Brittany coast – it’s a tough decision. I chose the escargots – a favourite of mine and the parsley sauce was divine. It’s asparagus season so there’s asparagus everywhere, steamed, poached, grilled, roasted, even whipped up into a light mousse. Andrew chose asparagus.

Next we had veal slow cooked in the oven – very tender with a rich gravy and accompanied by seasonal asparagus (of course). The professional young waiter selected a modern Bordeaux red for Andrew (Chateau Tullieres) and a really nice fruity and rounded white for me from the Gard region of Southern France. An up and coming ‘Chablis’ the waiter said! I had an asparagus risotto which included both white and green asparagus – it was full of flavour and deliciously ‘al dente’. However the rice used was a little heavy and dense – I’m spoiled because I’m used to the exquisite risotto served on the island of Burano near Venice. Anyone who reads my articles regularly will know I’m talking about the inimitable ristorante ‘Da Romano’ here.

The Chef-Patron Christophe Defossé knows what he’s doing. Great food, relaxing setting, friendly and welcoming staff. Christophe and his wife Delphine bought Chateau de Beaulieu in 2021 from Marc Meurin, another well known chef. Christophe has built significantly on Meurin’s foundations. His goal is to use vegetables, herbs, eggs, cheeses and meats sourced locally or produced on the Chateau de Beaulieu Estate. He also has a list of trusted quality suppliers – so you can see where the butter comes from (Normandy) and who makes the organic bread (A bakery down the road) and which farmers he works with locally.

We finished off our dinner with a cheese plate of Camembert, Comté, Chèvre and a morsel of something that I can’t quite remember! All quite flavourful, served with crackers and organic breads. Then it was time to digest our dinner with a stroll round the rose-filled gardens. You can visit the ‘potager’ and see the new fruit orchard gradually maturing. I haven’t seen the hens and chickens but I heard them nearby.

The whole Chateau de Beaulieu experience is a joy, good service, enthusiastic staff, delicious food and fine wines. There was even a barbecue on the go in the garden. We didn’t use the spa and pool, which is just two years old, so that’s for next time.

Notes:

1/ Chateau de Beaulieu is 80 kms (1 hour) south of the Channel Tunnel – ideal for people driving from London to Paris or from the British Isles through Europe. The car park is always filled with French, British, Belgian and Dutch cars. It’s a truly European experience.

2/ The Chef-Patron: Christophe Dufossé is a renowned French chef and the visionary behind the transformation of the Château de Beaulieu in Busnes, located in the Hauts-de-France region. Since acquiring the estate in 2021 with his wife Delphine, Dufossé has revitalized the historic château into a beacon of sustainable gastronomy and hospitality.

3/ Chateau de Beaulieu was originally opened as a gastronomic hub by Marc Meurin – a well known French chef born from nearby Lens. He opened Château de Beaulieu in 2005. The business was sold in 2021 to Christophe and Delphine Dufossé.

4/ The informal brasserie restaurant is: Brasserie ‘Cote Jardin’. The ‘Formule’ menu is € 40 pp. The more formal Michelin starred restaurant is known as ‘Le Restaurant Gastronomique’ – it has 2 Michelin stars. The Chateau de Beaulieu web site is: www.lechateaudebeaulieu.fr

5/ Chateau de Beaulieu is part of the ‘Relais et Chateaux’ marketing chain. This is a highly respected French organisation that promotes and markets good quality hotels with excellent restaurants across Europe. R & C were established in France in 1954. You can read more about their story here. https://www.relaischateaux.com/fr/decouvrir/histoire

6/ The Author – Janet Simmonds writes about travel in Europe especially Italy. She has Master’s degrees from Oxford University and Manchester University in Geography and History of Art respectively. Janet has written extensively about the history, art, geography and culture of Italy, France, The Alps and British Isles. She creates unique travel experiences for university groups, professional groups and family groups. She also works as a local expert supporting journalists and visitors to Venice. She offers guided tours throughout Italy where she acts as a guest lecturer and local expert. You can follow her activities at www.grand-tourist.com and www.educated-traveller.com

Date: 28th May 2025