Domaine de Clairefontaine
Chonas L'amballan, Rhone-alpes
Good Hotel Guide Review
Owned by the Girardon family, this lovely 18th-century mansion, once the country home of the bishops of Lyon, is on the edge of a Rhône valley village. It has a ‘beautiful terrace’, a big garden with a pond, a steeple dating from 1736, and a walnut-drying house. It was found ‘wonderfully rewarding, relaxing and peaceful’ by one couple, but another guest thought the welcome ‘offhand’. ‘The food was fantastic, my room was large, comfortable and inexpensive,’ says a report this year. Chef Philippe Girardon’s Michelin-starred dishes include nénuphar de homard en salade; truite aux parfums de citronelle. ‘The chocolate desserts have to be seen to be believed.’ The best bedrooms are in the annexe, Les Jardins de Clairefontaine, which has a sleek lift, automatic sliding glass doors, electronically operated shutters, smart bathrooms. The family also own the ten-bedroom Marais St-Jean, nearby.
Hotel details
Address
Chemin Des Fontanettes
Chonas L'amballan
Rhone-alpes
38121
France
Telephone
00 33 4745 8815 2
Bedrooms
35 rooms.
Open
Closed mid-December to mid-January.
Facilities
Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, restaurant, garden.
Children
Yes, cots and extra beds available.
Dogs
Yes, for €7 per night.
Credit cards
All major cards accepted.
Prices
Standard double from €61-€150, breakfast €15.
Other reviews
Good Hotel Guide articles about
Domaine de Clairefontaine
- Huffington Post USA: Ten of the best hotels in France for foodies