Vendome, FranceLa Ville-aux-Clercs
Repère Sauvage
Woodland hunting lodge
La Ville-aux-Clercs Vendome, France
Renovated
2025
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Heritage LocalOutside the door
Woodland hunting lodge
The nineteenth-century hunting manor runs like an informal country home, where days revolve around forest trails and evenings bring shared wine tastings.
What it’s good at
Notable
Custom furniture and natural earth tones inside the restored manor by Gwenaëlle Girard.
Notable
A nineteenth-century brick hunting lodge beside the preserved Renaissance gate of Fort Girard.
Notable
Forest trails mapped with Perche Nature lead through thirty hectares of surrounding woodland.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Today, the 42-hectare estate spans forest, meadows, and ponds, with sixteen rooms that recall the warmth of a country house.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
On a private forty-two-hectare forest estate in the Perche Vendomois, surrounded by woods and water.
The rooms
Sixteen rooms in the brick manor have soft earth tones, while wooden cabins sit scattered through the woods.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The 22-metre heated outdoor pool sits in a meadow beside the forest, looking out across the estate pond.
Restaurant
Le Manoir de la Forêt
Patterned banquettes sit under tall windows, where chef Arnaud Domette serves regional freshwater fish and Loire Valley wines.
At the table
The ground-floor bar serves afternoon tea and drinks beside a library corner and a custom ceramic fireplace.
How it began
Stanislas de La Rochefoucauld demolished the estate's Renaissance château in 1856 to showcase a neighboring castle, leaving only the gateway.
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.