Château du Grand Val

I’ll carry this week with me for a long time. We spent it practicing yoga, meditating, dancing, sitting quietly, laughing, crying, talking, singing, walking through the woods, and swimming in the pool. The setting felt like a little world of its own, with deep woods, open fields, flowers in every color, plus a small lake and waterfall. It was a beautiful, fairytale-like place. If you’re considering a yoga retreat, I’d urge you to check out @yogiakademin’s summer retreats at Chateau Grand Val in Bretagne.

Marie and Roland made us feel so welcome. Marie handled the caterers, bus tours, and all the arrangements, and their house champagne and calvados were excellent and reasonably priced. We had our wedding at Chateau du Grand Val, staying from the 8th to the 11th of October with 25 people and 3 children. The buildings are beautifully renovated and tucked away, so our event felt private. There’s a chapel, a fish pond with a small waterfall, and paths to walk if the weather’s nice. The bedrooms and chateau are best suited to about 30 guests. The food and service from the owners’ suggested caterers were sensational, from the rehearsal buffet to the four-course wedding dinner, cocktail hour with cheeses and foie gras, breakfasts and brunch, and a crepes and galettes food truck. We also had a fantastic harpist at the ceremony and cocktail hours, then a DJ for the late party. The surrounding area has lots of nature, and places like St. Malo and Mont St. Michel are reachable by car or private bus tour. It was our dream wedding.

Combourg’s Monday market was the one local highlight for us. Beyond that, we didn’t find much to see, feel, or eat nearby, and getting to other nice places meant a long drive. The grounds were much drier than the photos suggested, mostly brown grass rather than green. The cottages themselves are nice, and the general quality is good, but ours felt dated in places. The beds, polyester sheets and cushions, and towels were poor. The sheets made it too warm, and the thin curtains let in so much light that we woke early every morning. For four days with four of us, they had just one set of towels. When we asked, the owner gave us two from his own supply and said that was all they had. It was also very hot. There was a wasp nest in the cottage garden and lots of wasps around the site, so we couldn’t eat outdoors. When my dog was stung, the owner’s odd response was to say we should be glad it wasn’t a snake. The price felt far too high for what we got. I’d suggest investing in better mattresses, curtains, cushions, and towels, and sorting out the wasp problem or warning guests and having a proper solution. The photos should also reflect how dry the grounds can be.

We enjoyed the pool and the little boat on the ponds, and the marked walking paths were good. The place was very nice inside and out, with a pleasant town nearby.