Le Vieux Moulin

After a day of cycling, we found a warm welcome at this hotel and restaurant in the hills. The owners were friendly and helpful, and handled our complicated food preferences with creative, tasty solutions. We were lucky to get a special meal made just for us: mushroom risotto, a huge mixed salad and fries. The desserts looked beautiful and tasted great, especially the chocolate cake, which I recommend. Our three-person room was for our three daughters, with one single and one double bed. The beds were good quality, and everything was very clean. The room had a good bathroom and toilet. Double-glazed windows kept out the sound of passing cars and probably help keep the room warm in winter. In summer they open wide for fresh air. The hotel sits below a rocky hill, so cyclists have to go around it to reach the entrance. That made for one last climb before we could relax in the lovely garden. It’s good value, a treat for tired bikers. Let the owners know what you need and they’ll find a way to help. They speak English and French fluently.

The location is a treat for cyclists. The lanes through the countryside invite you to keep riding, and locals told me there’s an easy stroll to a modest castle, a nice spot for a family picnic or a sit under a tree. You can also follow the canal to the famous locks of Tinténiac, especially lovely at dusk. There’s even a fully equipped room for guests using wheelchairs, done in a quiet, practical and dignified way. I’m glad I chose Le Vieux Moulin instead of staying closer to Rennes out of habit. Its two stars had made little impression on me, while the online 4.6 rating seemed a better measure. From arrival, the welcome makes clear why people like it. The woman who handles the mornings is so warm she makes you feel like a long-lost relative. The whole staff seems just as kind, and the owners spend time among guests, smiling and chatting instead of disappearing into an office. Even the walls and the dining room decorations seem to carry the care put into the place. The food borders on magic. I was tempted to sneak into the kitchen and see how the chef does it, though I might get recruited into a culinary coven and never return. Whether you stay the night or just come for supper, it’s worth making the detour. I rarely write travel notes unless somewhere really gets to me, and this place did.

The hosts are accommodating, and the food makes good use of fresh, local ingredients, as you’d expect from a restaurant that takes quality seriously. We’ve been coming here for around 20 years, which says a lot. There’s a sheltered terrace out back that’s ideal for drinks before dinner. It’s a beautifully quiet area, with easy access to the motorways and only about 40 minutes from Saint Malo.

We had a short, wonderful stay with Fergal & Virginie. Their humour clearly brings guests back year after year, and they care about everything they do. The restaurant’s set-price menu is good value, especially with wine, and the cooking is first class, using only local produce. Everything was cooked to perfection. It’s a hidden gem, and we wish them all the best with their plans to expand. We really enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend both staying here and eating at the restaurant.