Château d’Origny

The breakfast spread at 7am was enormous, with loads of bread, pastries, and other snacks. It was too much for us to finish, so the staff packed it up for lunch. They kindly agreed to serve it an hour early since we had to be nearly two hours away on Monday morning. We had accidentally booked Chateau D'Origny near Roanne instead of the one near Nevers, and only realized too late to change the joint booking our friends had made. We arrived mid-afternoon on Sunday as lunch was ending, and the place smelled wonderful. It was a shame the restaurant was closed Sunday evening, so we'd have to drive elsewhere for dinner. Still, the welcome from all the staff made up for missing out on a meal there. The Belgian owners have filled this charming, unusual place with fine furniture collected over many years. There are only five bedrooms, but they're huge and beautifully furnished with all sorts of memorabilia. Our room had a massive bed, a comfy sitting area, and a huge bathroom with original tomette tiles and a deep bath. Really worth a detour, just not quite as much of one as we made! :)

The food feels like a proper restaurant experience rather than a chambres d'hotes. The chef gives the vegetables real attention, with lovely presentation and mouthfeel. I found the turbot filet bland and overcooked, though, while the vegetable packet was full of flavor and texture. The cheeses were very nice. The cooking gives French classics a capable new spin, but stays within the conventions of French cuisine, so it feels more conservative than at many other one-star restaurants. I'd have liked local wines by the glass, and service could have been more attentive. It would also be nice if the restaurant and manor house shared a stronger theme, perhaps both deconstructed, fully renovated, and put together anew. The owner told us about the house's history, and I would have liked to see more pictures of its renovation. The place feels more like a small hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant. Our countess room was nice, but an outdoor lantern drew flies, so we couldn't leave the window open at night. Odd bugs got inside, including one that looked like a centipede with very long legs, still wiggling after I smashed its body. A fridge for our souvenir food would be handy, and the bathroom door didn't close properly.

Werner cooked a delicious dinner for us, and we appreciated the ride to Troisgros restaurant. Werner and Melinda were the best hosts we could have hoped for, and the service was so friendly. Our room was spacious, clean, and nicely decorated, like the rest of the beautiful chateau. We loved staying here and look forward to coming back. Best wishes, Gabi & Dirk

The food was amazing, worthy of a Michelin star, and the wines were great too. We were lucky to get the last room, so we could stay overnight instead of driving.