Allues castle life

When authentic hotel business professionals go in search of a guest house to offer themselves the pleasure of welcoming their customers as if they were at home, the answer is the "Château des Allues".

The story started in the "Château de Candie" on the heights of Chambéry. The owner, Didier Lhostis, has used the skills of Stéphane Vandeville for several years now.  Stephane has a catering school diploma, and he looks after promotion and marketing issues for the company.

They are both in affinity, since Didier began with the Didier Lamarthe brand which is now sold, and Stéphane also previously worked in the fashion business with LVMH.

They both know the meaning of what is beautiful. Looking for a barn to restore for his personal use, Stéphane found several on a huge domaine around a private house.

As it was all of them which were to be sold together and not separately, they both decided to invest in this Savoie manor house which has feudal origins, nestled in the heart of the "parc des Bauges" and with and absolutely stunning views of Mont Blanc and the Belledonne range.

It took them three years to sort out all the red-tape and paperwork and to do up the ensemble, but now it is a delight.

For a refreshing week end, let's start with breakfast served in the large dining room with its pharmacy wood panelling. It is so copious that it is easily possible, for those who wish to, to skip lunch altogether.

Imagine; plenty of cereals, fruit tarts, among which is a Flemish apple pie, a kind of crumble the recipe of which comes from Stephane's grandmother. Brioches, croissants, home made cereal breads, raw smoked ham from Savoie, chalky tomme (cheese with an incomplete maturing process).

All this before you set off on a walk, on foot or with snowshoes on the close surrounding summits; visit some interesting Savoie wine growers and finally come back for a dinner prepared by Stéphane Vandeville himself. There is a new menu every day, just like at home. For example: «Terrine de poireaux» (leek pâté) and «truite fumée au cerfeuil» (smoked trout with chervil), «mousseline de volaille aux champignons et sauce foie gras» (poultry pâté with mushrooms and foie gras sauce), «bûche chocolat marron» (chocolate chestnut log). During the summer months, vegetables from the garden will be in your plate.

Then you spend a dream night in one of the bedrooms decorated with objets d'art, antique fabrics, original paintings, and engravings, as the owners know the art of interior decoration. After that, there is still a whole day to enjoy the surrounding area and nature in all its glory. Would you like some more?