Les Relais Heritage de Droizy ★★★★★

"Roses are flowering in Picardy…" – Fred Weatherly

The Picardy region is rich in history, from the Hundred Years’ War to some of the most famous battles of the First World War. And yet in spite of being only an hour from Paris, it remains relatively unknown and not overcrowded with tourists. That suited us fine. Les Relais Heritage De Droizy is small but impressive! It houses seven suites in a historic restored mansion, set in the grounds of the keep of the castle of Droizy. The hectare of grounds is walled, and the round 12th century tower can be seen rising above the walls as you arrive, glowing gold in the afternoon sun. The gardens are filled with strategically placed outdoor wooden furniture, trees, lawns, herbs and yes, roses.

"Where the long white roadway lies…"

The end of our long road turned into a wide gravel drive which led to the grand front door of Les Relais Heritage de Droizy. We had driven from Paris to make the most of the lovely countryside, and to have the car for our planned Champagne tour. Free private parking in the hotel made the whole thing easy and soon we were inside the building. We were met with a remarkably warm welcome by the owner, and the friendliness of all of the staff continued throughout our stay. Our ground floor suite was an enchanting blend of living history and modernity. French doors opened onto an old stone terrace with a table and chairs, and our view was of the old chapel which forms part of the castle. Inside, all felt harmonious and peaceful. The wooden-backed bed was decorated with pretty cushions, the wooden floors were smooth and warm underfoot and the bathroom was a modern delight with a Jacuzzi bath and a gorgeous stone sink. The rose had followed us – a single red rose greeted us in our suite, and beside it a bottle of champagne from a local winery reclined in its ice bucket. We felt welcome indeed! The suite included a fully-equipped kitchen, so we could make ourselves snacks whenever we felt like it, or enjoy the luxury of dinner delivered to our door.

"Roses are shining in Picardy, in the hush of the silver dew…"

It’s hard to pick out a highlight from an overall lovely few days, but for me it was my birthday dinner on the top of the tower, looking down at the roses in the garden and gazing out at dusk over the panoramic views of the plateau of Soissons. The food was absolutely wonderful too. But that wasn’t our only memorable experience; the hotel staff organised wine tastings at a couple of local wineries – needless to say the car returned heavier than it had arrived! We loved lounging in the pool surrounded by the old stone walls, or relaxing in the sauna followed by a rejuvenating massage. Breakfast on the terrace in the morning sun was every bit as lovely as we had pictured, and touring the surrounding countryside was full of fun discoveries.

Les Relais Heritage De Droizy gave us a wonderful experience of Picardy. What a brilliant discovery by my clever husband. If I were feeling sentimental I would say “He’s the rose that I keep in my heart..