The French Countryside Abbey-Turned-Hotel Where Time Stands Still

Some places feel like they were never meant to move at the pace of the modern world. Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay in France is an example: nestled in a fairyland of 185 acres in the Île-de-France region, less than an hour from Paris, this 146key retreat is a former Cistercian abbey turned unimprovably glamorous stay for those in the know.

The divine transformation from holy house to hot-spot hotel comes courtesy of the Paris Society group, which oversaw the four-year renovation alongside Cordelia de Castellane, the artistic force behind Dior Maison and Baby Dior. Reopened with great fanfare and finesse, the estate is a mélange of pastoral elegance and ecclesiastical past, plus a dash of whimsical flair inspired by the Abbeye’s most influential resident, Charlotte de Rothschild, born in 1825.

The Baroness de Rothschild’s former abode has a soundtrack that ranges from birdsong and bicycle bells to splashing paddleboats and pheasant calls. On weekends, it also includes the soulful strumming of a guitarist playing live at La Ferme, the property’s latest expansion—once a working farm that was most recently staff accommodations. La Ferme (a short bike ride through the woods from the main abbey building) is home to 38 rooms, a trattoria with a wood-burning oven and outdoor fire pits, and a nostalgic games room with a vintage foosball table and a worn-in pool table. Staying true to its history, it’s also home to a coterie of goats, chickens, donkeys, and pigs. (You’ll find alpacas at the Abbeye too, but they’re based closer to the main estate.)

Guests are invited to explore this expansive Eden by foot, by bike (including kiddie-sized models), or by asking the staff for a zippy golf-cart ride. Children rule here, albeit stylishly: the kids’ club offers a wonderland of activities for ages three to 12, from playgrounds and pint-sized working Range Rovers to a dedicated cinema that plays three films a day on weekends and karaoke rooms.

At the heart of the property is the abbey itself, which ceased religious operation after the French Revolution. While the last monk left in the 1790s, the spirit lingers, especially in the stone breakfast room with architectural bones from the 12th century. In the mornings, sunlight streams through mullioned windows and light-as-air croissants are served on footed silver dishes under garlands of dried flowers.

Then there’s the sacred Saint Thibault Fountain, built in the 12th century and later restored by the Baroness de Rothschild. Legends claim its waters helped Queen Margaret of Provence and King Louis IX conceive not just an heir but 11 children in total. The abbey became a place of pilgrimage thereafter. Whether myth or miracle, the fountain lends the estate an undeniable air of magic.

In the hotel’s public spaces, the interiors are dreamy and romantic, and de Castellane’s touch is all encompassing: printed parasols evoke Dior’s famed toile de Jouy signature, antiques add gravitas, and patterns clash audaciously (for example, leopard print and tartan in the same room).

The baroness is evoked in subtle but thoughtful ways. The James Bar is named for her son, while the Salon de Musique (complete with grand piano) nods to her own piano lessons with Chopin. In winter, fireplaces crackle throughout, but a note for summer: this is one place that has resolutely refused the lure of air conditioning.

The hotel’s 146 monotonal rooms and suites are spread across the estate and are adorned in Pierre Frey wallpapers, Gallic prints, and heavy draperies. Bathrooms—sometimes featuring vintage sinks with seashell flourishes—are stocked with Penhaligon’s Halfeti toiletries, rich with the scent of oud, grapefruit, and black rose. Among the most unique keys is the red Pagoda Suite, a Japanese-inspired folly on the edge of the lake. Originally designed by the baroness and later moved to the foot of the lake by another of the Abbaye’s owners, it now serves as an intimate one-bed hideaway.

The grounds offer more than their fair share of diversion. Try your hand at catch-and-release fishing in the lake (rods provided) or paddle out in one of the estate’s boats or pedalos (first come, first served). There’s even a shooting range for more sporty guests, and a gift shop by the main entrance offers treasures like branded boules and rustic frocks to bring a piece of the fairytale home. After all, branded merch is de rigueur at chic hotels these days.

Dining here is equally rooted in its setting. L’Auberge, the estate’s flagship restaurant, offers terroir-forward cuisine staffed by demoiselles in gamine trench-coat dresses. La Chasse, once the baroness’s private hunting lounge, serves substantial, luxurious fare in darker, moodier surroundings (you might recognize it from Emily in Paris), while the new La Trattoria at Le Ferme brings Italian conviviality to the table with shared dishes and refreshing sgroppinos in frosty glasses.

And then there is the spa: serene, sublime, and stocked with Tata Harper products. There are seven treatment rooms (including two doubles), a sauna, a steam room, and two hot baths, along with an outdoor pool, heated to 32°C in the winter months and 28°C in summer. No matter the season, the Abbaye is enchanting and utterly timeless.

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