A lifestyle in homage to mankind's noblest conquest: the horse
Despite untold historic upheavals, most old European countries have retained countless architectural reminders of a former aristocracy. Dukes, earls and counts owned properties one of whose purposes was to demonstrate to their neighbours the extent of the wealth of their respective dukedoms, earldoms and fiefs. While undeniably to the detriment of the rest of the population, as history has shown, this established order did at least have the merit of harnessing and awakening the talents of the best architects, decorators, landscape gardeners, artists and craftsmen of the era in a creative momentum such has never been seen since. Each architectural element was representative of some political or social statement or other: the number of towers, windows, fireplaces, the fountains, the tree-lined perspective from the entrance of the property to the facade, the design of the staircase, the size of the stables, etc., all asserted the owner's social standing in a far more visible manner than any troop of soldiers or tax could do!
The Best Western Premier Le Mans Country Club is a little gem from this bygone era. Built in 1745, it was long known as the Château de la Ragoterie. The name comes from the local dialect and means "boar", in tribute to the hunting parties so favoured by its rich owners. The hotel is set in 22 hectares of parkland, home to hundred-year-old oaks and bordered by a peaceful stream, the Parence. The property's noble and aristocratic lineage is clearly visible and the time when Comte de la Borde, its rich master in the 1920's, attended mass at Yvré l'Evèque in a four-horse drawn carriage is not so long past. Founded by ardent horse lovers, the property has never ceased to uphold its close links with the equine world and the neighbouring stud farms, among which the top-class Haras des Bouleries. However the horse-powered engines that regularly roar round the nearby 24 Hours of Le Mans racetrack should not be forgotten, all the more so as the establishment regularly welcomes the Audi team. Guests may even like to test their driving talents on the nearby Alain Prost go-kart track.
The Best Western Premier Le Mans Country Club is extraordinary and not just because it has lost nothing of its noble 18th century elegance. The quality and distinction of the resolutely modern interior design are perfectly in keeping with the building's original stately architecture. The colour scheme employed throughout the establishment and the particularly lavishly appointed bathrooms reveal a most attractive reinterpretation of classicism. Countless details nonetheless subsist to take guests back a few centuries in time, such as the stonework, rafters and the view of the park from the guestrooms. The pleasure of entering the property along the tree-lined drive with the vision of the chateau rising in the distance is always a joy.
The hotel's restaurant, whose reputation is justly earned, is understandably popular with discerning palates who appreciate that unique Art de Vivre combining good food with fine surroundings. The atmosphere on the terrace, facing the lovely old facade of the chateau and its carvings and towers, is quite unforgettable. Extremely delicate carved bas-reliefs, including an adorable woman's face with flowing hair, adorn the first floor of the facade. Nothing ever troubles the immaculate silence that reigns throughout the establishment, as if out of respect for its privileged lifestyle. The authentic and sophisticated manner in which the Best Western Premier Le Mans Country Club is still run and maintained is a luxury in the noblest sense of the word, and one that is moreover, truly accessible.
| Best Western Premier Le Mans Country Club |
| Yvré-l'Evêque - Chateau De La Ragotterie, Le Mans, France - 72530 |
| Phone: +33 (0) 2 43 82 11 00 Fax: +33 (0) 2 43 82 11 22 |
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