La Villa Des Arts

Avid followers may have noticed that I am absent from 'A Model Recommends' HQ once again. I am in France with very little internet access, and have been therefore very quiet on the twitter/social media front!But just look at where I've been staying! The chateau in the photograph is the beautiful Villa des Arts, a sympathetically restored eighteenth-century manor just eleven kilometres from Le Mans. It has wonderfully romantic gardens, with secret walled areas and tiny ornate bridges crossing a stream.I spent a lovely afternoon basking in the sunshine on a picnic blanket, catching up on my reading! Those of you who are obsessed with hotel toiletries (I am - in fact, the brand of toiletries on offer often sways my decision about where to stay!) won't be disappointed. La Vila Des Arts provides handmade goodies that are a step beyond the usual l'Occitane or Molton Brown; a box of fig-scented bath infusions and another large box filled with finely milled French talc grace the bathroom cabinet!I'm not sure that there is a vast amount to do in the immediate area (in truth, I just sat about eating Mirabelle plums from the gardens and soaking in the tub!) but Le Mans has a racetrack if you happen to own a Ferrari... This would be a great 'mid-way' stop for anyone doing the long drive down to the South of France - a truly relaxing haven that makes you feel as though you have stepped back in time. Christine is an exemplary hostess and provides a breakfast with so many courses you could sit eating until lunchtime!There are only five rooms at La Villa des Arts, so you do need to book - but it's definitely one to keep in mind for the next time you hop across the channel for your hols!For more info on the Villa Des Arts, you can have a look on the website HERE