Domaine de la Baronnie

PIERRE AND FLORENCE PALLARDY have turned Domaine de la Baronnie, their aristocratic 18th century mansion (it was once owned by Louis XVI) on the island-jewel of Ile de Ré, into an oasis of well-being. She's an ex model and he's a successful osteopath who runs a practice on site.

Sitting in a peaceful parkland setting set back from the capital St Martin de Ré's buzz and  bustle, La Baronnie is steeped in French baronial hauteur, imbued with new-age comforts. The hotel's next door smaller sister property, Domaine du Bien-Etre, is similarly historic.

Big wrought iron gates wrap the Domaine in privacy, while the courtyard – bursting with honeysuckle, jasmin and oleander in  summer – is an inviting spot to sit and write postcards. High ceilinged, parquet floored rooms are decorated with impeccable good taste: you'll find period antiques, Persian rugs and kelims, and rich fabrics. A wonderful sheltered garden adds to the sense of tranquillity, and such fetching surroundings work wonders on the psyche.

Cobblestone courtyard

Bedrooms at Domaine de la Baronnie have evocative names, so you could get acquainted with Monsieur de Beauséjour or (our favourite) Madame de Sévigné, done out in dove greys and pinks and with a lush green outlook. Each has its own allure, whether it’s a richly draped canopied bed, views over the pretty flowered garden, or characterful containment (with authentically steep stairs) in one of the towers. Take a double room with a garden view – or a roomier family-style courtyard suite.

Buffet breakfasts are served in the airy, timber-floored dining room or lush garden. And you won’t go hungry at night,  with ocean-fresh seafood on the menu du jour in St Martin de Ré's many nearby restaurants.

Pierre, a well known osteopath, provides therapeutic massage and a range of special treatments, so it's the perfect place to pack in some pampering body care. This is also a place to get the wind in your hair and pedal off to miles of peachy beaches and dunes.

© Room for Romance