Le Perche
We stumbled across the Parc Regional du Perche a decade ago and fell for its bucolic countryside, picturesque villages, restaurants, antique stores, and perfectly faded patinas. Pottering from one idyllic town to the next through countryside reminiscent of Beatrix Potter’s world, you catch a glimpse of elegant chateaux and manoirs with turrets for which the French countryside is renowned, tractors rumble between paddocks via the centre of petite villages like Longny au Perche and Moutiers a small producers work the fields late into twilight in the summer to supply the local restaurants and weekly market stalls, sourcing nearby is revered here. We lasted only six months before we returned, and are now happily ensconced part time in a pretty little village, slowly and sympathetically renovating an 18th century former Auberge. Life is slow and uncomplicated and my heart just somehow feels bigger in le Perche.
For a weekend, the triangle of towns Mortagne au Perche, Bellême and La Perrière are a great place to start. A short hop from each other down quiet country roads and with their own personalities, each offers beautiful architecture, exceptional restaurants, antique stores, boutiques and a variety of signposted stomps to stretch your legs post lunchtime indulgence. La Perrière is particularly pretty, compact with a magnificent general store, Comptoir General la Perrière, brilliant boulangerie Les Pains de Saint-Hilaire, two fabulous restaurants and a favourite boutique and florist of mine Maison Monteloup, but also, it is a beautiful village to ramble around post languid lunch date.
Begin your weekend at the Saturday market in Mortagne au Perche. Set up each week in the main square under the 15th C Notre Dame Church, the crowd is a mix of Parisian weekenders and locals, stalls bow with seasonal, local produce (local artisanal producers offer everything from the regional speciality boudin noir, to saffron, cheese, yoghurt, butter and honey) and the air is filled with the smell of rotisserie chickens, their juice dripping onto the roast potatoes below (reserve yours early and swing back to collect). At Mortagne we are greedy and always buy far too much, French food markets are a joy, but we walk it off following the history trail past its pink rectory with ancient sundial, handsome Hotel du Receveur des Tailles and stately manor houses and pretty cobbled streets. You cannot miss the superb antique stores, visit charming Franck at Maison Merouvel Antiques for 18th century portraits, plaster sculptures and baskets for the fireside, and Franck and Cecile at Le Cabinet de Curieuses Idées for works by local artisans and all things vintage (their beautifuly curated concept store Chez Nous Campagne is ten minutes out of town). Lunch at Le Tribunal or more casual, local favourite Café de France.
Don’t miss apero with Cecile and Franck at Chez Nous Campagne, part brocante, salon de thé and maison d’hote, before heading to Oiseau Oiseau or Maison Ceronne for an extraordinary dinner, both offer small seasonal menus and a fabulous selection of Biodynamic wines served in sublime spaces to match. Or perhaps lunch at this City girl’s idea of country perfection D’une Ile, followed by a farmgate tasting - La Maison Ferre for the Cider lovers or Brasserie du Perche for the beer (here you can happily set the children loose on kayaks and paddle boats to amuse themselves) and home to enjoy the treats from the market for supper. Speaking of children, schedule a stop at Manoir de Courboyer for them to play the oversized games and romp off the sillies on one of the walks past farm animals (including bee hives established by Cire Trudon to protect the European Dark Bee), before lunch. Or if the sun is shining, stop by Mamers for a wild swim in the lake.
If you are in Le Perche mid week, visit the fabulous Wednesday market in our village of Longny au Perche, take coffee at the Tabac and then lunch at darling Cafe du Commerce, popping your head into Cyrille Fassier Antiques before completing the village history trail. Bellême’s brilliant market is on Thursdays, browse Chez les Voisins, Studio 7 Avril, Arnaud de Saint Martin, Maison Close, Au Bazar de Bellême, La Guinguette and MMXI. Coffee and lunch at one of our favourites La Verticale or new TonTon. If it is cold, head for the most delicious chocolate chaud and treats at Chocolaterie Bataille opposite the Mini Golf (where we leave our children playing a round as we shop).
Stay at Maison Ceronne for meticulous attention to detail wrapped in a heritage facade, with indoor and outdoor pools, an incredible gym with karaoke machine and magnificently curated furniture collection, over sixteens only. Or in idyllic, pared back luxury at D’une Ile, Septime Paris’ country cousin, a renovated 17th century hamlet of buildings, with vintage touches and vegetable patch supplying the kitchen. Villa fol Avril is perfect for families and where we happily stayed during those early visits.
Pick up a copy of Gourmands du Perche by Franck Schmitt and Brocantes du Perche by Caroline Blankstein & Isabelle Nancy to discover your own favourite romp around Le Perche, and stay longer to day trip to the D Day Beaches, Versailles, Giverny, the beach at Trouville or Deauville, or tour the fifteenth century Chateau de Carrouges just outside the park.
We’re often asked why France and why Le Perche, it’s a beguiling mix of idyllic setting, food, nature, wine, architecture and people. In Le Perche they are all sublime and life in general just seems a little more beautiful, there is an appreciation of the seasons, nature and of the crafts and artisans. In le Perche we take the time to enjoy simple pleasures and Paris is only an hour and twenty minutes away on the train if we all need our big City fix. xx
Eat
Après l’école, Saint-Cyr-la-Rosière
Du Peps, Nogent-le-Retour (restaurant, pâtisserie, traiteur)
D'une île, Rémalard
Hôtel Tribunal, Mortagne-au-Perche
La Maison D’Horbe, La Perrière
La Verticale, Bellême
Le Café du Commerce, Longny au Perche
Le Relais d’Horbe, La Perrière
Madame Moustache, La Ferté-Bernard
Maison Ceronne, Sainte-Céronne-lès-Mortagne
Oiseau Oiseau, Perche-en-Nocé
TonTon, Bellême
Villa fol Avril, Moutiers-au-Perche
Fresh produce from the weekly village markets
Shop
Arnaud de Saint Martin, Bellême
Au Bazar de Belleme, Bellême
Cabinet de Curieuses Idées, Mortagne-au-Perche
Chez les Voisins, Bellême
Chez Nous Campagne, Bubertré
Cyrille Faissier, Longny au Perche
La Savonnerie de la Chapelle, Bellême
L’atelier de Franck, Sainte-Gauburge-Sainte-Colombe
Madame Moustache, La Ferté-Bernard
Maison Close, Bellême
Maison Monteloup, La Perrière
Maison Mérouvel Antiquité, Mortagne-au-Perche
MMXI, Bellême
Studio 7 Avril, Bellême
Visit
Brasserie du Perche, L'Hôme-Chamondot
Manoir de Courboyer - Maison du Parc du Perche, Nocé
Stay
Chez Nous Campagne, Bubertré
D'une île, Rémalard
Hôtel Tribunal, Mortagne-au-Perche
Maison Ceronne, Sainte-Céronne-lès-Mortagne
Maison Monteloup, La Perrière
Villa fol Avril, Moutiers-au-Perche
