Château de Bourdeau

Château de Bourdeau

, Route du Port, Bourdeau, Savoie.

The hotel Château de Bourdeau towers above the Lac le Bourget, France’s biggest natural lake, with gardens that plunge down to the water. It’s hardly surprising therefore that each of the bedrooms has an unparalleled view over the lake, and across to Aix-les-Bains.

The guest bedrooms are all large (in excess of 30m²) with quirky murals and finely-sanded original wooden floors. Each one has a distinctive style and the whole decor revolves around it’s theme. One room is particularly suited for a family; children can sleep in a bed recreated inside a castle protected by magic dragons while their parents sleep in the jungle. Meanwhile the Fisherman’s Suite has a separate bedroom and sitting room and has wide doors, easy access and handrails to suit a guest with reduced mobility. Our own favourite is the huge Klimt room, with a round bed, south-facing balcony and a jacuzzi-bath for two.

The Chat Qui Nage restaurant comprises two separate dining rooms and a breakfast room. Welsh ex-pat chef Siôn Evans has worked in 5-star London restaurants and all over the Alps before settling down in Bourdeau. His influences and techniques are diverse (Japan, Italy, vegetable and smoked produce) but have one common denominator: respect for local produce. Fish naturally come from the Le Bourget Lake, but also meat and vegetables and aromatic herbs from the restaurant’s vegetable garden. A small vineyard has been established around the hotel so the chateau’s own wine is on the wine list.

All the activities around the Lac le Bourget are available, while the hotel's backdrop is the massive peak of the Dent du Chat mountain. Aix-les-Bains is just a few miles away on the other side of the lake and Chambery, Annecy and the Regional and National Nature parks are all close at hand.