HISTORY  

The Domaine des Hautes Roches, which opened its doors to guests in 1989, was built in cliffs dug out to quarry the light coloured stone used to build the most famous Châteaux of the Loire, and turned into a hotel after a year and a half of conversion work.  The passion of one man, Philippe Mollard, made it possible to convert these caves and the 17th Century Pavilion, which had been abandoned for fifteen years.  Before becoming the first troglodytic hotel in France, these rooms used to be monks’ cells, attached to the Abbey of Marmoutier nearby, and served as a refuge during the wars of religion.  It was then used to grow mushrooms before the “Vin lanternois”, made famous by Rabelais, was aged there.  For over a century, from 1855 to 1975, the Domaine des Pentes was among the finest wine-producing properties of the Vouvray region, before serving as a storage area for a company dealing in spirits.  It was finally abandoned as a pasture with vegetation that was made luxuriant and exuberant by the beneficial effects of a particularly mild climate.  The hotel infrastructure is based on a series of fifteen rooms, including twelve troglodytic rooms, fitted out in the existing excavations in the hill, and with three other classic rooms installed in the pavilion.  Guests who suffer from claustrophobia will not feel closed in as all the rooms have vast windows facing south over the Loire, in one of the rare spots where nothing spoils the view of the banks on the other side.  The troglodytic bar, which is the former summer kitchen of the monastery, still has the old fireplace and bread oven, offering an appropriate preamble to our guests so they can enjoy an aperitif before entering the dining room.  The restaurant is situated in the small manor house, with large windows opening on to the river. And in the warm season, a terrace shaded by linden trees is an ideal spot to savour succulent meals prepared by the Chef, Didier Edon.


THE FOOD

– The Chef

Didier Edon, 40 years old and a native of Brittany, started his career in cuisine after studying catering for four years. He then embarked upon a tour of France, with his decisive experience at the ovens of Martçay, Chinon (or the birth of a passion), L’Aigle Noir in Fontainebleau, with Chef Daniel Dumesnil (or an encounter with faith), the Baou de Ramatuelle (or “classical cuisine” and the “nouvelle cuisine” of that time), and at the Rond-Point des Pistes in Couchevel.

Then came an offer, in 1988 while he was Assistant Chef at the Château de Marçay, to take over the kitchens of the restaurant “Les Hautes Roches”, of which he is at present both chef and director, after nearly ten years.

- The Cuisine

The menu, almost exclusively based on products of the sea, is a reminder of one of the favourite chapters in the gastronomic repertory of Didier Edon: fish in all its varieties.  Fish and seafood from Brittany are delivered every day, and prepared in a half classical and half sophisticated way, combining the flavours of the garden of the Loire and elsewhere.


BIBLIOGRAHIES

- “Troglodytes du Val de Loire”, Laurent Triollet, published by Passé Simple
- “Voyage en Touraine”, Catherine Taralon and Marc Broussand, published by Garde-Temps


LEISURE ACTIVITIES

- Outdoor swimming pool, facing south

- Marked walks to discover the vineyards and banks of the Loire

- Boat excursion on the Loire, with comments (45 minutes)

- Initiation into the wines of the Loire (Vouvray) and tasting sessions on the spot or at a wine grower.

- Excursions in a hot air balloon or a helicopter

- Visits to the Châteaux de la Loire

- On request for small groups, classical music concerts in a troglodytic chapel nearby

- 18-hole golf course : Golf d’Ardrée, 37360 Saint Antoine du Rocher

- Riding : Stables of the Vallée des Rois, 37270 Azay sur Cher

- Recommended visits: Rock Caves 2 kms away, Château and gardens of Villandry 35 minutes away, the Musée de Compagnonnage 10 minutes away, Le Clos Lucé at Amboise 10 kms away, and all the Château of the Loire within a radius of 60 kms.


LOCATION

In the heart of the Loire Valley, recently listed by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage of Cultural Landscapes, near the town of Tours and famous châteaux, such as Chenonceaux, Villandry, Chambord, etc, the hotel-restaurant “Le Domaine des Hautes Roches” is part of the village of Rochecorbon, itself situated in the area of the “appellation contrôlée” of the Great Wines of Vouvray.

In this village nestling at the foot of the Loire, “Les Hauters Roches”, perched half way on the slope of the freestone cliff, overlooks the Royal River of its terraces. Most of the fifteen rooms, connected with each other by stone stairs and Italian-style balusters, have been laid out in the succession of troglodytic rooms, formerly inhabited by the monks of the Abbey of Marmoutier.