5-star luxury at Manoir de Surville

Even as we stood before the tall, ornate gate and saw autumn-colored trees along the path, we realized that this was a magical place.

Flott morgenlys utenfor Manoir de Surville

The gate opened slowly, and we were greeted by Camille and two of her three daughters, who came with a cart to transport our luggage. The children offered us walnuts from their own tree and were then led up the elegant gravel path to the first of several timber-framed houses.

A large, ornate oak door opened into a cozy entrance with old brick tiles and massive built-in oak shelves filled with local delicacies.

Pick your own room

We were taken upstairs where we were allowed to choose which of the three rooms we wanted to spend the next two nights in. An almost impossible choice since each had its own charm and style. Beautifully furnished and with small, fun touches like an old telephone, homemade makeup remover wipes, and a card welcoming us to Manoir de Surville.

Down in the lounge, the consistent style continued with old, repurposed terracotta tiles, gray linen sofas, and several massive oak shelves. Between two armchairs, a chessboard was set up, ready to play. On the shelves, we found a range of local gin varieties and local beer, so we could make our own drinks.

We each enjoyed a drink, which we carefully wrote down in the little notebook so Camille could add it to our bill later. Pleasant music came softly from some speakers, and on the walls were classic black-and-white photographs of famous and unknown people.

Over 500 Years of History

In the living room, we could also browse through a photo book and read about the history of the place. Manoir de Surville has a long history. The main house, which we looked down on from our bathroom window, dates back to the year 1500.

Sjakkbrettet og fotoboken med historien til Manoir de Surville

That’s where Camille grew up, and her parents still live there. Her father greeted us and gave us permission to wander around and take pictures. The “private” sign was put up by her mother, who wasn’t too happy about having tourists in the kitchen.

The rest of the farm is an active farm, but Camille and her husband Hugues had a wild idea to transform the place into a fantastic luxury hotel after they wanted to move home from Brussels, where they had both worked in the hospitality business.

They spent six months planning, then two years getting the banks on board, and after nearly two years of construction, they finally opened on May 14, 2015.

The two houses used for the hotel, the “main building” with office, bedrooms, lounge, and spa, and the neighboring building with restaurant, breakfast room, and meeting room, are old buildings on the farm, carefully renovated. Every detail is thought of and carefully planned with the goal of fitting in with the rest of the buildings.

Flotte bindingsverkshus på Manoir de Surville

Spa, pool and restaurant

In the garden, there is a pool, and the basement is a spa area, but since we were there late in the autumn, we didn’t test the pool. Unfortunately, the house’s chef had just left, so we didn’t get to try the dinner on-site. But I have every reason to believe that the quality of the food matches the rest of the establishment.

We had several recommendations for dinner, and on the first evening, we went to La ferme de la Haute Crémonville. A many-hundred-year-old timber-framed house on a cozy farmyard. An illuminated horse statue greeted us on the farmyard, and the owner himself opened the door and welcomed us. We ate delicious food in a rustic, old room with surely 4 meters high ceilings and an enormous fireplace where you could roast a whole pig without any problems.

Manoir de Surville may not be very centrally located, but it is a good starting point for roadtrips in the area. We drove north to the coast in Fécamp and Étretat and stopped in a couple of cozy villages on the way back.

We enjoyed the lounge both evenings before trying out another recommended restaurant. La Longière also absolutely lived up to expectations, although for some reason, I was very bothered by the perfume smell in the place. But the food was good! Camille will have plenty of recommendations if you cannot eat at the Manoir.

Once again, we spent two nights at the same hotel, and it is incredibly lovely and absolutely recommendable. It gives you the time to settle in, relax, and enjoy the surroundings, and you avoid stressing for at least one evening. This is especially important when the hotel itself is the point of the trip.

Breakfast

The breakfast served in the neighboring house surpasses many hotel breakfasts I have been to. There is something special about table service as well. A buffet is not the only solution. First, we got to choose between a range of local juices. Then came fresh yogurt with fruit and muesli. Then there was fresh bread and croissants with butter and various jams.

We usually don’t eat much breakfast in France. Coffee often lasts until lunch. We often prefer a good, long lunch rather than having “filled up” with breakfast. But I must admit that in this case, there was more breakfast than usual. It is difficult to resist fresh baguette with jam and a warm croissant with coffee.

Lars i frokostsalen i Manoir de Surville

Quality in every step

This is a luxurious and well-executed hotel with high quality. It is clear that Camille and Hugues know what they are doing.

Unfortunately, Covid also hit them hard, and they had to close for over a half year. They were really happey to be able to re-open and welcome guests again.

Some of the places you can visit nearby include Château du Champ de Bataille. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it there this time. Giverny and Claude Monet’s garden are not too far awa. It takes an hour and a half to Caen and about the same to Fécamp and 40 minutes to Rouen. In addition, you will find several of France’s “most beautiful villages” nearby.

Catrine og Lars koser seg på Manoir de Surville

This was our second trip to Normandy, and we will definitely be back! It is a fantastic region in France, whether you are interested in war history, food and drink, history, or wonders like Mont St. Michel. We will be back! If you want to try out Manoir de Surville yourself, just follow the link.