Our first night on the road, after visiting the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, we stayed at Chateau Monthairon. You can click here to see a satellite view and find it on Google Maps.
It's a beautiful castle located on a large estate with a creek running through it. They have done a nice job of restoring and maintaining the chateau, both inside and out.
We didn't learn much of the history of the Chateau, except that it served as a hospital for many years.
The Chateau Monthairon is not actually a bed and breakfast. To qualify as a bed and breakfast in France, you are limited to only five bedrooms. The Chateau is actually a hotel. They have a very good chef on staff, and we enjoyed a four course dinner our only night there. You can see the garden where they grow their own herbs and vegetables for the kitchen in the photo below.
Our first night was capped with a candlelight dinner in the Chateau.
The meal was quite a feast, as you can see below. The appetizer course consisted of foie gras pate' prepared two ways.
The main course was duck breast.
And finally, dessert, after a cheese course.
We went to bed full and learned how to sleep in total quiet, after having become accustomed to the sounds of Paris at night.
In the morning we went walking and running around the estate for exercise before enjoying breakfast at the Chateau. Then we were off on our journey into Champagne, where we will spend our first night in a real bed and breakfast.
