The Place
Although the main reason for visiting Villa Fayence – a grandly elegant, pink-washed building – is its restaurant, do not pass up the opportunity of spending a night in one of its luxurious bedrooms, furnished with flair by Suzanne and Bernhard Bettler, and the best of them are extravagantly spacious.
In winter, guests are encouraged to have an aperitif by the fire in the baroque drawing room, in summer in the conservatory overlooking the park; you are thus given ample time to consider the menu – no mean affair. The picture windows of the ‘Wintergarten’ restaurant share the parkland view.
Having temporarily withdrawn from the running of the kitchens, Bernard is now back again. Inspiration is drawn from the nearby French border: a mille-feuille of duck breasts and foie gras, almond ice surrounded by orange ‘soup’, for example. The wine list, of course, is equal to the menu and none of these luxuries comes cheap. However, it is well worth opening the purse strings when you visit Villa Fayence, and splashing out, to be pampered in style by two such practicised hosts.