A farm on the hill above Honfleur became an inn in the 1820s, and by the sixties Boudin, Monet, Jongkind, Courbet and Bazille were all trooping up here to paint the Seine estuary. The landlady ran tabs, and the story goes that several of them settled up in canvases. Monet painted the road to the farm more than once, and those pictures now hang in Paris, Boston and Tokyo. Seven hectares of garden still face the water, and the view has not changed all that much. Sound inspiring?
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Half-timbered Norman farm buildings stand about seven hectares of garden, beams and panelling within, Honfleur School canvases hung the length of the dining rooms. The main spa boasts an indoor pool, jacuzzi and sauna, and a second hides in the old walled garden for private hire. Les Impressionnistes handles the serious cooking under Matthieu Pouleur, while a bistro serves seafood out of a seventeenth-century annexe. The estate presses its own honey, apple juice and walnut oil, all of which turn up at breakfast.
Take your pick from the farmhouse, cider press or pavilion. The farmhouse has character: beams, panelled walls, antiques, and the widest variety, so ask for one done up recently. The newer buildings are steadier and plainer. The difference really comes in choosing between garden and estuary. 20 bedrooms come with a private hammam, and the top suite is named for Boudin's cloud studies, with a fireplace and 80 square metres to spread out in, which we would happily take.
Honfleur's Vieux Bassin lies below, ringed by houses six storeys tall and narrow as bookshelves, with Sainte-Catherine alongside, a church the shipwrights built from wood with ceilings like upturned hulls. The Boudin museum keeps the estuary paintings. Uphill, the mariners' chapel hangs with model ships and ex-votos. Beyond that: Deauville's boardwalk, the Route du Cidre winding through the orchards of the Pays d'Auge, Étretat's chalk cliffs and the landing beaches, all of it inside a comfortable drive from the door.
The private hammams in 19 of the 35 rooms - a deliciously indulgent touch that allows for moments of steamy relaxation without even leaving your personal cocoon.
Follow in the footsteps of the Impressionists and take a sketchbook to the gardens. Even if you're no Monet, the play of light on the estuary is utterly captivating and might inspire your own masterpiece.
While the location is heavenly for views, you'll need to navigate the hill when venturing into town - perhaps less appealing after a hearty Norman feast.
La Ferme Saint Siméon can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made France trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended France trips featuring La Ferme Saint Siméon or get advice and suggestions from one of our France specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at La Ferme Saint Siméon start from around $150, or US$150, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
Light-dappled scenes that intoxicated Impressionists mingle with the beaches of D-Day, bringing history to life before your eyes.
