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Crystal Luxury Meets Gourmet Food
at Villa René Lalique
The half-timbered Villa René Lalique is set on the edge of a forest in an unassuming part of France, an hour or so north of Strasbourg, deep in the French countryside and just a short distance from the German border. However, as soon as you step through the entrance to the Villa you are transported to a world of elegance and refinement, bedecked with beautiful crystal design.
René Lalique’s Holiday Residence
Originally the holiday residence of René Lalique, the famous Art Deco jeweller and glass designer, the villa was transformed in 2015 by Swiss entrepreneur Silvio Denz and his company Art & Fragrance, and is now a much sought after hotel offering a very personal and luxurious stay. There are only 6 suites – each named after one of the Laliqe designs – and decorated according to the theme.
Luxury and 2 Michelin Stars
The Villa is a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux and the recipient of an array of awards in the luxury hotel sector and including the 2017 edition of Harper’s Bazaar’s Ultimate Travel Guide to the “150 World’s Greatest Hotels”. Furthermore, the adjoining restaurant, a mecca for foodies from all over the world, has been awarded 2 Michelin stars in the hands of the amazingly talented chef, Jean-Georges Klein.
Chef Jean-Georges Klein – photo courtesy Villa René Lalique
Swiss Designed Glass Restaurant
The restaurant is a striking modern glass structure bathed in light with an eye catching Lalique chandelier in the centre of the room. Designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, it adjoins the villa and though the two buildings are very different in design, the crystal runs through the two, providing a unifying theme.
Art Deco Furniture
Light cream carpets throughout give an airy, spacious feel to the villa and the rooms are oases of tranquility and restfulness. The furniture throughout is in an Art Deco-style and was desgined especially for the rooms of the villa. Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli are the design team responsible for the interiors and the Maison Lalique website details the collection where you can view and even purchase items.
Calm, Relaxing Bedrooms
We stayed in the Dahlia suite which is decorated in tasteful shades of pale gold and cream and felt enveloped in relaxation. Everywhere there are touches of Lalique crystal – the doorknobs, the lights, the bedframes, the taps and the bedside table lamp.
Even the sound system designed by Jean Michel Jarre, no less, has a Lalique motif. The room is beautiful and has a relaxing, calming aura about it.
Damien Hirst’s Eternal Crystal Butterfly Collection
We went downstairs passing the “Eternal” collection of 14 Damien Hirst crystal butterflies, to view the villa’s modern glass cellar. 12,000 bottles of the restaurant’s 20,000 strong collection are kept here alongside an old hand-written book detailing the wines.
The Restaurant and Chef Jean-Georges Klein
The absolute highlight has to be dinner in Jean-Georges Klein’s restaurant.
This fabulous Lalique chandelier forms a centrepiece in the room with the “femme bras leves” and “joueur de pipeau” motifs designed by René Lalique.
Here is a selection of some of the food we tasted – which was truly amazing.
It was a multi-course extravaganza of the most wonderful, delicate dishes each one bursting with flavour but at the same time creating a piece of art on your plate.
The portions were small but there were lots of them and the flavours delicious and intense.
Culinary genius and so many highlights from the amuse-bouches right through to dessert – the photos can’t possibly do it justice – you really need to taste it!
Sommelier Romain Iltis was on hand to give us advice on accompanying wines. His knowledge seemed to know no bounds and he chose wines with each course which matched beautifully and were choices we would probably never have made on our own.
Head Sommelier Romain Iltis
The memory of this fabulous dinner will stay with me and afterwards I was lucky enough to meet Jean-Georges in his kitchen. I had met him once before at the Lalique Dinner at the Park Weggis Hotel and he is one of the nicest, friendliest and most modest people you can meet. A very talented chef and a true artist.
The Villa is a real oasis of calm and tranquility and a stay here would make a fabulous visit for a special birthday or anniversary or just simply to unwind and escape the stresses of the world. It is indeed a very special destination – but with only 6 suites you do need to book well in advance.
Places to Visit Nearby
Places to visit nearby include:
The Lalique Museum
With over 650 works of art charting the career of René Lalique and his successors, the museum gives you a great insight into Lalique creations including Art Nouveau jewellery, Art Deco glass and contemporary crystal.
Musée Lalique
Address: Rue du Hochberg
67290 Wingen-sur-Moder, France
Tel: +33 3 88 89 08 14
Chateau Hochberg
The Villa’s sister hotel, Château Hochberg, originally named Château Teutsch after the family who built it, is located on the site of the former Hochberg Glassworks, which closed in 1868. The last owners of the works, Victor and Edouard Teutsch, commissioned this magnificent residence between 1863 and 1866.
Closely linked to the traditions and savoir-faire of glassmaking, which are at the heart of Maison Lalique, it opened on 12th August 2016 as a hotel aiming to obtain four-star status, with a total of 15 rooms and suites and an elegant modern bistro with high quality creative cuisine which is reasonably priced.
Chateau Hochberg
Château de La Petite Pierre
A 13th century fortified castle extensively renovated by Vauban in 1684 and now the headquarters of the Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park. Featuring a permanent exhibition on the history of the chateau and the region of the Northern Vosges.
For more information please visit the website here.
Villa René Lalique
Tel: +33 3 88 71 98 98
For more information please visit the Villa René Lalique website here
All photos by NewInZurich with the exception of the header photo and the photo of Jean-Georges Klein which is courtesy Villa René Lalique
We were invited and hosted by Villa René Lalique but all views and opinions are entirely our own.
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