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Country Hotels

Having spent a week in Picardy and Normandy visiting a large selection of the hotels that feature in Inntravel's Short Breaks programme, a member of our Short Breaks team reports back on her favourite hotels.

"In Flanders I loved the Ferme du Vert. No matter what people say, first impressions count, and the Ferme du Vert has achieved the illusive 'wow' factor. It probably helped that it was a glorious day, but I walked into the courtyard, a well-kept area with a small duck pond, lots of flowers, and tables where several guests were sitting enjoying a drink. It was perfect. The interior didn't disappoint, either. The sixteen bedrooms are all beautifully decorated in an attractive rustic style, and the restaurant is lovely, too - a mass of red and white gingham tablecloths and exposed stonework. With the glass front and the bright red walls, it is both rustic and modern at the same time. Overall, the auberge has a great feel, and is set in lovely countryside, another reason why I liked it so much.

The other two hotels that really stood out of the ones I visited are all in Normandy: the Petit Coq aux Champs and La Rançonnière.

The Petit Coq aux Champs is very professionally run, yet for a 4-star hotel it's not at all stuffy, and in fact the atmosphere is very relaxed. The hotel has been converted from a thatched, half-timbered house set in huge gardens (a mass of colour when I was there), complete with an outdoor pool. The bedrooms are beautifully decorated, and the restaurant and bar area are both very pleasant as well. It's the sort of place that I would love to stay myself, and would be perfect for a romantic weekend away - it's not a large place as there are just 12 bedrooms, and it's a very tranquil setting.

The Rançonnière is again beautifully done. The bedrooms are certainly among the best I saw, with lovely period furniture, beamed ceilings and heavy, patterned fabrics. The stone flagged floor, huge fireplace and exposed stone walls of the restaurant make an atmospheric setting for dinner. I had a terrine of Normandy cheese with apple and calvados followed by duck breast in a tarragon and lemon sauce, which were both delicious. If there are two downsides about the hotel, it is that the service in the restaurant is a bit too efficient - when I'm having a three-course meal I prefer to pause a little longer between courses - and that the hotel is quite large, which means it feels slightly less personal than other places, but that doesn't detract from the fact that it is a gorgeous place. With Bayeux, Caen, the coast and the green valleys of the Suisse Normande all just a short drive away, it's an ideal base for a weekend break."

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