He trained the prince and now he’s running courses at a French Château. James Gilbertson puts Will Hide through his paces.
All posts by Château Bouffémont
WEEK-END FAMILY FERVOR
If you are looking for a luxury family weekend getaway, then there aren’t many more striking places than Château Bouffémont.
Château Bouffémont is like stepping back in time – to the former fine lives of the French nobility. Set in acres of beautifully manicured grounds and gardens, the setting appears dramatic and the theme is continued on the inside as well. Looking out on to the stunning backdrop to the Château, you will soon start to feel reinvigorated and extremely relaxed.
The bedrooms are lavishly decorated, there are enormous crystal chandeliers, glimmering marble pillars and roaring fireplaces all around. The Château has an impeccable mixture of fine décor and rich furnishings throughout.
The Château’s concierge service is on hand to help at all times and can organize anything for your family. as family cooking classes and family culinary workshops with our Chef.
Our Chef constantly invents and creates new ideas for fine dining. With a dash of eccentricity and perhaps a pinch of insolence, he endows his recipes with the personal touch characteristic of a great chef.
All activities can be tailor made to meet your family’s needs and wishes.
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HISTORY
The Château Bouffémont was built during the reign of Napoleon III (in 1860) by the Vallée family. After a short period when it belonged to the marquise de Preignes, it was permanently acquired by the Empain family, through the major general baron Empain.
Edouard Louis Joseph Empain comes from a family of five siblings (three girls and two boys) and spends his childhood in Belgium. General and aide-de-camp of King Leopold, he is knighted by the king in 1907. He founds a company that will become an industrial empire: the Compagnie du Chemin de Fer métropolitain de Paris built and exploited Paris railroads, among others, until 1945.
Following Edouard Empain’s death just after World War II, in 1946, his wife takes over the Château’s management. Nearly three generations of Empain will live there for over half a century.
Similarly to the residences of the nobility of the era, the Château includes large annexes stretching over a 250-hectare domain, at the heart of the Montmorency forest. The inhabitants of Bouffémont are involved in the Château’s activity and provide the manual labour and farm work for the Empain family.
Involved in the welfare and prosperity of the village community, the Château was the setting of the traditional award ceremony for schoolchildren.
Located in the Oise department, 30 km (18.5 miles) from Paris, at the edge of the Montmorency forest, the Château is now a private residence, fully dedicated to rental. Boasting an architecture and Louis XIII style furniture, the Belle Epoque has left its mark on the Château.
A RECIPE FROM OUR CHEF – Pumpkin cream soup, ginger mousse
To celebrate Thanksgiving, our Chef had fun turning pumpkin into cream soup.
In your shopping basket
For the pumpkin cream soup
500 g (1 lb) of pumpkin
One white onion
1.5 litre (1.2 quarts) of water or chicken stock
300 ml (10 fl. oz) of whipping cream
Salt
For the ginger mousse
200 ml (7 fl. oz) of milk
20 ml (4 teaspoons) of grape seed oil
10 g (0.3 oz) of ginger
Salt.
PUMPKIN CREAM SOUP
Mince the onion.
Sweat it with a little salt, but do not let it brown.
Dice the pumpkin and add it to the onion.
Add water or stock until the liquid reaches twice the height of the vegetables. Reduce the liquid by half, add the cream and bring to a simmer.
Remove from the heat and blend with a stick blender. Season to taste.
GINGER MOUSSE
Grind the ginger. Bring the milk, ground ginger and a little salt to a boil and brew for 30 minutes.
Strain, then slowly add the oil to the milk, whisking constantly until emulsified .
Pour the pumpkin cream into a bowl and place the ginger mousse on top.
1. You can easily substitute nutmeg for the ginger.
2. This delicious appetizer can be served hot or cold.
3. Serve the soup in a transparent bowl or shot glass in order to showcase its colour.
GOURMET CHEESE
PRIVATE YOGA CLASS
You awake feeling well rested. As you slowly come around, your eyes are drawn to the beautiful detail of your surroundings. An opulent suite with lavish décor and charming features. As you get up, you slowly wander over to the vast bedroom window, which frames the most picturesque scene. You marvel at how seamlessly the Chateaus’s hilly grounds blend into the surrounding French countryside. Suddenly, you feel a sense of freedom run you over as you look out at the countryside stretching ahead.
After a healthy breakfast, it is time to switch off the outside world and focus on strength, flexibility and well-being with an invigorating yoga class. Tailored to your preferences, your daily training classes can include any combination of your favorite yoga styles and sequences. You suddenly become aware of your breathing as a warm feeling of wholeness floods over you. Your mind and body now as one, you end the class feeling reconnected, recharged and rejuvenated.
After your yoga class, as guest of the Chateau, you can continue the relaxation theme with complimentary access to the Spa and pool of the Paris International Golf Club. Or perhaps it is time to savour the fresh air with a restorative walk in the luscious French countryside.
A RECIPE FROM OUR CHEF : SUMMER COCKTAIL
PINK LYCHEE – LIME – TONKA BEANS
Our Chef unveils his cocktail summer, a refreshing and rather surprising creation.
To enjoy among friends during your stay at Château Bouffémont.
In your basket…
The recipe can be scaled as needed.
One to two cartons of strawberries
White sugar to taste
One lime
A few lychees
A handful of tonka beans*
*This fruit comes from the Brazilian teak or cumaru, a tree mainly found in Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana.
Preparation method
Blend all the strawberries and sugar to yield a somewhat thick coulis. Set aside.
Cut the lychees in small pieces and blend. Set aside.
Zest half a lime.
Presentation
Pour a layer of strawberry coulis, making sure you completely cover the bottom and sides of the glass.
Do the same with a layer of lychee coulis.
Add a little lime zest.
Sprinkle tonka bean on top.
Garnish the glass with a slice of lime… your cocktail is now ready to be enjoyed…
Chef’s tips
1. A martini glass is perfect for this cocktail
2. You can substitute honey or agave syrup for the sugar if you want a milder taste
3. You can enhance the colour of the lychee coulis with natural colourants
4. The strawberry coulis will rise to the top over time so serve the cocktail as soon as it’s ready
Feel free to shake things up by trying other ingredient combinations that inspire you.
PRE-DINNER DRINK
She took a seat on the terrace to admire the late summer sky with aperitif in hand. She began to unwind as the last of the day’s sunrays stroked and teased her skin. The setting was sublime.
From the well-appointed terrace, the Chateau commanded a panorama which was engulfing as the terrace sloped down to the rolling grounds.
She took a sip of her summer cocktail – a delicate infusion of perfumed rose and dry gin. She savoured the unique aroma and thought how perfectly balanced it was. Her mind began to wander and she found that the green grounds grabbed her attention and pulled her thoughts to days gone by.
And from the grounds, there stood Chateau Bouffemont as majestic and imposing as it always had been – dazzling and reflecting the last of the day’s heat. The perfect symmetrical entrance rising proudly from the sprawling lawns.
No amount of time that passed would change this wondrous setting. As her hand rested on the stem of her martini glass, the Chateau held her mesmerised.
Suddenly, cocktail hour was over and the orange colours of sunset gave way as day broke into night.
BARBECUE
August is upon us.
As hues of orange and violet fill the evening sky, the warm glow of sunset bathes this majestic setting. And as you inhale the scent of freshly cut grass, there sits Chateau Bouffemont– rising majestically from the luscious grounds.
Wisps and pillars of smoke rise and twirl high into the sky as aromas of sizzling meat and sweet-smelling grilled vegetables consume the air. The gleaming barbecue filled with mouth-watering meats and fish. The wind makes the smoke rise slightly higher and you watch as it then slowly disperses into the balmy evening air. The neatly dressed tables illuminated by soft candlelight. An enchanting aura surrounds the scene.
Laughter and chatter fill the space as you sit down with your friends and loved ones to enjoy a delicious barbecue feast. Sumptuous food prepared specially for you by our esteemed chef – washed down by a selection of the finest wines.
And, as you sip on a glass of chilled rose, you feel a soft light breeze brushing against your skin. The colors of sunset now long given way to a sky adorned with glittering stars. A magical moment that takes you back to childhood memories of delightful summer nights long forgotten but somehow here realized again. Suddenly, you feel nostalgic…
AFTERNOON NAP
As a soft light breeze sweeps over the Chateau’s grounds, golden sunrays filter through a fluffy interlace of clouds.
And from the sweeping symmetrical staircase of Chateau Bouffémont, the view unfolds in undulating lines framed by statuesque pine trees. A grandness exists here – a peaceful grandness filled with a sense of historic mystery.
There is nothing to disturb you. As if completely shut off from the world. And there suspended on the green lawn, sits the soft grey hammock swinging lightly to and fro.
The gentle momentum rocking you lightly from one dream to another. Swaying this way and that on hazy summer days.
And as you stare at the clear blue skies above, you feel time begin to slow down. For it is now time to daydream in to the distance of the afternoon. Chateau Bouffémont – a picture of pure tranquility.
