Le Barn

"Set the scene.A drive through the woods south of Paris leads to what feels like a Gallic Soho farmhouse, set amid meadows, with grain stores, big-roofed barns and a 19th-century mill transformed into a hotel, where Clark the dog supervises children modeling with clay from the games closet, and piles of brunch-time charcuterie await in the conservatory. What’s the story behind it?It’s part of Marugal, a Paris-based mini-group that white-labels some of its properties for their respective owners, and is planning to take Le Barn concept global—affordable, well-designed family-friendly rooms set in compellingly natural landscapes, a short drive from the city. Shanghai may be next. What can we expect from our room?Parisian design studio Be-poles—other projects include NoMad hotels in New York and L.A.—has repurposed several Fifties barns into bedrooms with waxed canvas curtains, Shaker-style furniture and Frédéric Forest horse sketches tacked to cork walls. Some have shared balconies overlooking a fishing pond. Bathrooms are sleek in matte black and white Metro tiles; white linen-sheeted beds were comfortable but the overall impression is one of Moonrise Kingdom summer camp rather than country pile. The tech is non-invasive and works well. How about the food and drink?Rustic French with brunch tables heaped with local meats and cheeses, oven-toasty baguettes, and croissants alongside French salted butters and organic fruit jams. An outdoor grill fires up at weekends as well, to the delight of carnivores, but there are plenty of fresh salads too. Breakfast is included. Anything to say about the service?This is more about the experience than the service, though it runs efficiently and living quarters are kept spotless. Food arrived promptly, the bartenders made excellent café au lait and, in the spa, the Indian yoga teacher will knead away travel aches in silence. Who comes here?Parisians from the 6th, 7th, or 16th arrondissements, who seem to know each other already but not in a cliquey way. Breton stripes and espadrilles won’t seem out of place. Is there anything interesting nearby?Le Barn shares 500 acres in the Rambouillet forest with France’s famous holistic horsemanship school, La Cense—but it’s best to explore the surrounding woodland and small villages by bicycle. Set the coordinates for Rochefort-en-Yvelines, Rambouillet, or Chevreuse. Anything we missed?There is no check-in or check-out time, and very often you will see guests leaving with vegetables from the organic gardens or a jar of homemade tomato sauce. Try your hand at horse whispering, cooking lessons in the grass-roof kitchen, riding Friesian horses in the sky-lit modernist barn, or just a clunk-click game of pétanque. Is it worth it—and why?Yes. Guests feel comfortable enough to wear pajamas to breakfast, even to lunch. Nothing felt affected and the natural setting sparks that nostalgic glow of childhood summers." - Cynthia Rosenfeld