L'abbaye De Villeneuve

We had the pleasure of dining at Le 1201 during our stay at L'Abbaye de Villeneuve this month. The abbey itself has been beautifully refurbished, blending its historic character with a clean, modern luxury that carries through to the restaurant.||The dining room strikes a great balance between being spacious and feeling intimate, with tables set far enough apart to allow for private conversation. The atmosphere is relaxed but refined.||We chose the tasting menu, which was excellent from start to finish and a real showcase for high-quality local and seasonal ingredients. A particular highlight for us was a tomato and burrata dish – simple in concept, but executed with incredible flavour. Another memorable moment was the cheese course, which was paired with a fantastic old Pineau des Charentes served from a large glass jar kept in the dining room. It was a really special touch.||The service was a key part of the experience. The team was professional, efficient, and warm, led superbly by the Maître d'Hôtel, Marie Taillandier. What really elevated the evening for us was a visit from Chef Achour Belayel himself. It was a genuine pleasure to chat with him tableside and hear him speak about his experience and his approach to cooking.||Le 1201 is more than deserving of its Michelin star. It’s a complete experience where refined cuisine, impeccable service, and a beautiful setting come together perfectly. We highly recommend it.

I stayed at Abbaye De Villeneuve while on a business trip to Nantes and it was fantastic. The place itself is beautiful. It feels historic and unique but at the same time super comfortable and well taken care of. The staff really stood out. Everyone was friendly and helpful in a way that made the whole stay feel easy and welcoming. After running around in Nantes for work all day, it was such a relief to come back to somewhere quiet, relaxed, and with people who genuinely seemed to care. My room was great, very spacious, clean, and just really comfortable. The wifi was surprisingly fast for any hotel. The food was also excellent; definitely a step above anything else. Overall, it turned what could have been just another work trip into something I’ll remember in a really positive way. I will definitely have to come back on a leisure trip someday.

A beautifully restored building for a stopover for us, close to the A83, south of Nantes, en route from Cherbourg to Spain. Secure parking for our valuable car and a large, comfortable room for us. We couldn’t be sure if our arrival time so we hadn’t booked a table at the fine dining restaurant, however, we did eat in the Brasserie and had a splendid meal and a very comfortable night’s sleep. |Owing to a very early start, we didn’t eat breakfast but, next time, we would take more time to enjoy both the fine restaurant and breakfast. |Others have said that their rooms were noisy but we did not find this to be the case. |The staff were really friendly and efficient too and most spoke good English which was helpful.

We enjoyed a lovely stay at this hotel. Our room was a calm and very comfy space decorated in warm, neutral shades. The pool was lovely and quiet too. I loved that the hotel allowed and even encouraged guests to play their lovely baby grand piano. The tall, well stocked bar was an impressive sight. The cocktails were very good, as was the food. Excellent service from the very friendly Leo, thank you for looking after us so well during our stay. The hotel was quite a drive into Nantes town centre and sadly the taxi that the hotel booked for us did not show up, so we were almost late for a restaurant booking we had made. As it is a very old building, we were sadly woken every morning by the couple above us who got up around 4am, (presumably for sunset hikes) stomping their walking boots all over the creaky wooden floorboards for ages which was very inconsiderate of them!

We had a lunch with a large group of colleagues with amazing food, good wine and beautiful atmosphere and surroundings. Ver much recommendable

Beautiful doesn't quite capture this place. The building is well planned and the decor is interesting and restful. Be sure to have a drink in the bar. We had dinner at both restaurants- 1201 is amazing. Our room was large and comfortable with a view of the front garden. We found the staff very helpful. We took an easy drive into Nantes for the day to site see, but really preferred just being at the hotel. We did dip in the pool on a warm day.

The restaurant is delightful, particularly the duck. Staff were universally kind, friendly, and helpful. The only thing we could have wished for was an elevator to the third floor, but a climb is to be expected in a historic abbey. Rooms have modern amentiies and are very comfortable. Will stay again.

We would like to extend our gratitude to all members of staff for their excellent and welcoming service, for the enjoyable days spent at Abbaye de Villeneuve, and for their consistent readiness to assist at any time. Their conduct was characterised by cordiality and kindness. I would like to make a special mention to Alizée and Léo, two people with significant potential. We have interacted with them a great deal recently, and I would like to acknowledge their constant attention to detail and professionalism. The Abbaye is a wonderful piece of French history, set in an idyllic location just minutes from Nantes. The rooms are comfortable, the atmosphere is quiet and friendly, and the cleanliness is excellent. We will return.