Gastronomic country escape

The scent of lavender is strong the air and the sandstone glows golden beneath ivy curling over the façade of the 15th century manor house. Although it is 20 years since I last passed through these portals, this country retreat seems as timeless as ever.

England has plenty of country houses, but nowhere quite like of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, A Belmond Hotel, Oxfordshire. Founded forty years ago by Raymond Blanc, this hotel set the template for a new type of gourmet getaway. And this year it is celebrating more than its 40th anniversary, with a recent gong for UK Hotel of the Year from The Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards and big plans for the future. 

The hotel is just 90 minutes from London, 45 minutes from Heathrow, or 30 minutes from Oxford – but the warm welcome gives a real sense of arrival. The welcome, like every other element of Le Manoir, has been shaped by Raymond Blanc - now in his 70s but still enthusiastically turning up to work every day.

Blanc even helped design the 32 rooms, the interiors of each one inspired by a moment or a memory experienced by Blanc. 

There is Vettriano, with its rich red walls and its sexy bathroom; Sandalwood, where the classic curved sofa is upholstered in a contemporary geometric print; the soothing cream-and-green interiors of Hollyhock; and the spellbinding Snow Queen – inspired by Blanc’s favourite childhood tale - where the purple silk walls are printed with silver snowflakes.

This time I’m staying in Provence, Tucked into the property’s 17th-century stable block, the suite has exposed beams, vaulted ceilings and French doors that lead to a pretty courtyard. I’m particularly taken with the freshly-baked cake left as a welcome gift – it’s a very Le Manoir touch.

Another Le Manoir touch – if you want a pot of coffee to go with your cake, you will have to call to get one delivered. The lack of coffee machines in the rooms is no oversight but is about making sure every part of the guest experience is the best it can be. And they are right. The coffee – delivered immediately – is better than anything that would come from a machine.

This attention to detail is one of Blanc’s trademarks, along with his relentless innovation. A chef who celebrated paddock-to-plate long before it became a catch-cry, Blanc was also the first Michelin-starred chef to branch into cooking classes when he opened the on-site Raymond Blanc Cookery School in 1991. 

Guests not only learnt new recipes and new skills, they were also encouraged into the hotel’s expansive gardens to understand more about how their ingredients were grown.

So it made sense to eventually add the Raymond Blanc Gardening School, where the one-day courses include sessions for flower lovers (Seed to Bouquet), fruit lovers (Grown Your Own Orchard) and those who love the thought of growing their own vegetables but not so keen on hard work (‘No Dig’ Soil to Plate).

Some guests come here specifically for the courses, while others are here to celebrate a special occasion – either way though Le Manoir is also a terrific place just to relax. Few things will de-stress you faster than a stroll through the property, which includes seven acres of gardens and orchards amid 27 acres of grounds. You might opt for a game of croquet or pétanque on the lush lawn, zen out in the serene Japanese garden, or follow the lavender-lined path to explore the extraordinary produce gardens, where staff harvest 90 varieties of vegetables, 70 types of herbs and, over in the orchards, everything from stone fruits and pears to dozens of different varieties of apple. And that’s before you get to the Valley of the Wild Mushrooms, landscaped specifically to allow fungi to flourish.

In-house guests get complimentary access to the daily tours of the gardens, which are eye-opening. I’m particularly inspired by the way that zero-waste principles have been built into every aspect of the operation. It’s something I muse on that evening as I sip my pre-dinner rose martini, poured over velvety crimson petals freshly-harvested from the garden.

Dinner is, of course, one of the highlights of any stay here. Le Manoir’s talented head chef, Luke Selby, only took over last year but trained here originally – as did dozens of other Michelin-starred chefs – and his cooking is infused with Blanc’s dedication to precise, seasonal flavours. (“We don’t do trends,” Blanc will tell me the next day. “We do what we do.”)

It is hard to pick a favourite among the nine courses. As a fungi fan, I’m blown away by the wild mushroom and truffle risotto and a cheese trolley always makes me swoon, but even the simplest of courses – a consommé of garden celeriac – is spectacular. So simple, yet so packed with flavour. 

Every element of the experience has been considered, right down to the olive oil I soak up with my bread. I mention how wonderful it is when I chat with Blanc and he tells me it’s from a very small producer, and would love to be able to get more of it.

“I said, “I’ll take the whole harvest” but he said, ‘What about my family?’ Since then, I take half his annual harvest,” Blanc explains. “But every few years I try again and ask him if I can have more.”

Get Blanc onto the subject of food and the stories pour out of him. Soon we’re talking about the acclaimed Bresse chicken from France, which left the competition for dead in a taste test he once attended. 

“When that came out of the oven, it was incredible. I wanted to sing La Marseillaise!” he says excitedly.

Blanc is equally excited about what lies ahead for Le Manoir. This year will see a celebration of dinners, after which the hotel has a major reinvestment planned with new garden villas, a spa and an informal new restaurant, as well as some surprises.

One thing Blanc is clear about – the new Le Manoir will build on the spirit that already exists. “I love beautiful textures, but I also love a bit of quirkiness,” he says. “I love those things that make you smile.”