Amid the winelands of Anjou and Saumur in France is the 12th-century monastery L'Abbaye de Fontevraud. Once part of the French penal system, this was one of the less glamorous draws on the Loire Valley châteaux tour, but Parisian design duo Jouin Manku has turned that upside down by working its magic on the interiors. Guestrooms in the new 54-room hotel see a reduced colour palette of beige with mustard-yellow accents and similarly rigorous materials: blackened steel, wood, wool and linen. There is an ascetic scholarliness behind the design with single items doing double duty: when stacked along the wainscoting, bespoke folding dining-room chairs become decorative elements and perforated-steel screens slide across the TVs, so they can serve as art installations. The raw modernity echoes the building's monastic heritage.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
Fontevraud l'Abbaye
Anjou
France
-
Ligne Roset teams up with Origine to create an ultra-limited-edition bikeThe Ligne Roset x Origine bike marks the first venture from this collaboration between two major French manufacturers, each a leader in its field
-
The Subaru Forester is the definition of unpretentious automotive designIt’s not exactly king of the crossovers, but the Subaru Forester e-Boxer is reliable, practical and great for keeping a low profile
-
Sotheby’s is auctioning a rare Frank Lloyd Wright lamp – and it could fetch $5 millionThe architect's ‘Double-Pedestal’ lamp, which was designed for the Dana House in 1903, is hitting the auction block 13 May at Sotheby's.
-
Sun-soaked European destinations to visit in springDreaming of Florentine palazzos and Greek islands now that the weather is starting to turn? Check into one of these beautiful European hotels and holiday homes
-
The warmth and comfort of Paris restaurant Margaux: ‘It’s like feasting at grandma’s’Located on the 16th arrondissement, Margaux dishes up timeless French classics in a setting that feels like home
-
Saint Laurent unveils Sushi Park Paris: the Los Angeles omakase’s new outpostA beloved Californian restaurant finds a second home at the Saint Laurent Rive Droite flagship, merging the worlds of haute couture and high-end gastronomy
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy designThere’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
Night at the museum: the best art hotels to book nowSleep amid surrealists at London’s Broadwick Soho, or wake up to contemporary favourites at New Hotel in Athens – indulge in an immersive art hotel experience
-
This Italian Bistrot in Paris offers all-year-round ‘felicità’A diminutive of the Italian word for family, Miglia is a cosy trattoria radiating warmth, friendliness, and traditional flavours
-
Ski in, ski out at Courchevel’s hot new piste-side dinerLoulou, the new Courchevel restaurant inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s muse, is playfully elevated by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s pop art branding
-
The cosiest alpine retreats to book in EuropeBrowse the Wallpaper* edit of European alpine retreats where to fully embrace the ski season
