In Search of L’expérience Par Excellence
The pleasures of the French countryside are well-known throughout the world – medieval architecture, beautiful scenery and great food. But for many of those in Shanghai, it’s half a world away. However, there’s now a resort just a three hour drive from Shanghai that promises to bring authentic French style to the mountains of China.
Simon Courvoisier had a dream, or rather, un rêve. After a successful stint as a general manager for a German engineering company in China, Courvoisier decided that he was ready to give up professional life and retire the French way in a stone maison in the countryside with gourmet meals, nice scenery and plenty of quiet. Rather than moving back home, Courvoisier wanted to bring a bit of the French countryside to the small village of Chenxi in Zhejiang Province. Here, Courvoisier secured the 40-year lease of an abandoned farming community and began the painstaking process of remaking these ancient wooden structures in the style of his native Brittany, calling his new home Guerouel Village.
Where many jaded Shanghai residents have witnessed the slapdash attempts of hurried developers to bring a taste of Europe to the Middle Kingdom, Courvoisier’s steadfast commitment to his project stands in stark contrast. He lives year-round in this village with his sister and mother, who emigrated from France to join him. All the architecture and infrastructure is designed by the Breton himself. The façades of four buildings have been renovated, and two of these buildings have been retrofitted on the inside with modern-day conveniences. He’s even built a swimming pool and a stable for horses. It’s already quite an accomplishment, but Courvoisier’s dream is bigger than that. He hopes to one day bring a team of master stonemasons from France to build a true French village from scratch. It’s a process that will take years, decades even.
As a way to support his on-going project, Courvoisier has opened a guest house to allow others to enjoy French living. “Why should people in Shanghai have to get a visa and fly 12 hours just to experience the French way of life? They can drive here in just three hours!” says Courvoisier. The six bedrooms available in the two cottages, the ‘French House’ and the ‘Chinese House’ can house up to 14 guests at a time, allowing their residents a chance to enjoy the tranquillity and scenic views in French style.
For those overflowing with l'esprit d'aventure, the local hiking and cycling around the village proves to be highly enjoyable. The area has no local tourist industry to speak of, and as a result, the paths one hikes through the mountains are the simple dirt paths used by peasants for gathering wild chestnuts (a local specialty), visiting ancestral tombs and taking goats out to pasture. You’re miles away from stone steps and the buzz of tour groups. Renting a bike (RMB 100 per day) and cruising around the flood plains surrounding Chenxi is an experience equally unspoiled. During our trip, we rode casually through golden wheat fields, watching as local farmers prepared for the autumn harvest.
And sans doute, no French experience would be complete without a spread fit for gourmands (breakfast RMB 60, lunch and dinner RMB 120). Courvoisier has plans to open a dedicated restaurant for the village complete with a French chef, but until then his mother and sister provide authentic, homemade French fare with an emphasis on seasonal and local ingredients. During our stay we enjoyed meals featuring courgette au gratin, quiche Lorraine, sautéed chestnuts, Niçoise salad and homemade cornbread. And let’s not forget the desserts – vanilla ice cream with cheesecake crumbles, crème caramel and chestnut cream. Indeed, there should be no reason to go hungry while taking in the fresh air and the view. This is vivre à la française – living the French way.
The Guerouel Village. Prices start from RMB 560 for a room in the French House. Web: www.guerouel-village.com
