Relais and Chateaux Archives - Small Barrels Magazine

A Christmas-time getaway in the majestic, snow-capped Canadian Rockies at Lake Louise is a particularly romantic way to celebrate the season. The landscape provides all the ‘decoration’ you need to set the mood, which is at once cozy, elegant, and awe-inspiring. The powder-topped mountains and frosted trees are surely bound to cue up the Christmas carols on your winter walk…

The iconic turquoise blue lake is frozen and covered in snow, but cleared enough to skate on — and even to play an impromptu game of hockey, Canadian-style.

At some point, as beautiful as it is outdoors, you want to head inside – and in our opinion there’s no better place to do this at Lake Louise than at the Post Hotel. Nestled among the pines just outside of Lake Louise village, the Post is just enough off the beaten path to let you breathe, and close enough to everything that means getting there is no chore at all.

Balcony View - Magical Christmas Lights — Balcony View – Magical Christmas Lights

…And just look at that magical evening view from our room! We have stayed here many times, returning again and again for the warmth and elegance of the accommodations, the delicious food and remarkable wine selection, and the sense of calm and relaxation that being at the Post provides, but this was our first time to visit in the winter.

Here’s another magical wintertime view from our room, this time just after sunrise:

Since we’re so used to seeing it in the late summer or fall, we found the Post to be transformed outside by the snow, crisp air, and twinkling white lights, and inside by the abundant but very tasteful Christmas decorations.

The Library at the Post Hotel - Ready for Christmas — The Library at the Post Hotel – Ready for Christmas

Above has always been one of my favourite places in the hotel – a library tucked away on the third floor, lovely for early morning reading, or a quiet afternoon of board games. Already inviting with its grand stone fireplace, built-in wooden bookcases and cozy furniture, experiencing the library room all done up for Christmas made it hard to pull ourselves away…

Here’s another view of this amazing room – and though there was no roaring fire, you can just feel the warmth, can’t you?

Another View of the Post's Library Room — Another View of the Post’s Library Room

Here’s a close up shot of the tree – I was absolutely taken with the delicate paper bird ornaments. Take a close look – they’re amazing!

Post Hotel Festive Library — Post Hotel The Festive Library

And I love that such care and attention to detail exists even in this room although it is quite often occupied by only one or two guests.

Post Hotel Library Christmas Decorations

In fact, as you wander and gaze throughout the hotel, there are little touches everywhere that foster Christmas magic, from elegantly decorated alcoves, to tiny trees gracing the table at Fondue Stubli, the hotel’s fondue restaurant.

Decorative Wreath — Decorative wreath dressed up an alcove

Though Christmas was everywhere at the Post – inside and out – there was nothing overdone or gaudy about it. Everything was done with such exquisite taste that the effect was pure romance and delight.

I’m writing about this because it was not our intention to have a “Christmas vacation”, but our stay at the Post definitely put us in the spirit. If you are looking for that ‘white Christmas at a ski chalet’ mood, I highly recommend it. I will note that we stayed mid-December wrapping up our trip on December 18th. This was apparently just before it was about to get significantly busier with families and travelers on holiday. While this would have had its own loveliness I’m sure, we felt that we got to enjoy the best of both worlds – the lovely sights and sounds of the season, but also the rest and quietness we craved.

Though perhaps not specifically “Christmas”, every time I look at this photo I think: what could be more festive, comforting and romantic than a glass of wine and a fine chocolate fondue? And with that…

…to all a goodnight at the Post Hotel in December!

Perhaps the most ironic thing about our journey to the medieval hilltop town of St. Emilion in our tour of Bordeaux, was our passing a McDonald’s along the way. I can imagine nothing more dramatic with which to juxtapose the ancient, walled city where cars are largely not permitted than the famed golden arches. We may as well have stepped into a time machine.

Finding St.Emilion seemed simpler than finding other places in Bordeaux. I suppose that at this point in our journey we’d finally become more accustomed to the maps, roads and traffic signs that at first had seemed indecipherable. As we neared St. Emilion, the countryside transformed from the rather flat expanses of Pessac-Leognan and Pauillac to a more picturesque, hilly landscape. The drive offered views with a lovely natural quality, and fewer palatial chateaux hovering near the road.

Finally, the city of St. Emilion emerged from the landscape as though out of time itself. Fortified with ancient stone walls, St. Emilion was originally built in the 12th century and then rebuilt in later centuries to its present appearance. The steep, cobbled roads weave round, up, and through in a fashion clearly not intended for automobiles. Indeed, traffic is limited to a unidirectional road, and parking, other than in the tourist area at the very top of the city, is nonexistent.

As one may imagine, the layout of this quaint place made it a challenge to find and park at our hotel, Hostellerie de Plaisance (of the Relais and Chateaux chain). Several false starts forced us right through the city; we then had to find the entrance once again due to the one-way road. Finally, we identified our hotel – partly due to the photo that we had printed from the hotel website, partly due to the fact that there was no other place to park our car than right near the hotel, and mostly due to luck.

The Hostellerie de Plaisance is located at the top of St. Emilion, which is also its heart. It is adjacent to a grand, carved stone cathedral that inspires awe in its visitors. The inn, once a monastery, is owned and operated (since 2001) by Madame and Monsieur Perse, also the owners of the renowned Chateau Pavie (Premier Grand Cru Classe), and of Chateau Monbousquet, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. The interior is beautifully refurbished, offering elegance and modern amenities.

Our room, “Pavie,” was beautifully appointed with rich draperies and fabrics and elegant furniture. The bathroom was very spacious (note to North Americans – the WC is located in a separate room from the bath tub, shower, and sink). But it was the view that was completely breathtaking.

From our room, perched at the very top of this ancient, intriguing city, we could peer over the red-brown shingled roof tops of the snugly-situated buildings and the steeply sloping cobblestone streets. Open-air restaurants with canopied tables spread below us along with a thriving throng of visitors making their way from shop to shop, particularly in the Place du Marche. We could see beyond the city walls as well – and were delighted by the hilly, green vineyards that went on as far as the eye could see.

We dined two nights at the hotel’s restaurant and ate under the stars. We enjoyed a similar view of the city below as we ate the exquisite offerings of Chef Philippe Etchebest. Of particular note was an incredible, almost indescribable entree – a lasagne with foie gras, forest mushrooms, black truffles, and an amazing creamy sauce. The tender layers of noodles and the earthiness of all the rest will never be forgotten! Of course, neither will sipping the bold and beautiful 1998 Pavie-Macquin as we surveyed the land that produced it!

We took in the city itself the next day. Even at a strolling pace, it did not take us long to see the major points of interest and most of the shops. We had lunch al fresco at a pizzeria, eating at a tiny table set against an old stone wall, and then sampled homemade gelato as we finished our walk about. We did not tour the outlying vineyards during our stay, partly by choice after the myriad of tours in Pessac-Leognan and the Medoc, and partly by circumstance. The French do holiday in the summer, after all, and not everything is open just to suit a visitor’s convenience.

St. Emilion is a tiny place, an old place, with nooks and crannies to explore, but not so many that you are left overwhelmed at the end of the day. And there is something truly restful about this old city at night, when the day tourists are gone, and a quietness settles over those left amid the stone walls.

Overall Experience
We give the Hostellerie de Plaisance 5 Stars- Outstanding!

Hostellerie de Plaisance is located in St.Emilion in the Bordeaux region of France. For hotel reservations call 33 (0)5 57 55 07 55, or visit www.hostellerie-plaisance.com/

Christmas Romance in the Rockies

Hostellerie de Plaisance (St. Emilion, France)