Chateau d'Aubry

On the way to the French Atlantic coast we like to stop overnight in Valenciennes. This time we chose the Château D'Aubry because it is close to the city with numerous restaurants and not far from the motorway. The origins of the moated castle, which is surrounded by a well-kept English park, go back to the 12th century. Today, the stylishly renovated rooms of the small castle house a romantic hotel. It is a popular place for weddings and family celebrations. The free, screened parking spaces on the hotel grounds are very practical. The historic building combines castle romance with modern hotel comfort. The large beds offer excellent comfort and the high windows offer a beautiful view of the castle lake and the park. The nights are exceptionally quiet - a relief for city dwellers like us. On the ground floor there are various party and conference rooms as well as the breakfast room with a summer terrace. The buffet breakfast is good by French standards - it seemed to us to be at least on a par with the chain hotels on the motorway near Valenciennes. The only limitation to the otherwise entirely positive hotel experience: with the exception of one single room on the ground floor, the rooms and suites are on the first floor, which can only be reached via a steep curved staircase. This is a challenge for older people with walking difficulties. Positive: The friendly service staff are happy to help with luggage to the room. The overnight stay at the Châtau D'Aubry combined with a very nice dinner in a brasserie in Valenciennes was a perfect start to our trip to Normandy.