Domaine de Rochevilaine

The views from Domaine de Rochevilaine, perched at the end of a rocky promontory in Brittany, are stupendous, especially when the sun shines on the glistening sea or when the wind howls as the waves crash against the rocks below. The vast windows of the sitting room and the restaurant overlook a sky-wide expanse of open sea, giving the distinct sensation of being shipboard. Oriental carpets grace old polished hardwood floors and a roaring fire burns in the grate on cool days. The menu is superb, and the service is both attentive and gracious. Bedrooms are found either in the little, old stone cottages or in a new (though traditionally styled) wing of rooms near the luxurious indoor swimming pool (there’s also a salt-water pool set into the rocks on the ocean’s edge). All of the bedrooms enjoy dramatic sea views, and several have private terraces, handsome wood floors, and mellow paneling. The most dramatic room is The Admiral’s Room, room 11, named for its 270-degree views. Our room with its expanse of view out to the sea was a wonderful place to linger and inspired me to write. The health center offers a gymnasium, massages, and saunas.