Located in Le Perche, a national park in the Basse-Normandie region a few hours outside Paris, D’une Île is a medieval French settlement transformed into a bucolic bolthole, composed of nine cottages and a restaurant. The husband-and-wife proprietors, Michel Mulder and Sofie Sleumer (he’s a professional chef and she’s an interior designer), collaborated on the design of the rooms; the result is a charm-filled, rambling, relaxed compound.
Above: A bedroom featuring the original exposed beams with whitewashed walls and contemporary lighting. Above: Exposed beams and hexagonal tile flooring can be seen throughout the buildings. Above: A skull and antlers serve as accessories and clothing racks. Above: A deconstructed bath with a DIY copper faucet and sink. Above: One of the Double Standard rooms features Ilse Crawford’s Two-Seater Bench with Back. Above: The Super Suite is made up of three bedrooms, a living room, kitchenette, and study room. Above: A plywood buildout separates one bedroom from the other. Above: A quirky attic bath designed with four antique doors of different proportions. Above: The cottages are dressed in vintage furniture and accessories. The couple restored much of the furniture themselves, and some pieces are for sale to guests. Above: The mix of vintage finds lend the cottages a laid-back boho vibe. Above: An all-white bedroom with a vintage ladder as headboard. Above L: An abridged version of a bath with a hexagonal mirror and Malin & Goetz amenities. Above R: Taxidermy and an empty tortoise shell accent the Grand Suite. Above: A roomy bathroom with a clawfoot tub and old tile floor. Above: D’une Île serves breakfast daily from their communal kitchen. Above: The medieval enclave—a restaurant and nine cottages—that makes up D’une Ile.
Looking for more lodging and restaurants in France? See dozens of suggestions in our France Travel Guide.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on February 11, 2013.
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