La Maison de Rhodes & Le Champ des Oiseaux: Medieval Luxury & Modern Indulgence in Troyes Champagne

Ferrari Roma Spider: Arrival in a Medieval Dream

Driving a Ferrari Roma Spider into the medieval heart of Troyes feels a bit like turning up to a monastery in haute couture. The car’s Celeste Met curves gleamed against 16th-century timber beams, its soft red roof mirroring the city’s tiled gables. But while the Ferrari drew admiring glances, the true revelation lay within the serene courtyards of La Maison de Rhodes (5-Star) and Le Champ des Oiseaux (4-Star) — two interlinked jewels of French hospitality, run with charm, precision and just enough eccentricity to make you never want to leave.

Read the Ferrari Roma Spider Tour Review: From Troyes to Château de Montmélian & the Heart of Paris.

Twin Jewels of French Hospitality — and One Family

These two hotels are technically separate yet operate as one harmonious whole, like twins raised in the same château but with different temperaments. La Maison de Rhodes offers aristocratic gravitas: vast oak beams bleached by centuries of sunlight, carved doorframes that lean with dignity, and fireplaces capable of roasting a small ox. Le Champ des Oiseaux, its slightly younger sibling, is more bohemian — lighter, romantic, and given to quiet sighs over morning coffee.

Both belong to Julie and Kamil, a couple who cut their teeth working for Leading Hotels of the World before returning home to take charge of Julie’s ancestral property. This is no sterile hospitality venture; it is, quite literally, their family home. Julie grew up here, and every room holds a memory — birthdays, Christmases, mischievous escapades involving cousins and forbidden attics. Now, she welcomes guests with that same familial warmth, with fabulous wines and impeccable linen.

A Heritage Hotel in the Heart of Troyes

The buildings date from the 15th and 16th centuries, and every surface tells a story. Sun-bleached oak criss-crosses the façades in the distinctive “X” and “N” patterns of medieval Troyes. Inside, you find marble and terracotta tiles underfoot, raffia chairs, French pine cupboards, and daubed cream walls glowing in candlelight. In one corner of my suite, a stained-glass window throws bird-shaped splashes of blue across the room, like dawn over a tropical sea.

Upstairs, vast beams the size of bridge supports frame the ceilings, giving the rooms a cathedral-like serenity. The beds are draped in crisp linen that smells faintly of lavender, and the bathrooms are grand enough to host a chamber quartet. From the windows, you can look out over the rooftops of Troyes and the lazy Seine winding down from Paris — a view that could charm even the most cynical traveller.

The small spa, complete with a pool and sauna, offers quiet restoration after long drives or lengthy lunches. One can slip in for a swim beneath medieval rafters, glass of Chablis in hand, pretending to be the well-travelled hero of a French art-house film.

Dining at La Maison de Rhodes: Heritage on a Plate

Dinner is served in what was once Julie’s childhood living room, now a fine-dining haven. The menu changes seasonally and regionally, which is a polite way of saying “as the chef pleases”. Expect delicate river trout, local vegetables kissed by butter, and desserts so elegant you briefly consider framing them instead of eating them.

We dined with Julie and Kamil themselves — a rare privilege that turned the evening into a warm family gathering. Over a bottle of L’Amoureux (a light, fruity red produced by Julie’s uncle), stories of the hotel’s history unfurled like silk: how Julie’s father began by buying one house, then another, until the family effectively owned a fortified block of Troyes.

La gouvernante, a formidable woman revered for her taste, oversees everything from the floral arrangements to the whiteness of the Limoges china. Rumour has it that if anyone dares buy crockery from a lesser maker, she resigns on the spot. The result is faultless French hospitality — personal, precise and suffused with soul.

Exploring Troyes: The City Time Forgot

Step outside and Troyes itself feels like a film set built for an historical epic, though mercifully without extras in chainmail. The timber-framed houses lean at eccentric angles, apparently held upright only by their neighbours. Narrow lanes lead to cathedrals whose stained glass showers the streets in jewelled light. In fact, 40 per cent of the world’s stained glass resides here — a statistic that feels exaggerated until you’ve walked through your fifth church in awe.

The Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul and the Basilique Saint-Urbain are masterclasses in Gothic excess, while the Église Sainte-Madeleine boasts a flamboyant jubé screen so intricate it seems spun from lace. Each church competes for the largest organ, proving that medieval egos were not confined to royalty.

The Marché des Halles is another delight — a treasure chest of local produce run by families for generations. My favourite stall, Au Petit Charlot, sells fish so fresh it practically winks at you. You can even perch at the counter and enjoy oysters while chatting to the owner about the latest village gossip.

Lac d’Orient and Mesnil-Saint-Pierre: Champagne’s Secret Lake Retreat

A short drive from Troyes lies the serene Lac d’Orient, near Mesnil-Saint-Pierre — a shimmering expanse of water that looks uncannily like a Utah desert scattered with lakes. At the heart of the village, the family-run patisserie Le Cœur du Village sits on the main street, serving pastries so divine its worth the pilgrimage. Each plate arrives with extra macarons, a scoop of ice cream, and, for good measure, a small vase of flowers. The proprietress is exactly what gives the café its heart: she runs it as a patisserie, a restaurant, a local shop selling everything imaginable, and even makes clothes to order. The young owner beams as though your arrival has made her week — though in truth, everyone falls just a little bit in love with her.

This is rural France at its most charming: authentic, unaffected and generously calorific.

Cellier Saint-Pierre: Wine Tasting in Secret Tunnels Beneath the Cathedral

Back in Troyes, Cellier Saint-Pierre offers a wine-tasting experience as atmospheric as a cathedral service. Its owner, Alexandre — all beret, moustache and devastating accent — welcomes you into a 15th-century cellar once owned by the cathedral itself, complete with a secret tunnel beneath the road. The décor fuses ancient stone with sleek modern design, and the wine selection rivals Parisian cellars three times the price.

The highlight is Prunelle de Troyes, a liqueur made from crushed sloe stones distilled in copper alembics until the spirit emerges at a heroic 75 per cent alcohol. Before sweetening, it tastes like marzipan for the brave. It was once called Prunelle de Champagne until Champagne producers protested, possibly out of jealousy.

We also sampled three Champagnes:

• Jacques Lassaigne Montgueux Blanc de Blancs — crisp, dry, with elegant bubbles that refuse to rush.

• Côtes des Bar Blanc de Noirs — richer, slightly sweeter, with smaller bubbles and serious attitude.

• Louise Brison 2017 Vintage — half Chardonnay, half Pinot Noir, a golden beauty with nutty aromas and the kind of depth that makes you forgive everything, including past lovers.

Remember: bad Champagne is served ice-cold; good Champagne deserves warmth — 7–8 degrees Celsius to release its soul.

The Restaurathon: Three Courses, Three Venues, One Wizard of a Chef

Just when you think Troyes has offered every delight, there’s the Restaurathon — a three-course feast taken at three different restaurants, all owned by one tireless chef. We began with starters at Simone’s, moved to Octave for mains, and ended with desserts at Valentino. At each location, the same chef appeared as if by magic, always arriving before us, ready to serve the identical dish freshly prepared.

He darted between kitchens like a conjurer’s rabbit pulled from a hat — omnipresent, smiling, and entirely unfazed by logistics. The coordination was extraordinary, the flavours impeccable, and the wine pairings divine. By the end, we applauded not just the food but the feat of culinary teleportation.

A City of Hidden Plaisirs

Beyond gastronomy, Troyes offers cycling routes, river cruises, and enough ancient architecture to fill several guidebooks. For thrill-seekers, aerial sports beckon nearby, and for romantics, there are endless villages to explore, each with its own patisserie waiting to be “discovered”. I became something of an archaeologist of pastries — a tomb raider of chocolate éclairs, if you will.

Every encounter here feels personal, every street steeped in warmth. Troyes doesn’t perform for tourists; it simply exists in glorious authenticity, and that’s its greatest charm.

Nightfall at La Maison de Rhodes: Six-Star Sleep

That night, in my oak-beamed room at La Maison de Rhodes, I fell asleep instantly — an unprecedented miracle for a first night in a new bed. The silence was absolute, broken only by the distant chime of cathedral bells. If there were a Michelin star for sleep, this hotel would have six. I woke refreshed, restored, and ready to rejoin my Ferrari Roma Spider, waiting patiently in the courtyard like a loyal thoroughbred.

Au Revoir, But Never Goodbye

Leaving was unexpectedly emotional. Julie and Kamil, with their warmth and unpretentious generosity, felt more like dear friends than hoteliers. Their pride in every beam, every glass of wine, every smile is contagious. Some places are simply perfect because they balance history, humanity and luxury with such natural grace that you never feel like a guest — you feel like you’ve come home.

As I eased the Ferrari out through the narrow medieval cobbled street, the red roof gleamed beneath the morning sun. I gave a small wave to Julie and Kamil — “À bientôt,” they called — and meant it.

Le Shuttle: The Elegant Way Home

Returning to England via Le Shuttle is the only proper way to conclude such a journey. With a Flexiplus ticket, I boarded whenever I pleased, stocked up on macarons, champagne and local delicacies from Troyes, and reflected as the train slid under the Channel. The Ferrari purred softly beside me, still immaculate after a thousand miles of history, gastronomy and charm.

La Maison de Rhodes and Le Champ des Oiseaux are love letters to French heritage written in illuminated parchment, like stained glass, the memories glow brighter in the fading light as you drive away. Pair them with a Ferrari Roma Spider and the freedom of the open road, and you have something transcendent: an adventure that lingers long after you’ve crossed the Channel.

Ferrari Roma Spider OTR Price: £213,583

With Options: £270,556

https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/auto/ferrari-roma-spider

La Maison de Rhodes and Le Champ des Oiseaux

https://www.maisonderhodes.com/en/

LeShuttle

https://www.leshuttle.com/uk-en

Valentino Restaurant Troyes

https://levalentino.com/en/home/