This article was written in collaboration with Stéphanie and Eric, owners of Domaine de Saint Jean.

Staying at Domaine de Saint Jean in the heart of nature means rediscovering the delightful atmosphere of yesteryear, while enjoying modern comforts. En route to the beautiful Belgian Condroz region for a timeless experience and authentic (weekend?) trip!

The Domaine de Saint Jean has had its share of successes and ups and downs over the centuries. Inherited, ignored, renovated, neglected… until Stéphanie and Eric took over the estate. “Taking over an ancestral estate means opening the great book of the place“. And so another page is written, a different page no doubt, but one that will remain an integral part of the great book of Domaine de Saint Jean.

“Being aware of this history quickly became obvious, a goal, a sacred duty“, explain Stéphanie and Eric. To immerse themselves in it, they went through the engraved facts, the accidents, the hours of glory and the anecdotes, reviving each room, redesigning paths and gardens…
They set the new scene of yesteryear…

“For centuries, the Condroz was a haven for the wealthy who wanted to enjoy the gentle, game-filled countryside and pleasant climate, surrounded by people with a similar, homogeneous lifestyle.

At the time, these houses were already receiving guests… The bedrooms and their bedding had to be up to the standard of the plate or the magnificence of the living rooms. Any bathrooms and other conveniences were embellished with monogrammed linen, a sign that they could not be anywhere else.

The virtue of quality lay in its consistency. Wherever you were, wherever you looked, the eye had to be flattered, the touch charmed.

And on closer inspection, these virtues of a century ago are shared today.

No rubbish bins, no rubbish collection, but all-out compost.
No household waste, no sorting, but food for chickens and goats.
No oranges or bananas, just 300 different kinds of apples, pears, peaches and plums that go from basket to plate.
The carrots are as crooked as cockroach horns, and come in all shades from black to yellow. They are neither processed nor sorted, but they are all tasty.”

At Domaine de Saint Jean, every habit is 100 years old and every piece of furniture has had three lives. Childhood objects and antique knick-knacks are legion, enriched by the patina of the years. The cooker will be hot all year round. The vegetable garden will be picked daily. The table will be abundant and local. Such is the law of quality of life.

This state of mind is in close symbiosis with Kalani’s philosophy, guided in particular by the values of quality and authenticity. Kalani’s cotton sateen bed linen, in colours carefully chosen for each room, blends naturally with the comfort and refinement of each bedroom.

The R-Mitage Cabane in the woods is sure to inspire couples looking for instant greening.

The Belvedere, this authentic 18th century pavilion, with its tulip-shaped roof and wrought iron, should have belonged to Madame de Maintenon, but for the fact that the Pompadour was the first to reserve it. Destined for a couple of connoisseurs…

The Hunting Lodge is THE club for gentlemen hunters in the Condroz, escaped from the English countryside. An authentic club with trophies, wood panelling, a bar, ‘club’ ties, a games room, Mountbatten rooms, Scottish rooms, wild boar rooms, horse rooms and, more surprisingly, a star room or a Hogwarts room. You won’t want to miss a thing – it’s all there, beyond anything you’ve ever seen.

Malou’s Tiny House, the self-sufficient model of a model home, for a resourcing moment.

The Castle, which was once left to its own devices, has been given a new lease of life, prompting some of its tenants to say that they have awoken sweet memories of the warmth of their grandmother’s house, but with hot water. The billiards table that brings people together, the enchanting music room, the crackling logs in the fireplaces and the themed bedrooms, including the irreplaceable “room of a thousand pigs”, all wrapped in quality linen. Don’t we say “household linen” to affirm that it is quality by nature?

The Bookseller’s room, the Oratory will soon be joining those who love a unique atmosphere.

Contact details:

Address: Saint-Jean, Rue Tige de Strée 52-54, 4577 Strée lez Huy, Belgium
E-mail: info@domainedesaintjean.be
Phone nb.: +32 476 41 69 38
Website: www.domainedesaintjean.be
Bookings: https://www.domainedesaintjean.be/reserver
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• Domaine de Saint Jean
• R-Mitage Cabane

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