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French Connection

Text by Jackie Caradonio | Photos by Guillaume Megavand
Master the art de vivre in France’s storied southwest countryside.

Deep in the heart of the bucolic Charente region‭, ‬rolling hillsides give way to a one-of-a-kind chateau‭: ‬Domaine des Etangs‭. ‬The‭ ‬grand estate has stood for more than seven centuries‭, ‬since the knights of Chasteignier de la Roche-Posay built its fortified walls‭. ‬But for Garance Primat‭, ‬it is a storybook castle where southwest France’s many treasures—art‭, ‬craft‭, ‬nature‭, ‬cuisine—converge‭. ‬

Primat‭, ‬a French entrepreneur and prolific art collector‭, ‬grew up on Domaine des Etangs’ vast grounds‭, ‬and as a child‭, ‬she and her seven siblings roamed its 2,500‭ ‬acres‭, ‬tending to the vegetables in the gardens‭, ‬feeding the animals on the farm‭, ‬and exploring the old castle‭, ‬barns‭, ‬and cottages‭. 

"I grew up very close to the earth—close to nature‭, ‬close to farmers‭, ‬close to craftsmen‭. Those are the values of the domaine‭.‬"
—Garance Primat‭

Domaine des Etangs' stone turrets and fortified walls were erected in the 13th century, and today sit among 2,500 protected acres filled with lakes, forests, meadows, and farmland. The region’s legendary farms, workshops, and Cognac estates are all nearby.

Tomás Saraceno’s "Cloud Cities: du sol au soleil".

Irina Rasquinet’s "Mère Veilleuse".

Domaine des Etangs' Limousin cattle.

Today‭, ‬Domaine des Etangs‭, ‬Auberge Resorts Collection‭, ‬invites all who pass through its massive stone doors to experience the quintessential French simplicity of Primat’s upbringing—La France Profonde‭, ‬as locals call it‭, ‬an authentic and unspoiled France of artisans and makers‭, ‬shepherds and farmers‭.‬‭ ‬

With Domaine claiming pride of place in the center of this region’s abundant treasures‭, ‬every day promises a new journey‭. ‬An hour west lie the generational estates of Cognac‭, ‬where the commune’s namesake spirit has been artfully blended since the 1500s‭. ‬Due east‭, ‬among Limousin’s grazing farmlands‭, ‬sit the workshops of Agnelle—purveyer of fine gloves to luxury fashion houses the world over—and‭, ‬just beyond‭, ‬the celebrated porcelain maker Bernardaud‭. ‬Travel south for a gastronomic discovery in Brive-la-Gaillarde‭, ‬where local purveyors convene to peddle delicacies like foie gras and Black Périgord truffle‭, ‬pur brebis and Roquefort‭. ‬And a day filled with art lies just outside‭ (‬and even within‭) ‬the walls of Domaine des Etangs‭: ‬Tomás Saraceno’s cloud sculptures hovering over a tranquil lake‭, ‬Vincent Fournier’s utopic botanicals in the hotel’s lobby‭. ‬

Whatever the path taken‭, ‬it leads to new inspirations‭, ‬new flavors‭, ‬and new connections to the age-old traditions of‭ ‬La France Profonde‭ ‬and the values of Primat’s beloved domaine‭. ‬

Art, Art, Everywhere

Primat transformed Domaine des Etangs’ dairy house into a formal gallery space where she regularly curates exhibitions, but world-class art can be found throughout the property—even in the rooms and among the bucolic grounds.

Caroline Corbasson’s Touch (Deep field), exhibited in the Salon Femmes.
"To me, art is like nature. IIt has its own universal language. You don’t have to speak much; you just have to feel it."
—Garance Primat‭

Wang Keping’s "La Vénus de l’Etangs".

Johan Creten’s "Gloire - China Dragon".

Vincent Fournier’s "Bestiary Post Natural History".

Domaine des Etangs' potager supplies much of the produce for dishes like the floral mixed salad.
Marché de Brive

Taste of Tradition

The flavors of southwest France are wildly diverse, mouth-wateringly fresh, and, above all else, always delicious. The countryside’s Limousin lean beef is legendary, its produce magical. And then there’s the French staples: tangy Saint-Nectaire and creamy Bleu des Causses cheeses and flaky croissants by the dozen. 

Scenes from the Brive Market, where purveyors—and devotees—of the region’s gourmet delights convene under the Georges-Brassens Hall.

Blossoming Swiss chard in the Domaine des Etangs garden.

Spirit of the Past

Whiskey’s smoother, softer, subtler cousin was born in the 16th century, devised by Dutch colonists whose French wine soured on the long journeys back to their homeland. Though their distillation process left much to be desired, Cognac locals refined the spirit, barrel-aging it and elevating its characteristics as only the French could do. Today, the brandy’s birthplace is a worthy pligrimage for any spirit drinker. Maison Martell, the oldest of the great Cognac houses, embodies the tipple’s venerable past, as well as its modern evolution, with a Renaissance lounge, a sleek tasting room, and centuries-old vines. 

Maison Martell’s 300-year-old estate.
Maison Martell’s heritage vineyards.

Making a Fleur de Madagascar cocktail at Domaine des Etangs.

The modern cellar at Maison Martell.

Ugni Blanc grapes.

The historic Château de Chanteloup at Maison Martell.

Trade Secrets

A visit to Limousin reveals the inner workings of two of France’s time-honored ateliers. In the medieval town of Saint-Junien, Agnelle has been a fashion house darling for nearly a century, hand-crafting gloves for the likes of Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. A visit to the circa-1937 workshop offers a glimpse of the atelier’s careful process using the finest Limousin leather—and a chance to make a coveted purchase straight from the source. Thirty minutes east of Saint-Junien lies Limoges, the birthplace of Bernardaud, the heritage ceramics maison with a 161-year legacy. The house has crafted porcelain for French nobility, Indian royalty, and contemporary icons such as artist Jeff Koons and winemaker Robert Mondavi.

Bernardaud porcelain is cast the traditional way, using a liquid paste called slip.

Agnelle’s meticulous glove-making process has remained unchanged for more than 85 years.