This is the second time we have stayed at the Corniche de Rollebois. The first time was 5 years ago when the hotel was a 'Best Western' and looking quite run down. At that time the restaurant was as good as it was this visit and showed the place had great potential. That was part of the reason we returned.
This time the hotel is under new onership and has been fully renovated and redecorated to rise up to the level of the fabulous restaurant. The Corniche has become a very special place. The room we had was decorated in a deep purple with a huge, very comfortable bed and a fabulous river view. We slept with the curtains open to see the view through the picture windows. The entire hotel feels good, with purple walls everywhere and impressive artwork.
But its the restaurant that is still the star of the Corniche. A spacious salon with panoramic windows of the view over the River Seine. The walls are hung with original art from comic books; ' Bandes Designee' in France. this gives it a youthfull and funky feel. In the bar the pictures, all genuine, depict the jazz age and give an appropriate 'art deco' feel to the room. The service is discreet, competant and you never feel rushed. Because of the size of the room there's no overspill of conversation from the neighbouring tables.
The food is also excellent, from a small but very well chosen menu. On this trip we thought it the best meal of the three days (we were there to see London Irish Rugby play Racing Metro in the Heineken cup just down the road at Colombes). The wine list was well chosen with popular names from all French Regions. Anyone would find something to their taste and could order with confidence. But it was where the wine buyer had gone a little off piste that impressed us. One page was devoted to discovering the wines of the Languedoc. Coincidentally one of the wines was from the town of Rieux Minervois, where my wife's sister has just bought a house. The wine was called 'Septombres' (Seven Shadows) and made from syrah grapes. Excellent with both my fillet steak and with Angela's fish dish it stands up to any Northern Rhone, Croze Hermitage. A taster for when we visit their place.
For breakfast, again in the panoramic restaurant we had to do without the views, due to the solid wall of mist from the river, but the breakfast was excellent and relaxed. The service was excellent here too.
So, all in all a great stay in a place that makes you feel welcomed, well fed and well looked after.
- Domaine De La Corniche Rolleboise
