A French Hotel Brings 19th-Century Charm to a Luxurious Vineyard Getaway

A 19th century hotel has been redesigned as COMO Le Montrachet, a luxurious getaway in Puligny-Montrachet, France, within the region of Côte d’Or, mere steps away from several Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy.

Paola Navone, founder of Otto Studio and one of Italy’s most famous designers, helmed the interior design. She weaved the location’s history through each piece of COMO Le Montrachet’s complex: La Residence and Villa Christine, which hold 31 rooms, the gourmet Le Montrachet Restaurant and its outdoor pavilion, and the main building and its common areas. Enlisting Paola continues a long term collaboration with COMO. She had already put her touch on COMO resorts from Tuscany to Thailand.

View of the hotel and restaurant facade

The DNA from the former Hotel Le Montrachet, neighboring town square, and miles of award-winning vineyards are all preserved in COMO Le Montrachet. This influence is most apparent in the generous use of Toile de Jouy fabric, common in 18th-century French estates, which spreads from wallpaper to textile as it camouflages headboards, lamp shades, chairs, and curtains. The print is broken up with deep turquoise, white, and gray, but every room is unique. Some may find themselves awash in toile, others may find it sprinkled throughout the furniture.

The turquoise theme travels to the tile in the en suite bathroom. The roomy washrooms have hanging lamps in a rustic style that reminds you that France was an early pioneer of electricity. The ceramic sinks sit atop the counters and gray trims accent the faucets and wide mirror.

Another historical nod comes through the materials and finishings. Guests will see silver accents in drawer handles, table legs, and even the restaurant’s long bar counter. They are zinc, which was used to construct rooftops across Puligny-Montrachet. Complementing this is enameled terra-cotta, found in the flooring and vases, which echoes the colorful, zigzagging tiles decorating the town hall across the street.

One of the most breathtaking spaces is the restaurant, which continues the toile motif in its floor-to-ceiling curtains, but the color scheme switches to black and white. Deep set wicker chairs are topped with toile pillows and staged around slate tables. Enormous globe fixtures over six feet in diameter make it feel like you’re dining in the moonlight. One wall is entirely covered with willow tree branches, snapped, stacked, and woven together in a tribute to the wrap-around baskets Burgundy vineyards use to harvest grapes.

In common areas, Le Montrachet’s architecture has been preserved. The lobby has low, exposed beams painted gray to blend into the walls. The stone floor was likely hewn from the region’s soil, which abounds with stone and clay.

With Paola’s historical touches, a stay at COMO Le Montrachet transports you to the era of French aristocracy. Raise a glass of Chardonnay and savor the tradition.

comohotels.com