Set out in the countryside, about an hour from Calais and two and a half hours from Paris is the enigmatic La Chartreuse du Val St Esprit. A sprawling historic château filled with intrigue and history and the perfect break for a family stay in northern France.
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Location – La Chartreuse du Val St Esprit – a family stay in northern France
La Chartreuse is set outside of the small town of Gosnay and about a ten minute drive from Béthune.
This is a countryside retreat that feels like you’ve entered another era. With beautifully creaking floorboards and huge, heavy drapes to pull closed in the evening it oozes character.
Period furniture fills the rooms and the hallways are peppered with grandfather clocks and antique vases.
Sleeps
We stayed in one of the hotel’s family rooms which was a really large space.
In it was a comfortable double bed and three single beds for the children. We also had a table and four chairs, a seating area with chairs and small side table and a large television.
The bathroom was equally large with jacuzzi style bath and separate shower which could do with a little updating but nevertheless served us well.
There was a small fridge in the room but no tea or coffee making facilities.
La Chartreuse du Val St Esprit Food – one of the great places to stay in northern France
There is a lovely looking restaurant on site but we didn’t eat in during our stay.
We did have breakfast each morning which was a lovely spread of food. There was a small hot selection, some pastries, breads with jams and cheese.
We loved the freshly squeezed orange juice. It was really good quality food and perfect for what we needed.
Facilities
The grounds around the château are absolutely beautiful. You can walk down to a gorgeous pond and there are vegetable gardens to explore too.
Within the house there are also lounges to sit in and enjoy a drink.
The Spa at La Chartreuse du Val St Esprit
The spa at La Chartreuse du Val St Esprit is absolutely wonderful. I had one of their facials which was tailored to my skin.
I spent an hour being completely pampered and my skin felt amazing afterwards. The staff are fantastic at what they do and I felt in such good hands every step of the way.
There are also jacuzzis here to enjoy and a space to sit and relax for awhile.
What to do nearby
Béthune
We really fell in love with the sweet town of Béthune which is about a 10 minute drive away. There are some lovely shops and lots of great brasseries to enjoy too.
We loved the patisserie, Maison Baudry, where they cooked up fresh and hot waffles and also had ice creams to enjoy. The rhubarb tarts are also worth trying.
This is also a great place to head into the large Auchan to pick up supplies. We stocked up here on all our favourite things to take home too.
Berck
A little further away is the very sweet seaside town of Berck. An hour and a half drive this is the perfect place to enjoy the beautiful sandy beach.
There is a large colony of seals that live here too and are adorable to watch.
With ice creams (don’t miss the artisanal ice creams from Le Cornet d’Amour who have been making them since 1934), pizza and a sea ready to bathe in this is great in the summer.
Calais
Calais is around an hour away so ideal if you are catching a ferry.
We have listed all our favourite things to do in Calais and the Opal Coast here.
Paris
Paris is around two and a half hours away so definitely do-able as a day trip.
See our top things to do in Paris with kids here.
The best bits of staying at La Chartreuse du Val St Esprit – a family stay in northern France
La Chartreuse du Val St Esprit feels like stepping back in time and it’s a place to really relax. There’s something timeless about this hotel and you can enjoy the grounds and the beautiful hotel.
What we thought of our stay at La Chartreuse du Val St Esprit
We loved our time at La Chartreuse. It was the part of our family holiday to northern France which we really relaxed in.
With a wonderful breakfast, a spa which is such a retreat and grounds to savour it’s a great place to come and spend some time in the countryside.
Find out more and book
Read more posts on this area:
The best family holidays in northern France
A family holiday to the Opal Coast
