Those who don’t live in Paris (but dream of it) often have little empathy when expats whine about needing to get out of the city. Skipping town for a day or even a weekend becomes a pressing need for me in a few key contexts: a particularly stressful stretch of time, related to any variety of factors – professional, bureaucratic, interpersonal; the realization that I can no longer remember how much time has passed since the last time I felt close to nature (usually triggered by an annual spike in pollution levels); or some form of discomfiting change.

The photo above, of Les Etangs (ponds) du Corot in Ville d’Avray, was taken mid-August on one such getaway precipitated by the loss of our sweet cat. From the moment we learned she was ill in the beginning of the year, we knew it would be challenging to commit to any concrete travel plans. When I went to New York in June, my husband stayed in Paris. When he took a week to rock climb, I stayed with her. And that went on for seven months, right up to the end. That we lost her two days before our wedding anniversary cast a particularly dismal cloud on the occasion but what exacerbated the ache was staying in our apartment and going through the rote motions of everyday life in the city. All we could feel, see or hear was her absence.

Ville d’Avray isn’t the most remote getaway; it is only a 15 minute ride from the west side of Paris and about 8km from Versailles. But with such a bucolic landscape, it was just far enough from the urban din to provide the distance we needed to begin processing our loss. We had delayed doing much of anything for ourselves for so long that the idea of a quiet, restful weekend without responsibility felt like the right salve.

Home for the weekend was Hotel Les Etangs du Corot, the charming crown jewel of Ville d’Avray with 43 rooms, a Caudalie Vinotherapie spa, leafy gardens and three lovely restaurants, one of which was awarded a Michelin star in 2014. Gracing the halls are photographs and paintings that serve as reminders of the town’s historic draw for impressionist painters and literary figures of the 19th century, particularly for Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot whose work captured nature with, as Baudelaire expressed, “as much intelligence as love”.

We walked along Les Etangs, a protected historical monument, and watched transfixed as sudden rain showers cast ripples in the water where a paddling of ducks, unfazed by the downpour, continued to chase after one another. They slipped beneath the water with great ease, only to bob to the surface seconds later to shake off the rain in one swift motion. The droplets cascaded off their feathers while they left us chilled. We hurried back inside to warm up even more aware of how cozy the hotel would be during the winter months.

We slept in late, ate and drank with vigor and talked about positive things: my book, home projects and travel plans for 2016. We were breathing again. And laughing, and planning and reminiscing in a way that didn’t leave us feeling quite as raw.

A special place, even one so close to home, can do tremendous good. For us, Les Etangs du Corot will indelibly be attached to the start of our healing.

Les Etangs du Corot 
55 rue de Versailles
92410 Ville-d’Avray 

At only 15 minutes from Paris and less than 10 minutes from Versailles, it’s a great place to stay or enjoy a meal if you’re planning on visiting the Château or looking for a day trip outside of the city. 

See more photos from Les Etangs du Corot HERE.