Le Château du Clair de Lune

History and romance mingle in this classical Biarritz garden.

02/25/2002
Le Château du Clair de Lune
The weekend before last found Denis and me in the Pays Basque, the Basque region of France that comprises the territory just north of Spain on the Atlantic coast. This area is reputedly is the warmest in all of France, and I had eagerly monitored temperatures in Biarritz during the week before we departed. They hovered around a lovely, sunny 70 degrees--until the day we departed, when they plummeted into the low 40's, with nothing but clouds and rain in the weekend forecast.

In spite of the lousy weather, we found ourselves staying in the midst of one of the regions loveliest gardens at the Château du Clair de Lune, an old family residence turned into an absolutely charming hotel. We drove down this lovely allée of mimosa (Acacia sp. trees to reach the hotel itself, which remains hidden from the road. The froth of their fluffy golden yellow blossoms and veil of honeyed fragrance brightened our mood in spite of the disappointing weather.

Mimosas, more than any other plant, symbolize the Mediterranean in the hearts of the French and tourists alike. These small to medium sized trees, with winter-persistent, blue- to gray-green foliage that is usually finely divided and ferny, bloom with enormous panicles of fragrant yellow flowers in January and February.

It is impossible not to adore this defier of winter. A member of the legume family, it has the ability to fix nitrogen and thus is a natural on poor soils. There are at least 16 species native to southern France; two native to South Africa which, unlike the Mediterranean trees, are deciduous; and one species that I know of (A. redolens) native to the southwestern U.S. This last is a low shrub that makes an excellent groundcover.

Mimosas vary widely according to species in their preference for alkaline or acidic soil and their cold-tolerance. But some are hardy to as cold as 14 degrees F. I'm going on and on about them because mimosas are extraordinary plants that are much underused in the parts of California and the southwest where they could thrive. In spite of their variable preferences for pH and different cold-tolerances, mimosas are united by a demand for dry, well drained soil and so are naturals for our arid regions or areas where water conservation is a concern.

But back to the Château du Clair de Lune, which translates to "chateau of the full moon." To Denis' and my delight, we found that it had a Franco-American history (as do we). In 1902, French Monsieur de Bonnand married American Miss Harrisson, and the couple chose this chateau in Biarritz as their home. To a classical garden already rich in mimosas, rhododendrons, and camellias, they added many American species apparently missed by the American wife.

That's why I found myself gazing up in wonder in the garden at giant American trees. The magnificent sweetgum (Liquidamber styraciflua) at right was in the company of a couple of gargantuan tulip poplars (Liriodendron tulipifera). In fact, it is these magnificent American trees that dominate the grounds, which are bordered with pine and mimosa and give to a view of the ocean.

Four spectacular, tree-sized camellias frame the entrance to the hotel. They were in full, glorious bloom when we arrived, in a range of pale to warm pinks and watermelon red. They were so tall that they could be seen through the stairwell windows from inside the hotel, and their fallen petals and blossoms drifted the drive around them, making them appear to float in a pool of color.

It's no wonder that when the American poet Alan Seeger, nephew of the de Bonnands, came here to recuperate from his war wounds suffered in defense of his beloved France, he wrote home to his mother that the setting was so idyllic he was sure to make a quick and strong recovery.

The garden has a classical arrangement, dominated by a long pool with fountains. There is an artful balance of interesting structures, including a wisteria arbor, many large pots and urns, benches, and textured paving materials, with a richness of plants.

And even the treatment of the plants offers exciting contrasts between neatly sculpted boxwood forms and the majestic natural cragginess of the giant deciduous trees that harbor wild primroses and erigerons among their roots. A symmetrical grouping of plane trees coppiced in the classic Basque style shows off their beautiful bark and sculptural forms in winter, only to erupt into a shady canopy welcomed by overheated strollers in summer.

The wisteria arbor, although a month away from blooming, was still beautiful with its carefully pruned, sinuous vines framing the view and enticing us under its arches.

Should you visit Biarritz, and want an elegant, charming hotel in a perfect garden setting, I encourage you to choose the Château du Clair de Lune for your home base while you explore the magical pays Basque, home to a fiercely proud people who speak an entirely distinct language of mysterious origin and to the gentle, verdant slopes of the Pyrenees.
For more information on this wonderful hotel and garden, or for reservations, visit their website at http://www.chateauduclairdelune.com. And P.S., one of the best restaurants in Biarritz is just a two minute stroll away: Campagne et Gourmandise, on the small street named after Alan Seeger, the American poet who, through his writings, made this magical place live in the hearts of many.
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