If you’re looking for the Chateau Marmont of France, or the Chelsea Hotel for 19th-century Impressionist painters, you’ll find them in Normandy at the 400-year-old Ferme Saint-Siméon.
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Honfleur is a small port town on the Normandy coast where the Seine meets the English Channel. In the mid-19th century, enamored by its “divine” light and natural beauty, dozens of French artists gathered there. Courbet, Corot, Daubigny, Dubourg, Isabey, Jongkind — they followed Eugène Boudin, master of skies and father of Impressionism. He brought along his protégé, Claude Monet.
They all stayed at the Ferme Saint-Siméon. Nestled in the hills above Honfleur, it offered panoramic views over the Seine estuary, the sea, and the old town. The artists watched the tides and the sunsets and the ocean breeze — landscapes of perpetual transformation that inspired one of the most important currents in the history of art. Here, Monet pioneered “en plein air” painting, an innovative technique that broke away from classical studio painting and became inseparable from the Impressionist movement. Expecting to spend only a few days, he stayed for a year. “Every day I discover more and more beautiful things. It’s enough to drive one mad,” Monet wrote to one of his friends.
The artists were pampered by the hostess at Ferme Saint-Siméon, Mère Toutain, who turned her inn into a haven for painters and poets like Baudelaire. “The painters would have a hearty lunch, then head off to Honfleur or Trouville to paint, and in the evenings they’d get together over a glass of cider or calvados to discuss their work and techniques,” recounts Mickael Monti, operations manager at Ferme Saint-Siméon. Some even painted on the furniture.
Those who didn’t have the money to stay at the inn paid Mère Toutain with their paintings. Encouraged in their art in this way, the first Impressionists produced an extraordinary number of works, which today are shared by the world’s greatest museums. Claude Monet, for example, produced A Cart on the Snowy Road at Honfleur, depicting snowfall covering the thatched cottage of the former inn. This building now houses the Ferme Saint-Siméon restaurant. “It’s like having lunch in a Monet painting,” smiles Mickael Monti.
Two hundred years later, Mother Toutain is gone, but the rest has not changed. The original buildings, luxuriously renovated under the Relais & Châteaux banner, have been preserved. “We’re a luxury hotel, but there’s no gilding or anything ostentatious. We’ve kept the exposed beams, the period fireplaces. Guests can read a book by the fire in the spirit of a Norman manor.”
Guests can even sleep in the former bedrooms of artists such as Corot, who set up his studio here, and Monet. “He was crazy about it. It’s a walk-through room bathed in light,” says the Operations Manager. A light that has remained unchanged over the centuries. From its promontory, La Ferme Saint-Siméon continues to captivate visitors. “I’ve never seen the same landscape twice,” marvels Mickael Monti.
Scroll down for a full FAQ about La Ferme Saint-Simeon.
Nuts & Bolts
A bite-sized breakdown of your most frequently asked questions about La Ferme Saint-Siméon.
Who comes here?
Lovers of art, history, gastronomy, and quiet luxury. The hotel is also regularly visited by art patrons, gallery owners, descendants of famous painters, and celebrities such as singers, actors, producers…
When’s the best time to visit?
Each season brings its own unique light and atmosphere: warmth in summer, flamboyant colors in autumn, tranquility in winter and softness in spring.
What else is there to do in the area?
More than enough. Painting lessons with a local artist, horse-drawn carriage rides through the picturesque streets of historic Honfleur, walks on the beach or horse racing and golf for the sporty types. Deauville, with its famous promenade is just 20 minutes away. You can also discover the listed villages of the Pays d’Auge, with their half-timbered houses and flower-filled gardens, as well as the distilleries producing the region’s specialties, Cidre and Calvados. An hour and a half drive away is Giverny, home to Claude Monet’s house and gardens, where the painter created his famous Water Lilies. Just under one hour away are the majestic cliffs of Étretat, and just over one hour away are the D-Day beaches and the historic city of Rouen, with its hundred steeples.
Best room for a solo traveler? A couple? A family?
Ideal for a single traveler, room 22 is Claude Monet’s former bedroom. It offers a breathtaking view of the gardens and the Seine estuary. It’s the perfect place for inspiration and contemplation. Suite 54, perfect for a couple, features a hammam, Jacuzzi, and sea view. The “Ciels de Seine” suite is ideal for families. The communicating version combines large spaces, fireplaces, hammam, and dining table.
What’s a design feature I would miss if you didn’t tell me about it?
In the gourmet restaurant, a solid wood table, marked by time and the elements, takes pride of place. Salvaged from the beaches of Arromanches, it was used during the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, to unload American ships. The Boucane, or “that old cottage” in Norman dialect, is a 17th-century outbuilding that served as a model for Monet and the Impressionists. Today, it houses the Ferme Saint Siméon bistro, serving simple, tasty Normandy cuisine.
Anything to say about sustainability, equality, and community?
Ferme Saint-Siméon has its own permaculture vegetable garden, which supplies vegetables, herbs and flowers to the restaurant kitchens. It was created in 2020, on the same site where Mother Toutain’s garden once stood. The hotel, which also has beehives and an orchard, produces its own honey, walnut oil, and apple juice. Other cooked products are sourced from Honfleur and local producers. The hotel also supports local sports, cultural, and social associations every year.
Are there some standout amenities you’d recommend?
20 of the 35 rooms are equipped with a private hammam. In addition, a spa with sauna, hammam, and whirlpool will soon open in the heart of the permaculture vegetable garden at Ferme Saint Siméon.
Without further ado, what’s there to eat?
Vallée d’Auge-style free-range poultry, served at La Boucane, is a specialty inherited from the Toutain family who occupied the farm between 1825 and 1870. It’s a dish that embodies the authenticity and culinary tradition of Normandy. The gastronomic restaurant Les Impressionnistes, meanwhile, offers a cuisine combining land and sea, with pigeon bière as its signature dish, served according to the season.
Tell me about Tablet Plus?
At the time of publishing, La Ferme Saint Siméon offers Tablet Plus member privileges, including a room upgrade at check-in (upon availability), complimentary champagne on arrival, a lovely welcome treat in your room, and Calvados tasting at Les Impressionnistes.
The final word?
Some hotels try too hard to sell their historical charm, but La Ferme Saint-Siméon doesn’t need to. With 400 years of history and a legacy of famous painters as guests, it speaks for itself. To mark the 200th anniversary of its life as a hotel, 40 Impressionist paintings will be exhibited throughout the grounds, and the hotel will host a residency for artists.
Book La Ferme Saint-Siméon on Tablet Hotels.