Le Rossignol

What could be better than a coming together of French savoir-vivre, Swiss conviviality and Baden hospitality? The listed Le Rossignol estate situated in the heart of the border triangle is the ultimate epitome of this lifestyle. Entering the cobblestone courtyard with its Mediterranean plants, surrounded by a barn, a coach house and two winegrower’s cottages, you’ll immediately feel this wonderful sense of lightness. As the day draws to a close by the fireplace, you’ll find yourself transported back to the eventful history of the 18th century farm, which was once a cooper’s workshop for wine barrels and a distillery. Today, five apartments and three guest houses are located behind the historic walls in the winegrowing village of Blansingen. With their own personal flair, they are characterized by natural materials and harmonious colors in a modern scandi design. Elements of steel, exposed concrete and oak wood marry with quarry stone walls to emphasize the contrast between old and new. Especially in the summer months, when guests and hosts get together for an aperitif with local specialties and organic wine, you’ll feel like you’ve been whisked away to Provence. An atmospheric place with a lot of soul, the apartments and guest houses are the perfect combination of history and zeitgeist.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• How the original appearance of the farm has been largely preserved—from the quarry stone walls of the barn to the modern slatted construction of the coach house, a contemporary take on the original wooden façade. The magnificent renovation has already won the Hugo Häring Architecture Prize!
• The many charming details that make this place even more special: Historic tiles and tiled stoves, old cooper tools and household items as decorative elements
• The beautiful ceramics, the cast-iron teapots and the matt-brushed black cutlery
• The picturesque inner courtyard ‘Le Patio’ with Rhine pebbles laid in sand and holm oak—a popular spot with a Mediterranean vibe
• All the places for cozy get-togethers: The ‘Petit Salon’ with library, the cooking workshop, the honesty bar ‘La Cave’ in the wine vault with long table, the communal kitchen and of course the picturesque inner courtyard 
• The pretty village store ‘Le Petit’, which sells regional products from small manufacturers. Another great place is the egg stall in the village center, stocked with free-range eggs from ‘Müller’s mobile girls’.
• The Mediterranean garden, created by landscape architect Jean-Jacques Derboux from Montpellier
• The view from Blansingen over the Rhine plain—from the foothills of the Black Forest to the Vosges mountains and the Roche Towers in Basel

GOOD TO KNOW:

• Five apartments for one to three people and three houses for one to six people belong to the estate. All of them have a kitchen and a private outdoor area.
• Children are very welcome on the estate.
• On the sun deck, there’s an outdoor infinity pool with sun loungers, parasols and lounge chairs for all-day sunbathing. A really great touch: The woven bathing bags with leather handles for guests!
• Framed by listed quarry walls, there’s a fireplace and an outdoor barbecue for cozy evenings.
• In addition to the regular aperitifs, pop-up cooking events with regional chefs take place.
• Sustainability is a way of life here: An environmentally friendly pellet heating system provides heat, the green electricity comes from renewable sources, historic furniture has been restored and metal, raw steel and high-quality wood have been used instead of plastic.
• The border triangle is known for its lovely landscapes, vineyards and wine-growing villages and for the fact that the temperature is often a few degrees higher than in the rest of the country.
• How beautiful it is to head out in all directions here: For walks through the vineyards, hiking and biking tours or canoe trips on the Old Rhine.
• There are so many attractions nearby: Art Basel, the Vitra Design Museum, Fondation Beyeler, Notre-Dame du Haut de Ronchamp chapel or the Merian Gardens—the iris collection is a small botanical wonder!
• An e-charging facility for e-cars and e-bikes is available.

Photo credits: Christine Bauer, Falk von Traubenberg, Hansjakob Roser