Inspiration: An interview with Klaus Bentin & Soren Rasmussen

Owners of Château du Gué aux Biches

There’s plenty to love about Normandy. The region charms with spectacular cliffs, pretty fishing villages, and pastures dotted with apple orchards and half-timbered farmhouses. Its visual splendor, however, is not the only reason people keep coming back. Normandy is home to beautiful produce, landmarks such as Mont Saint-Michel and has even attracted artists and writers like Claude Monet and Alexandre Dumas.
In the following interview, we meet Klaus Bentin and Soren Rasmussen, who fell for the charms of Normandy and have made it — and the extraordinary Château du Gué aux Biches in Orne — their home.

If you’re looking for a perfect place to escape to or dream about owning a castle in France, Klaus and Soren’s story will definitely inspire you.

Where are you originally from and what were you doing before you decided to purchase the château?

We are both originally from Denmark. Klaus was born and raised in Copenhagen, and Soren was born and raised on Funen, where the well-known fairy tale author H C Andersen also comes from. We both had good jobs before we moved to France. Klaus worked as head of stock trading in a pension fund, and Soren was a politician and sat as mayor of Lyngby – Taarbæk, where we lived together for 19 years before we moved to France. We are people who pursue our dreams because life is a huge gift that should be lived and enjoyed.  

Tell us about Château du Gué aux Biches’ incredibly rich history?

Château du Gué aux Biches is located on a small hill just outside Bagnoles de l`Orne, surrounded by the national park and Des Andaines forest. The ground encompasses a 13-hectare private park. There has been a château here for a very long time, but the oldest section is from when Albert Christophle, who was minister in France for public works, bought it in 1868 as a hunting lodge. Like us, he fell in love with the area and chose to move here from Paris. He founded Bagnoles de l`Orne, creating thermal baths, a lake, gaming casino and a Belle Époque quarter to entice Parisians to build holiday homes they could escape to for fresh air and natural surroundings.

The resulting Bagnoles de l'Orne became the place where Europe’s jet set and royalty came in the early 1900s. The well-preserved town is bursting with restaurants and boutique shops. Château du Gué aux Biches got its current look in 1908 when Albert’s son George Christophle added a large extension, so that we now have 1,200 square meters to share with our guests. Albert Christophle’s development of Bagnoles also meant that many famous people have visited, and we are happy to help protect this rich cultural heritage. We have renovated the property in keeping with the original features and furnished it with pieces from the 1900s. There are three superior rooms and two large suites with a private balcony overlooking the park and the forest. All rooms are ensuite and individually furnished so that they give the experience of visiting a home, and not a hotel. It is our home, and we try to give our guests the feeling of stepping back in time, and encourage them to relax and enjoy the peace and nature.  

I understand the château has hosted the likes of Alexandre Dumas?

Yes, both the author Alexandre Dumas and Paul Feval have been guests at Château du Gué aux Biches, and it is particularly special to know that they have enjoyed the property as we do today; for example, sitting at the very dinner table we use for guests’ breakfasts. Whether some of his great works were inspired by the town, we cannot be certain, but tales of knights are an important part of Bagnoles’ history as the town’s thermal source was discovered by knights journeying through the area.

You purchased the château in 2017. Why did you specifically decide on Normandy?

We spent three years finding the right place and looked at many châteaux all over France. We consciously chose not to impose a lot of restrictions, as you learn a lot from seeing different places, and this made us find out what was important to us and which qualities we valued for our new life in France. On these trips, we discovered that Normandy and specifically the Orne departement have a lot to offer in terms of experiences, nature and quality of life. At the same time, it is within easy reach of Paris if city life tempts you for a weekend. Normandy has good accessibility to fast trains and connections with the rest of Europe. There is a relaxed atmosphere in Normandy, with a focus on quality of life, good food and drink, intriguing attractions and history. 

How well did you know the region before the move?

We didn't know much about the region before, beyond Mont Saint-Michel, Omaha Beach, Rouen and Le Mans. It was a great and pleasant surprise when we started exploring and visiting local châteaux. We don't think we will ever finish discovering new sides of the region and are delighted every day by the kindness and helpfulness of locals.

How did you go about finding the property, and was it difficult?

It was not us who found Château du Gué aux Biches, but rather the château that found us. We worked with two French real estate agents to find the right property, and one kept mentioning Château du Gué aux Biches. We declined to view it several times because the pictures online were so bad it didn’t seem like something we would be interested in. Eventually, we visited a property in Mayenne and popped into Château du Gué aux Biches on the way simply to make the estate agent happy. When we arrived in Bagnoles de l`Orne we couldn't find Château du Gué aux Biches, but noticed a wonderful building on the hill just outside the town. It turned out this was, in fact, Château du Gué aux Biches! When we finally arrived, we fell in love with the south-facing veranda, the floor plan and interior design, as well as good proportions of the rooms and lots of original features. We tried to hide our excitement so that we could negotiate price with the agent. We spent six months negotiating with the previous owner before finally becoming the owners on October 7th 2017.   

Tell us about the property and what attracted you to it?

We learned a lot by seeing several châteaux before we chose the one. At the beginning, we were very impressed by all the large rooms and surrounding pomp, but it is also important to think about what you want to do with the place, if you are going to live there. It is important to consider times when there are no guests, and it must function as a home for two. Château du Gué aux Biches works equally well when there are just two of us but also when it is fully booked with ten people, or when there are 24 people for a conference or dinner. The location close to Bagnoles de l`Orne is important as it enables guests to enjoy the many restaurants and make use of the town, thermal baths and casino. We appreciate that we are only 1.5 km from Bagnoles but cannot see a single house and are surrounded by forest and abundant wildlife.

Can you tell us a little about the renovations you made? 

There is not a square meter inside that we have not renovated so that it works for us and our guests. All electrical installations have been changed, windows have been renovated and painted, all walls and ceilings were cleaned down to the raw plaster to be wallpapered and painted again. We have established bathrooms for all rooms and suites with the modern facilities expected today. All floors have been sanded and renovated, and we have renovated the hunting room where many grand dinners have been held over the years. Now we are in the process of installing a new heating system that is modern and environmentally friendly, so that it is always warm when we are open year-round. We have renovated part of the facade and painted it, but there is still a part to be painted. We have now also thrown ourselves into preserving the park and ensuring easy, year-round maintenance, without an army of helpers. One thing is certain, as the owner of a château, you never have idle hands, but we enjoy ensuring the property can live on and tell its part of French history, and create a good framework for our lives and welcome guests.  

How long did it take to get your business up and running?

We bought Château du Gué aux Biches in 2017 but could not anticipate that Covid would hit us like it did. We therefore decided at the beginning of 2020 that if we were to be in lockdown, it might as well be at a château in France so that we could renovate and get ready to open after Covid. We spent a year renovating the Chambres d`hôtes (B&B) part so that we could open to guests on July 1st 2021, when the last restrictions in France disappeared. The first half of the year was hard, but 2022 has been really good and 2023 looks more so. Our goal is not to have all rooms and suites booked 365 days a year, but to offer guests a break away from everyday life, where we help our guests get the stay they want and where we have time to be around for our guests. In addition to the direct bookings on www.chateaudugueauxbiches.fr , we are also on Gite de France, Bienvenue au Chateau and Booking.com. We are well on our way to achieving our goals.

What were the biggest challenges?

Renovating a château and opening a new business always presents challenges, but we thrive on this as it makes you think differently. Covid was probably the worst challenge as we couldn’t do anything about it. Finding a way through the French system in relation to having a new and green heating system has been a huge task that has taken over a year, but finally the work started on February 1st 2023. It is important to constantly focus on our goals during the renovation, as the scale of work required is enormous. We have used French craftsmen for new electricity, plumbing for bathrooms, and heating, but have done everything else ourselves with help of family and friends; so that the finished result was as we wanted it. Having just two people for all tasks can present challenges, but is also an opportunity to focus on what is most important. 

You offer three guest rooms, two suites and a gîte, each with an interesting name. Tell us about these accommodations and how they are decorated?

All our rooms and suites are decorated differently and with different colors to reflect the people they are named after. We have new and very comfortable beds and modern bathrooms, but other furniture has been selected to suit the Château du Gué aux Biches’ last major renovation in 1908. The well-known authors Alexandre Dumas and Paul Feval were both guests at Gue Aux Biches throughout their life, and we have therefore named a suite and a superior room after them. Albert Christophle, who bought Gue aux Biches and developed Bagnoles de l`Orne, has also had a suite named after him. Marie Laurencin is after the French artist who often visited Bagnoles, like us, she fell for the nature and beauty of Bagnoles and wrote many letters about how lovely it is here. Sophie Herminde is named after a woman from Bagnoles who married a noble, but the husband died shortly after they were married. She lived a good and exciting life, broke many boundaries and was an eccentric citizen of Bagnoles who pursued her dreams like us. Our gîte, Maison Ines, is named after the last resident; it is the former gardener’s residence, and we are putting the finishing touches on the renovation, which will open later in 2023. We would very much like to link history to the present, so that our guests get an insight into the past and can choose a room/suite based on the decor or the person they are named after.

What special amenities/services do you offer guests at Château du Gué aux Biches, and how do you make the experience unique?

There are several things we do to make a stay with us special. We put the needs of guests first. We want this to be a place where they relax and enjoy their time with us: some want peace and quiet, others want to go and experience the area, so we try to help all guests get the stay they want. For example, we arrange for guests to have a massage in their room or book a treatment at the thermal baths. We can also help our guests visit the local casino or get into one of the two local Michelin star restaurants. As we are located right next to the forest and the national park, we have a unique wildlife with red deer and wild boar that visit the park to the delight of guests. We have six bicycles our guests can borrow for free, so they can get out and experience nature and feel the wind in their hair. We only use local quality products for breakfast. There are Molton Brown products in all rooms. In relation to bed linen, towels and dressing gowns, we use Royal Court supplier Georg Jensen Damask so we spoil our guests with the best.

Tell us about Bagnoles-de-l’Orne where the château is located?

Bagnoles de l’Orne is one of several notable towns in Orne in Normandy, a spa town whose waters are said to cure rheumatism – there are several spas and treatment centers where today’s visitors can take the waters. It also boasts a fabulous array of small boutiques, cafés and delicatessen as well as a beautiful lake which you can walk or cycle around. The château is located in the Belle Époque quarter of the town with magnificent period houses and striking architecture, and it’s possible to take guided walking tours to learn more about the famous houses and people who lived here. Visitors today can enjoy cycling and walking trails through the surrounding Andaines Forest, there are many cycling greenways that are closed to all motorized vehicles, and Bagnoles is on the Veloscenic cycling route which extends all the way from Paris to Mont Saint-Michel. In the autumn, guests can forage for mushrooms and enjoy their own finds at the local Michelin-starred restaurant on the outside of town.  

What do you enjoy most about living there?

There are many things that make this a special place to live. Nature invites so many experiences on foot or by bike, with a good network of hiking trails. If we want to dip into the big city, Paris is just two hours away. Having many local food producers ensures the best culinary experiences. The locals are charming even if you don’t speak French. There is a simple, daily joy of living here and being custodians of the house and its history and sharing it with others.

What are some must-sees for people visiting the region?

Orne is home of the native Percheron draft horse; and the ravishing equestrian stud farm at Haras du Pin is a great day out for all the family; built for Louis Quatorze, there are guided tours of the grounds, stables, blacksmith’s and tack rooms, and weekly equestrian displays in the Colbert courtyard of Percheron and other breeds, with accompanying period music. The riverside hamlet of St Céneri-le-Gérei is designated as one of the plus beaux villages de France and was long-since a place of pilgrimage for artists. There are several cafés and museums and a picturesque church as well as award-winning gardens. No visit is complete without a taste of the local delicacy, black pudding (boudin noir), which is widely sold by butchers and in restaurants. The market town of Mortagne-au-Perche is one of the best places to sample boudin, and each March holds a dedicated festival to crown the best black pudding-maker from across the globe. Camembert cheese is another indigene of Orne which was first created in 1791 by Marie Harel, a local farmer who sheltered a priest from Brie in exchange for the recipe. The village where the cheese was first created is now called Camembert, and today’s visitors can still see the cheese being made by hand. There is a local museum charting the rise of AOC Camembert to its prestigious status of being one of the world's best-loved cheeses.

What advice would you give to people thinking of buying a château in France?

You must follow your dreams and take the plunge if you dream of living in a château in France. Go for it. It takes hard work to renovate a château, but at the same time, it is also very rewarding when you finish a task. Buying requires courage and the will to think big. You must be able to handle challenges, but also many joys. Being able to speak and understand some French is important. The joy of finishing the renovation and being able to welcome guests makes all the challenges disappear.

With thanks to Klaus Bentin and Soren Rasmussen: chateaudugueauxbiches.fr

For more information about Orne, please visit: www.ornetourisme.com