La Vieille Cheminée, a farm stay in Chamarel
La Vieille Cheminée in Chamarel is a working farm with nine private lodges, suited to visitors who want their own space and walks on the property rather than a conventional hotel stay. Each lodge has a private garden, parking, fireplace and barbecue. The key practical detail is food: breakfast and prepared meals require 24 hours’ advance ordering, so arrange your first dinner and breakfast before arrival.
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What kind of stay to expect
The accommodation is spread across nine private lodges on a working farm. A garden and barbecue give you space to spend part of the day at your lodge, while the walking trails offer a reason to leave time free between trips around Chamarel. This is a different proposition from choosing accommodation mainly for a hotel restaurant.
Choose it if you are happy to organise meals ahead and value time on the property. If your preferred holiday involves deciding where to eat only when you become hungry, the advance-order arrangement needs a little adjustment. The farm setting does not mean an organised activity programme is automatically part of your booking.
Order dinner and breakfast before you arrive
La Vieille Cheminée requires 24 hours’ notice for both meals and breakfast. Treat these as two separate decisions when planning arrival. Ordering dinner does not also arrange the following morning’s breakfast, and waiting until check-in may leave too little notice for either.
With direct bookings, breakfast is prepared on the farm and brought to the lodge when ordered ahead. Farm-sourced meals can also be pre-ordered daily. A useful approach is to settle the first evening and morning before travelling, then plan subsequent orders around the days you expect to spend out. Keep the notice period in mind even when you are already staying on the farm.
Self-catering versus a hotel restaurant
The verified dining arrangement is advance-ordered food, not a hotel restaurant service that you can assume will take an order on arrival. The lodge barbecue gives you another way to plan dinner, particularly if you want an evening in your own garden rather than another drive.
Each lodge has a barbecue. If you intend to prepare other meals, check the kitchen equipment for your chosen lodge before shopping. Ordering a farm-prepared meal is another option, with 24 hours’ notice.
Leave time for the farm’s walking trails
The property has marked walking trails ranging from 2 to 6 km, with arrows indicating the routes. These are on-property walks, so you can make walking part of a day at the farm rather than planning every outing around a separate attraction.
Choose a distance that fits your group and the rest of the day. A shorter route leaves more flexibility for children or an afternoon excursion; a longer walk deserves its own space in the schedule. Distance alone does not establish difficulty or walking time, and the supplied information does not give gradients or surface details. Ask which route suits your group’s abilities rather than treating every trail as equivalent.
Plan riding separately from the lodge booking
Horse riding and farm activities are offered at La Vieille Cheminée. Guided rides through the forest and hand-led rides for children are described in the property information. Their availability is a reason to enquire about a farm-based outing, not a promise that every guest can join any session.
Do not assume riding or other farm activities are included in the accommodation price. Arrange the activity separately and ask about charges, scheduling and participant requirements. For families, establish what is appropriate for each child before making a ride the central promise of the stay.
Make the first evening straightforward
Private parking at each lodge is useful when unloading food and luggage. Before setting off, decide whether your first evening will use a pre-ordered meal, a barbecue or dinner elsewhere. That single decision avoids arriving with neither an order nor ingredients.
Chamarel evenings are cooler and quieter than those on the coast, and dinner options are limited. Pack an extra layer and avoid relying on an unplanned late search for food. Leaving an evening free at the lodge also makes practical use of the garden and fireplace, rather than treating the farm only as somewhere to sleep between outings.
Questions people ask
How many lodges does La Vieille Cheminée have?
La Vieille Cheminée has nine private lodges on a working farm. Each has a private garden, parking, fireplace and barbecue.
Can I order breakfast when I check in?
Breakfast requires 24 hours’ advance ordering. If you want it on your first morning, arrange it before arrival rather than relying on an order at check-in.
Is horse riding included in the accommodation price?
Horse riding is offered, but the supplied official information does not establish that it is included in the lodge price. Ask for the activity charge and participant requirements when arranging a ride.
Are there walking trails at La Vieille Cheminée itself?
The farm has marked walks of 2 to 6 km. Choose a distance that suits your group and ask the farm which route fits the day’s conditions before setting off.