The Maison du Val's all-you-can-eat brunch in Saint-Germain, Yvelines

We've already told you about La Maison du Val, the large country house just outside Paris where you can stay in the Yvelines, in the heart of the Forêt de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, to be precise. It's also the ideal place to spend a day in the countryside and enjoy an all-you-can-eat gourmet brunch, in addition to all the activities offered by this 4-star hotel and its 4-hectare estate.

The Maison du Val was originally a hunting lodge belonging to Louis XIV. So it's in a place steeped in history, with its grandiose rooms and landscaped garden, that we come to spend an entire Sunday.

Brunch is served every Sunday. Don't forget to book, as it's quite popular. Expect to pay €80 per adult and €40 per child, including all on-site entertainment. La Maison du Val is also a lunchtime buffet restaurant (55€ adults and 30€ children), with a daily set menu or buffet on Fridays and Saturdays (70€ adults and 30€ children). Both brunch and set menus include all beverages, from softs and wine to cocktails and hot drinks.

For brunch, we offer a selection of viennoiseries, crêpes, pancakes, cakes and cookies. We're seduced by the selection of freshly baked breads, accompanied by butter and jams. Hot and cold drinks are available on a self-service basis. So we opt for squeezed orange juice and 4 coffees in a row (yes, we like coffee, but so what?).

Then it's on to the many fresh, gourmet starters. Enjoy fine oysters, langoustines, whelks or cold salmon with mayonnaise. The salads are not to be outdone: tuna and beef tartare, guacamole, tomato-burrata, lentil salad and other seasonal compositions await us.

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While scrambled eggs and bacon remain staples every Sunday, the hot dishes change (the excuse to return, of course). On our visit, we were treated to soft gua baos, carrot purée, gratin dauphinois with sautéed mushrooms and grilled prawns.

If you've got room to spare, stop by the cheese section. A fine selection of mature cheeses is on the menu. We finish off with the desserts, which on this day include tiramisu, chocolate cake, crème caramel, poached peaches and an ice cream parlour. Well, for the ice cream, we came back at snack time to digest a little.

In the central hall, a bar is at our disposal, we are told. You can make your own cocktails using the ingredients and recipe cards provided. Another bar in an old chapel is also available during the day for cocktails and hot and cold drinks. It's also an ideal place to play board games or watch the Olympic Games on the TV screen.

Note that you can choose to set up indoors under cover or outside on a terrace to enjoy the sunshine.

Once you've wolfed down your brunch, all that's left to do is drive to the activities on offer on the estate, or find a shady spot with a deckchair for a well-earned siesta after so much effort. On our side, we stroll to the superb library to relax with our coffee, a game of cards and a devastating Puissance 4.

Then it's off to the Gaming Room. After a game of pool, darts, table soccer, pinball or an arcade battle, you can choose to sit back and watch a film in the cinema room. Here too, self-service fridges are stocked with unlimited cold drinks, and it has to be said that playful sports can be very tiring.

Outside, in the gardens, you can enjoy outdoor sports such as Molky, badminton, volleyball, ping-pong, pétanque or trampoline for the kids. There's also a giant chess set on hand, as well as rosalies for a trip into the forest, at your own risk. Let's face it, two people pedaling up the hill is tough, but pedaling back down again at top speed is a blast.

At La Maison du Val, there's no swimming pool like at Château de Villiers-le-Mahieu, which belongs to the same group. Here, the Nordic baths offer you total relaxation. So don't forget to pack your swimsuit and take a dip in one of the 4 baths available. Open all day, these warm baths are sure to relax you to the max. Don't forget to prepare a cocktail or a glass of wine before slipping into the water - it's guaranteed paradise.

In short, this brunch offers you the chance to enjoy a magnificent setting and terrace when the weather's fine, while spending a whole day in the green, taking advantage of the many activities, snacks and bars available non-stop. Why not treat yourself to an enchanted interlude for a day?