Château La Rametière is owned by the Richardson and Davenport families — American farmers and food producers with a deep love for this corner of Normandy and a genuine commitment to preserving its history. The story began on a hiking trail in Peru in 2018, when Blair Richardson and Jason Davenport first floated the idea of owning a château in Europe. Two years later, during the pandemic, they found La Rametière online — historic, agricultural, already welcoming guests — and bought it without ever setting foot inside. It was an act of faith. It turned out to be the right one. Marti Richardson leads the property’s vision and guest experience, visiting Normandy five times a year to oversee operations, welcome guests personally, and tend to the gardens she has worked to restore. She has been studying French for five years. Day-to-day, the château is in the warm and capable hands of Pascale Breton, our full-time hostess and guest relations manager. Pascale is the heart of La Rametière — the person who greets you at the door, serves your breakfast, shares the story of the château, and makes sure your stay feels personal and well cared for. Together, they make La Rametière what it is.

Château La Rametière is a historic bed and breakfast in the village of Plomb, Normandy — 25 minutes from Mont Saint-Michel and an hour from the D-Day beaches. Built around 1750 and transformed into a château in 1840, the property carries nearly 300 years of history: a family connection to couturier Christian Dior, a wartime occupation by German forces who came within hours of destroying it by firebomb, and a personal visit from General Charles de Gaulle. The five individually named suites each tell their own story — the De Gaulle Suite, the Bernaud Suite, the Davenport Suite, the L’Homer Suite, and the Pavie Suite. All feature original oak floors, antique furnishings, crystal chandeliers, and private ensuite bathrooms ranging from a Carrara marble sanctuary with skylit bathtub to a dark granite bathroom with jet tub and walk-in shower. Two suites include air conditioning. Guests arrive to a welcome glass of pommeau — the traditional Norman aperitif — served in the Grand Salon, a breathtaking room of gold boiserie panels, three crystal chandeliers, herringbone parquet, and a historic grand piano. A freshly baked Norman breakfast is served each morning: pastries and bread from the local bakery, eggs, Norman cheeses, charcuterie, fresh fruit, yogurt, and strong coffee. The park-like gardens were designed after the Second World War with one goal: something in bloom every month of the year. Wisteria drapes the stone facade each spring, hydrangeas line every path in summer, and working apple orchards come into harvest in autumn. An ancient calvados storehouse with barrels dating to the 1970s is among the estate’s quiet discoveries. Free WiFi, daily housekeeping, and private parking included. Dogs welcome. Exclusive hire available for groups of up to 19. Rated 4.9 out of 5 — 98% of guests recommend us.

Plomb sits at the heart of Normandy’s most rewarding corner. Mont Saint-Michel is 25 minutes away. The St. James American Cemetery, where over 4,400 American soldiers are buried, is just 30km. The Christian Dior Museum in Granville is 32km. The D-Day beaches are an hour away. Medieval Dinan, the walled port city of Saint-Malo, Cancale’s famous oyster markets, and the bell foundry at Villedieu-les-Poêles are all within easy reach. We are happy to help plan your days — just ask us at breakfast.​​​