All content & photos: Copyright© 2008,
Jan Hight. All rights reserved.
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| Chateau du Sureau
When I was a little girl, I loved reading fairytales and imagining the ethereal castles which sheltered cosseted princesses. There was another child who visited such castles as she grew up in Austria; she had the same daydreams and decided to make them come true after she immigrated to the U.S. Her name was Erna, and the fulfillment of her childhood fantasies can be found in Oakhurst, California...in her very own castle just outside of an enchanted forest called Yosemite!
One other update from the Chateau: Elderberry House Executive Chef James Overbaugh has accepted a prestigious and challenging position in New Orleans, with Erna's assistance and blessings. Congratulations to Jim; we'll miss him, but "N'Awlins" is certainly in for a treat! His replacement is Chef Robert Riescher, and we were impressed with his expertise and artistry. Erna's Elderberry House continues to provide a sublime dining experience, and it remains one of our two favorite restaurants (the other being the famed French Laundry in the Napa Valley). So we ended this escape to our beloved castle as we always have in the past....relaxed, renewed and ready to return!
End of 5/01 Update
A 10th room has also been added to the Chateau - Ciboulette. It's somewhat smaller than the others and is the only room without a fireplace; but with two double beds, it's ideal as an additional accommodation for a family. Also, a whimsical wooden swingset has appeared on the nature walk; it seems that Erna did her most important little-girl thinking and dreaming in a swing (just as I did)...what a pleasant surprise to find this playful reminder of childhood!! A sad bit of news: Boris the ChateauCat has gone on to his 10th life;
we certainly missed his purring presence in the Thyme Room. However, auditions are
being held for his successor, and we heard that Frankie the kitty is a frontrunner (right,
Jim?!).
You may continue on with our original article now, knowing that we concluded our second journey to the Chateau du Sureau in the same way that our first visit ended...feeling pampered and refreshed...and eager to return!!!
As guests drive past the restaurant and approach the graceful iron gates of the Chateau, there's building anticipation of the very distinctive experience which awaits. After a code is entered (ensuring privacy and security) and a welcoming greeting is issued via the intercom, the gates sweep open to reveal the magnificence of the 9,000 square foot castle, surrounded by gardens and trees, nested on the hillside.
Of course we just had to dine at Erna's famous Elderberry House, which
is a short stroll from the Chateau along a softly-lit pathway through the gardens.
Following are some of John's photo-memories of this wondrous Park
during a glorious season, spotlighting the majesty of several of those vibrant
waterfalls!!
Yosemite
So if you've ever shared my daydream of inhabiting an enchanting palace, the fairytale can come true at the Chateau du Sureau. For more information, rates and reservations you may visit their website at http://www.chateausureau.com or call Lucy Royse, the directrice, and her impeccable staff at 559-683-6860; they'll also be happy to reserve your table at Erna's Elderberry House for an unforgettable dinner. Obviously this isn't an economy inn; but the price will be well worth it if you're searching for an extra special, one-of-a-kind experience! Once you arrive at this exquisite spot, you'll be the royalty within Erna's luxurious castle!!
Copyright © 1997 - 2008: Jan Hight Published -- November 1997
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We
happily made our return to the exceptional Chateau and 
found it to be as
magical as ever! On this visit we were able to tour Villa Sureau,
the 2000 square foot manor house which was just being completed when we
last stayed here. This elegant estate offers 2 bedrooms with luxurious
baths, a salon, library, private outdoor spa, a personal butler...and all
of the exquisite furnishings and decorating touches that Erna 
brings
to everything she touches. What an impressive and romantic hideaway!
Far too many
months had passed since we first discovered Erna's Chateau in October 1997. It was
time, the time was well overdue in fact, for us to journey back to this magical
spot! I'll admit to a bit of trepidation...when an initial visit is so very amazing,
there's always a chance that the return won't live up to expectations. Not to worry;
we found every aspect of the Chateau du Sureau and Erna's Elderberry House to be just as
remarkably perfect as in our delightful memories!!! We also observed an entirely new
set of seasonal wonders at nearby Yosemite National Park...photos have been added to the
Yosemite section further down in this article (you're going to love those waterfalls!).
The most exciting news is that Erna has added another elegant building on her
property -- Villa Sureau. Snuggled among the trees beyond the gazebo and Koi pond is
a two-bedroom, two-bath mini-mansion. I'm using the term "mini" in
relative terms; the Villa is quite spacious and airy...full of light. It also
contains a salon and library, plus 24-hour butler service for that utmost taste of luxury
that is Erna's hallmark! The finishing touches were being put into place during our
visit, and the first guests were scheduled to enter this grand (and private) retreat later
in the week. Erna, gracious as always, took time from her obviously hectic schedule
to give us a tour...and, of course, everything from the antique furnishings to the
striking decor to the tiniest accessory was carefully selected to provide a rare
experience. Erna's unparalleled taste and artistic élan were evident in every
refined detail. I wish we could share photos, but work wasn't quite complete.
Trust me, though; it's sensational...Erna has outdone herself!
Speaking of Jim...that would be James Overbaugh, the Executive
Chef at Erna's Elderberry House. This splendid restaurant continues to inspire
total bliss among its diners!! Both of the dinners we enjoyed ("enjoyed" is an understatement!)
during this visit were just as extraordinary as our two previous dining events... perhaps
even better, if that's somehow possible. James and Erna make an awesome team, and
the Elderberry House is most definitely not-to-be-missed!! On the
subject of food, the breakfasts which are included in the Chateau's room rates were,
again, marvelous. I'm not a morning person, but those enticing meals were enough to
draw me happily out of that cushy feather bed!!!
Erna began by indulging her "love for the art of
cooking" at a lodge inside the Park. After she lost her lease, she found the perfect
property in Oakhurst upon which to build her very own restaurant...and her vision began to
take shape. The land reminded her of Provence, and she was attracted by the Elderberry
bushes that looked like trees. Elderberries were extensively used in food and sauces in
Europe but seemed to be consumed only by the birds in California. When her restaurant
opened in 1984, she took its name from these bushes...Erna's Elderberry House. In 1987 she
had a most fortuitous guest for dinner one evening; as he was leaving, he introduced
himself as Craig Claiborne! The famous food critic ended up staying for 3 days and cooking
alongside Erna. Afterwards he wrote an enthusiastically glowing review in the New York
Times, and diners from everywhere began appearing at
Erna's elegant restaurant!!
Soon the "foodies" started asking for a similarly elegant hotel
where they could retreat after their grand meals; alas, the chain motels of Oakhurst just
didn't meet their requirements! So the time came for the second half of Erna's reverie...a
castle of her very own, in the style of a European country manor house, which would be (in
her words) "a private world for guests to revitalize their senses and
soothe their souls"; it would be named Chateau du Sureau ("Estate
by the Elderberries"). After detailed planning, ground was broken in 1990; and Erna
spent a year traveling extensively to search for "treasures" that would
complement her newest dream. In 1991 the Chateau was unveiled, and the honors and awards
soon began accumulating (highest points in the Zagat ratings, Mobil 5 Stars, and on...and
on). It is also a member of the prestigious European association Relais and Chateaux.
We
were met at the entrance by a house attendant who whisked our bags to the room then parked
our car, as well as one of the gracious innkeepers who took us on a tour of the Chateau.
What we found was more like a magnificent old-world home rather than a B&B. The Grand
Salon offers a large fireplace, library, several sitting areas, and a turret containing a
music alcove...with frescoed ceiling and a 19th century grand piano. The sunny dining room
also has a fireplace, as well as doors leading to the garden terrace (where breakfast may
also be taken). There is an outdoor pool, an exercise room (the "petite
gymnasium"), colorful gardens, and a wonderful nature trail leading through the
Elderberries and Manzanitas to a large, outdoor chessboard and a gazebo overlooking a
serene pond. An unusual and charming addition is a small chapel, perfect for intimate
weddings. Then there are the 9 exceptional guestrooms, each uniquely and lovingly
decorated
with individual color schemes, and named for herbs and flowers
(Lavender, Rosemary, Chamomile etc.). All have fireplaces, select antique furnishings,
fine tapestries and artwork, feather beds with goose down duvets, Italian linens, CD
players with a collection of classical discs, marble bathrooms with hand-painted tile and
soaking tubs (and quiet plumbing!); some have Jacuzzis and balconies. 
We had The
Thyme Room, accented in a subtle olive and coral scheme, featuring a king-sized canopy bed
and the inviting courtyard as its backdrop...with a koi pond and gently gurgling fountain
just outside the windows. This first-floor location also has an outside entrance, which
was perfect for visits from Boris -- the ChateauCat. We left the door open as an
invitation for this friendly (and decidedly spoiled) kitty, and he sauntered in and out at
his leisure...when he hadn't been spirited away by other guests! Erna's playful standard
poodle, Babette, paid occasional social calls to the Chateau as well.
When
we were escorted into our room, we found that our bags had been carefully tucked away, and
we were welcomed by fresh flowers and fruit, a tin of cookies, a small (and yummy) cake,
bottled mineral water...all of which were replenished each day. Soon after we settled in,
a staff member appeared with scrumptious little hors d'oeuvres and an invigorating herbal
iced tea and cider mixture. During our tour of the property and grounds, we'd noticed an
unusually high ratio of staff to guests. We soon discovered why; the Chateau's
ever-accommodating personnel, in their crisp black and white uniforms, were constantly --
and unobtrusively -- available and willing to satisfy any need their guests might
have...and some that we guests hadn't even thought of!! The high level of customer 
service was remarkable;
that princess from my childhood musings couldn't have been any more pampered than we
were!! Each time we returned to the Chateau from our ventures outside the gates, a house
attendant was waiting to take any packages and park our car...and also asked if any type
of refreshment could be brought to our room. Whenever we were snuggled into one of the
big, comfy chairs in the Grand Salon or lounging on the terrace enjoying the sun and
gardens, someone always offered us wine. The evening turndown service included bottles of
Evian left on the nightstands, linen mats laid out on each side of the bed, the most decadently
delicious chocolates, and a
calligraphy-inscribed goodnight note that also
offered an overnight polish for shoes left outside the door. Breakfasts were marvelous (no
surprise considering Erna's culinary reputation), and we were waited on with flawless and
attentive care. I have a feeling that the Chateau's staff would go to any lengths to
please their visitors and help them enjoy their stay; they certainly made us feel like
honored houseguests at a private country estate! In the European tradition, gratuities are
added as a percentage to the bill at checkout so that there is no need to tip each time
assistance is received. 
The
restaurant serves a prix-fixe 6-course meal each evening, with a menu that changes daily
(and is on display in the Chateau to tantalize those appetites!). As you may have guessed,
the service was equally exemplary there; Erna obviously aims for the very highest
standards, and her restaurant staff attains those ideals just as well as the Chateau staff
does. Our dinner was absolutely superb; the chef is a
wizard! I now understand why people travel from great distances to the tiny town of
Oakhurst...just to enjoy these innovative, imaginative and artistically-prepared feasts
for the senses! Erna also offers a cooking school; if I had the slightest bit of talent in
that area (which unfortunately, I don't!), I'd definitely sign up in hopes that I
could prepare dishes even halfway as fabulous as Erna and her chef do. Instead of going
into detail, I'll sum it up as one of the most memorable dining experiences we've had (and
we dine out quite a bit). It was so incredible, we dined there again during our
visit...and it was just as perfect the second time!!
Our previous Yosemite visit was during late Autumn, and it was unbelievably
gorgeous. This Springtime journey, however, brought an entirely new dimension to
our pleasure.....waterfalls!! Most of the falls in
Yosemite are fed by snowmelt, and they were being nurtured quite well in May '99! We
could hear the reverberation of Upper and Lower Yosemite falls long before they came into
view. As we walked toward them, we could feel their power energizing the air.
When we reached the base, the falls had created their own misty gales and there was a
unique atmosphere of freshness and vitality.
Now I must say that we did find one problem with the Chateau; it was so
hard to leave this secluded little world of luxury each day, but we wanted to sightsee in
Yosemite National Park! We did force ourselves to pass through those iron gates, and we
spent a large portion of 2 days at Yosemite (the south entrance is about a 20-minute drive
from Oakhurst)...and what a spectacular place it is!! The mountains are
relatively low there, but those sheer granite slabs reaching straight up into the sky are
like nothing we've seen before. We started at Glacier Point, with its awesome views of
Half Dome, 3 waterfalls, and the Valley below. On the Valley floor we were treated to such
scenic treats as El Capitan, Bridalveil falls, Cathedral Rocks, Sentinel Rock, the
Mariposa grove of Giant Sequoias...and many other wonders. We enjoyed stops at the
venerable Ahwahnee Hotel and at the
Ansel Adams Gallery, which is operated by Ansel's son. The
gallery has a terrific display of photographs taken by the man (along with John Muir) who
is most associated with Yosemite. The late-October timing of our visit was excellent: the
weather was gorgeous; the summer crowds were gone; all areas of the Park were still open
preceding the arrival of winter snow; leaves were changing to their vivid autumn colors;
and the coyotes and deer wandered about as if 
they didn't even notice the humans sharing their
trails! I'd really hoped to see (from a distance, of course) a bear or mountain lion, but
it didn't happen on this trip. John was probably glad that the beasties didn't show up
since I would have made him move closer and closer to get a good picture (as I did in
Hawaii when a shark interrupted our snorkeling...anyway, it wasn't a very big shark!)!!
It's difficult to describe the panorama to be found around every twist in the road at
Yosemite; instead of trying to find the words, I'll let more of John's photos convey the
Park's natural splendor...enjoy!!!
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