A wandering soul finds her place in a Cordillera château

A blend of the Cordillera and the French countryside unfolded within this château-inspired space in Baguio. It’s a spot called Le Coq Bleu Homestay, owned by Chantal Michaut-Pangilinan, a Frenchwoman who has lived in the city for over 30 years and is married to a Kapampangan. 

The Victorian-esque furniture, quirky art pieces, including sketches by Baguio artist Leonardo Aguinaldo, and colors and styling that were undeniably French created a charming, immersive environment. It primarily functions as an Airbnb for just a couple of guests.

“Nothing here is new,” Chantal said. “Either heirloom pieces like the knives and utensils from my parents, this couch from my husband’s parents’ home, salvaged wood from a fallen tree, or trinkets from ukay-ukay (thrift shops), dining chairs from my time in Paris. I wanted to offer my guests Filipino hospitality with a French flair.”

The dining table, seating six, was set with croissants, sweet apple compote, slices of pears, ube-flavored yogurt, Benguet coffee, French toast, fresh fruit salad, and an omelet infused with Cordilleran kiniing (traditional smoked and cured pork). 

Chantal can easily chat up guests, touching on food and football (with trivia about France’s Les Bleus goalie, Alphonse Areola, who is of Filipino descent), and her love for the Cordillera and the arts, even showing a portrait of herself painted by the late actor Johnny Delgado. “I didn’t pose for him; he painted based on his imagination of me,” she said.

Finding identity across borders

Chantal’s story is one of displacement, adaptation, and cultural synthesis. Raised during the American War in Vietnam, she and her family left the country at age 12, escaping Saigon before its fall. 

“My mother hosted parties for American generals and Ambassador (Henry) Cabot-Lodge; however, we, as a family, felt and witnessed the suffering of the locals on a daily basis,” she recalled. 

Adjusting to life in France proved challenging, and a few years later, the family moved to Hong Kong.

A third-culture child, she described the experience of being “at home in any culture and yet never truly belonging anywhere, a wandering soul searching for its niche.” 

Her journey eventually brought her to the Philippines, first in Manila for 17 years, then in Baguio, where she found a home amid the Cordillera’s rich culture.

Building a dream

In 2012, Chantal purchased a 130-square-meter lot from a friend to build her dream house. Inspired by her paternal grandparents’ cottage in the French Basque country and her husband’s memories of Baguio’s John Hay bungalows, she designed a simple 6×10-meter rectangle with a loft, emphasizing sustainability and recycled materials.

“I became the architect, decorator, and contractor of this vision,” she shared. Friends rallied to help, supplying doors, windows, furniture, and décor. Every item tells a story of friendship, love, and care, and Chantal calls them “blessings from angels.”

A year later, she added a guest suite, and five years after that, she purchased a neighboring property to build a tiny house with a Provence theme, recalling summers spent with her maternal grandparents. 

Nestled among trees, it offers privacy and tranquility, with birdsong, frogs, and rustling leaves as the soundtrack. The garden is intentionally wild, inviting local wildlife and creating a natural, serene environment for guests.

Hospitality and heart

Homestays, Chantal believes, are the truest form of hospitality, allowing travelers to experience authentic homes, cuisine, and culture. 

Guests can enjoy continental breakfasts by the bay window overlooking the mountains, lounge in the sunroom, read, write, or sit by the fireplace with a glass of wine. Some come for quiet reflection; others linger for a month, leaving feeling restored and recharged.

“Come as guests, leave as friends,” Chantal said. Many return annually, forging bonds that extend beyond the stay, proving that hospitality at its best is not just a service, but an exchange of warmth, culture, and trust.

Since Le Coq Bleu offers a single room in a loft-within-a-house and a garden cottage (it has an antique narra bed), most of its guests are couples. 

“Le Coq has been a favorite among LGBT couples,” Chantal shared. “They often say they don’t feel judged here and truly feel at home.”

Colors, stories, memories

More than a homestay, Chantal thinks Le Coq Bleu sums up her life experiences in Vietnam, France, Hong Kong, Thailand, Manila, and finally, Baguio. The exterior echoes John Hay’s green-and-white bungalows; the interior reflects her French heritage in blue and white; and the rooster, the coq, symbolizes the shared culture between France and the Philippines.

It’s a space where Chantal hopes travelers can explore identity, culture, and heritage, while enjoying quiet reflection, natural beauty, and warm hospitality. 

“I want to be the kind of host with whom guests can exchange stories, laugh and be carefree,” Chantal said.

She is a host who was once a wandering soul, but finally found her place. – Rappler.com