I checked and double-checked their website to make sure that they would be open, since it's quite a diversion from any main destinations. The website said that the Maison should be open outside its limited hours during the Christmas season. I thought it was safe to assume that "Christmas season" included the week before Christmas, which is when we went. The sign on the outside of the building said the same thing.
It didn't look promising when we got there, but a man pulled in next to our car and went into the building beside the main entrance. When we asked him if it was open, he said yes, just knock. We knock. And knock. And knock some more, all while making eye contact with a man inside the main building. He looked away, ignoring us, and the first man had to come around and open it up to let us in.
Once inside, he got a staff member, some woman who came out with an espresso cup in her hand and a fat wad of bread in her mouth and other hand. Still chewing, she asks us what we want.
"We were wondering if the Maison was open?"
"If WHAT is open? We are many things: a brewery, a hotel, a restaurant..."
"Pardon, the guided tour for the brewery."
"No, it's closed."
"So no part of the building is open for us to just see and maybe take a picture?"
"No, and I have things to do!"
I dearly wish I could have doused her with the espresso! She said that to us, verbatim. Not a civil "no, I'm sorry for the confusion." I would have been okay if she just said again, "I am sorry, please come back another time." At least she deigned to let us buy something from the gift shop, though she didn't even turn on the lights for us to see the products. She offered to get a new box for my sister instead of the display one, but came back after disappearing into the storage area for ten seconds to say (again, verbatim, and utterly lacking in manners): "The box is very far, so just this (display) one."
I don't know if management reads reviews, but good God this was one of the worst "conversations" I've ever had with a person. read more