© Capelongue and La Bastide de Gordes.
Provence, with its scents and colors, the song of the cicadas, and charming old villages. It's a dream, isn't it? We've selected perfect 4 and 5-star hotels for a getaway marked by a gentle way of life, with refined dining and spas for a complete escape.
Domaine de Fontenille
It's a 12-hectare vineyard. There are woods and springs too. And within this estate, an elegant 17th-century bastide, a 5-star hotel owned by Guillaume Foucher and Frédéric Biousse. With the ambiance of a family home, featuring a series of bright lounges, this hotel in Provence offers 21 rooms and suites, each unique, some with terraces to better view the park and hills. Light touches contemporary furniture, light wood flooring, and artworks on the walls, creating an atmosphere of natural elegance.
You can enjoy a simple meal on the terraces of La Cuisine d'Amélie with a dish full of seasonal freshness. At Champ des Lunes, the Michelin-starred restaurant, chef and Meilleur Ouvrier de France Guillaume Goupil takes inspiration from Provence, sourcing the finest ingredients from the château's permaculture garden and local producers to create a menu where every dish can become a Proustian madeleine. The bespoke Susanne Kaufmann treatments are featured at the spa of this Relais & Châteaux, along with a hammam and fitness room. Outside, the heated pool stretches out, surrounded by sun loungers. It would be a shame not to take advantage of the experiences offered by the estate: guided tours of the garden or yoga classes, strolls along the paths laid out in the vineyards before settling down for a snack and chatting with the chef.
Domaine de Fontenille, Route de Roquefraiche, 84360 Lauris. More information about this hotel
© Le Domaine de Fontenille by Yann Deret and Céline Hamelin.
Villa La Coste
20 minutes from Aix-en-Provence and the Luberon Natural Park, this palace is hidden within a 200-hectare estate of organically farmed vineyards. It is as unique in its architecture as in its offerings, where contemporary art meets gastronomy for an extraordinary stay. An atypical hotel in Provence: the reception building of concrete and glass? Designed by Tadao Ando. The wine cellars, which can be visited? Designed by Jean Nouvel. Damien Hirst honors Fernand Léger, Charlotte Perriand converses with Jean Prouvé: the art gallery becomes the lobby, and the immense park is dotted with around thirty artworks by Louise Bourgeois, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Richard Serra, and Sophie Calle. Hong Kong architect André Fu was entrusted with the interior design. 28 villa suites, ten with private pools, offer views of Mont Ventoux. The space is serene, a calming blend of wood and white, where light plays the starring role.
With six restaurants, the venue invites you to a true culinary festival: crispy pizzas at Vanina, refreshingly bright salads at Tadao Ando café, homemade tarts or grilled dishes on the charming Terrace square. In the evening, enjoy the masterful flame-cooked dishes at Francis Mallmann's restaurant, named after the eccentric Argentine chef. End the stay on a high note at Hélène Darroze's Michelin-starred restaurant: with her legendary flair, she elevates vegetables straight from the organic garden. Light oak, marble, and stone: the spa exudes zen, a perfect harmony of bespoke treatments between the hammam and flotation bath, private yoga, and meditation sessions. Luxury, in all simplicity.
Villa La Coste, 2750 Route de la Cride, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade. More information about this hotel.
Capelongue In Bonnieux
Part of the Beaumier group, these beautiful 17th and 18th-century buildings overlooking the Luberon valley form a meticulously restored 5-star hotel by architects Marine Delaloy and Paula Alvarez de Toledo. While the architecture has retained its grandeur, the decor has embraced a more contemporary relaxation. The 57 rooms, ranging from 28 to 40 m², spread across the estate, feature terracotta tiles and wood, plaster and wicker, ceramics, and sunny hues with just the right touch of Provence. Couples will love the spacious suite in the former dovecote. To reach the pool, take your time wandering through the fragrant garden redesigned by the Atelier Lamarck landscapers.
At the Michelin-starred restaurant La Bastide, chef Noël Bérard delights guests with superbly crafted local products, while at La Bergerie, Mathieu Guivarch offers mouth-watering wood-fired cuisine. The former sheepfold houses the 300 m² Biologique Recherche spa with a hammam and three cabins, cryotherapy, and a Roman bath. Outside, there's a lap pool for the more adventurous.
Capelongue, 50 chemin des Cabanes, Bonnieux. More information about this hotel
Hôtel Le Pigonnet
Away from the bustle of Aix-en-Provence, a lane lined with century-old plane trees, the gentle gurgle of a fountain, a generous garden, and at its heart, the charming appeal of this century-old hotel. Owned by the Esprit de France group, it has been beautifully renovated, adding to its 44 rooms the intimacy of two superb villas – 184 and 300 m² – each with a landscaped garden or cozy patio and their private pool. Elegant and classic in style, the hotel exudes authenticity through antique paintings and wooden dressers, providing warmth in every way.
Under the shade of a chestnut tree or in the elegantly decorated dining room, enjoy the dishes of chef Thierry Balligand, who also focuses on highlighting regional products, giving them a delightful twist. The superb outdoor pool and fitness room will soon be joined by a spa with five massage cabins and a private Roman bath, as well as a fitness room. For now, listen to the silence while admiring the Sainte-Victoire mountain before sipping a cocktail at the summer bar.
Le Pigonnet, 5, avenue du Pigonnet, Aix-en-Provence. More information about this hotel
© Le Pigonnet by Philippe Doignon and Gilles Trillard.
Le Prieuré Baumanière
The history of this 14th-century priory, adjacent to the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, is rich. Initially the palace of a nephew of Pope John XXII, then a monastery, it became a hotel in 1943. Current owners Geneviève and Jean-André Charial have preserved its charm, enhancing the priory, the Chapitre, and the Atrium – the most recent building – around the fragrant summer wisteria-filled garden. This Relais & Châteaux offers 38 rooms, decorated by Madame Charial, combining contemporary furniture to complement the stone and terracotta tiles.
There's no spa, but a large pool provides a refreshing escape from the Provençal heat. For casual dining, enjoy confit monkfish or ceviche swordfish at La Petite Table du Prieuré, while dinner showcases the Michelin-starred talents of chef Christophe Chiavola, who brings an instinctive, beautifully fragrant cuisine.
Le Prieuré Baumanière, 7, place du Chapitre, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. More information about this hotel
L’Arlatan
It's hard to imagine the explosion of fantasy behind the medieval facade of this mansion in the heart of Arles' historic center! Patron and owner Maja Hoffmann, behind the Luma Arles project, gave Cuban artist Jorge Pardo carte blanche to design this 5-star hotel, along with Arles native Max Romanet and Dutchman Renzo Wieder. Partly protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the 4,000 m² building with its painted ceilings, medieval bread oven, intricately carved beams, and a 5th-century Roman wall, now reveals an unclassifiable, vividly colorful universe. The common thread is the mosaic: 6,000 m² of hand-made fragments! Every space sparks curiosity, from the lobby to the patio, the staircase to the restaurant. Each of the 35 rooms is a unique work of art: high ceilings with custom-made furniture, wax prints, plump lighting fixtures.
The common areas blend Renzo Wieder's recycled plastic chandeliers with furniture from Maja Hoffmann's private collection. The restaurant offers a short, local menu, the bar serves original cocktails, and there's a pool and garden. It's a wonderful place to stay!
L’Arlatan, 20, rue du Sauvage, Arles. More information about this hotel
© L’Arlatan by Adrian Deweerdt.
La Bastide de Gordes
A seigneurial mansion from the 18th century at the entrance to Gordes, a village ranked among the Most Beautiful Villages of France: here is one of the Airelles group palaces. Clinging to a cliff in the Luberon, this site sets the tone for an exceptional address. Interior designer Christophe Tollemer, with the help of over a hundred artisans, has poured his heart and talent into restoring this magnificent house to its former glory. True odes to elegance, filled with antique paintings and antiques that blend with the ceiling moldings, Hungarian point parquet floors, fireplaces, and woodwork, the 40 rooms showcase a very chic classicism without forgetting 21st-century comfort, starting with the bedding. A highlight is the Maison de Constance with its 5 rooms and private pool, butler, and garden, perfect for a family. A club also entertains children.
Meanwhile, parents can enjoy the lap pool and the 1,600 m² spa with beams and vaulted ceilings: an indoor pool and advanced holistic treatments await. Another highlight is the gastronomy: La Bastide and its stunning terrace focus on Provençal flavors elevated by chef Yohan Fatela. La Bastide de Pierres invites you to Italy, while TIGrr ventures into Asia. Indulge in the charming Ladurée tea room, but save room for an exceptional dinner at Clover Gordes: Jean-François Piège offers a menu that combines grilled dishes and vegetables. A true delight.
La Bastide, 61 rue de la Combe, Gordes. More information about this hotel.
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