Toujours Provence
No one would dispute the beauty of the Provence with its atmospheric landscapes: the perfectly flat Camargue, the green Luberon with its lavender fields and ochre-coloured villages, and the Alpilles with its bizarrely formed limestone rocks. These fiercely romantic landscapes will make you daydream, and so will the stylishly restored estates, sheepstables and manor houses converted into authentic hotels. Favourite destinations of nature lovers, art aficionados, gourmets and the haute-volée of Paris. We personally tested the loveliest places in the Provence for you!
10 favourites places for a romantic holiday in the Provence:
Tip no. 1: La Bastide de Marie – the perfect destination for sophisticates
Bright-blue window shutters, sand-coloured stone, vines and cypresses – far as the eye can see. Inside the Bastide de Marie, you will find an enchanting mix of intoxicating country cottage chic and unpretentious luxury. Once you have unpacked and settled in, you will never want to leave again.
Tip no. 2: Hameau des Baux – a Concept Hotel of vintage elegance
The Hameau des Baux hotel is chic, inspirational and a wee bit eccentric – a concept-hotel where everything is available for sale, from the more than 300 pieces of vintage furniture from the 1950s through the 1990s to the china on the table, the artwork on the walls and even the straw hat in your room. And if you feel like going for a joy ride, take your pick among a fleet of seven vintage convertibles.
Tip no. 3: Domaine de Fontenille – the dream of a provençal manor house
Picture-perfect Provence: a manicured park with a century-old stock of trees, 250 cypresses, about 1,200 rose bushes, a historic fountain stocked with goldfish, and a proprietary vineyard. The spectacular view from the rooms of the Domaine de Fontenille alone would be worth the journey.
Tip no. 4: La Mirande – time-travelling in Avignon
The Hotel La Mirande in its radiant ochre exterior rivals the splendour of the papal palace. The origins of the magnificent building go back to a mansion that Cardinal Arnaud de Pellegrue, a nephew of Pope Clément V, had built in the early 14th century. Parlours and rooms have amazingly high ceilings and radiate the elegance and opulence of the Ancien Régime. Hand-picked antiques and paintings lend the rooms their unmistakeable character and splendour.
Tip no. 5: Mas de la Rose – between stone pines and lavender
This Provençal stone building from the 17th century, where jaded urbanites come for pastoral tranquillity, was once the home of shepherds. Everything here radiates peacefulness, quiet and casual savoir-vivre. Massive beams in the ceiling, terracotta floors, shabby-chic furniture, and a large hearth create a wonderful ambience for snuggling up and staying put at the Mas de la Rose.
Tip no. 6: Domaine de Capelongue – strictly flavour-driven organic cuisine
Edouard Loubet does a better job capturing the fragrance of nature than anybody else. For his cedar soufflé, he collects cedar blossoms in the surrounding woods and soaks them in spirits for two weeks. This essence is then added to the soufflé base. The resulting dessert is a fantastically fragrant and fluffy revelation. But it is not just the soufflé that will make a detour to the Domaine de Capelongue worth your while – we are simply thrilled by the flavour-driven organic cuisine.
Tip no. 7: La Petite Maison de Cucuron – straightforward fresh-market cuisine
Eric Sapet works the kitchen in the yellow-painted house in the hamlet of Cucuron. Instead of browsing a long list of dishes, you only have a choice of two dinner menus at the La Petite Maison de Cucuron that change daily. Whatever happens to be in season in the garden outside and available at the farmers markets in the area finds its way into the kitchen. Eric Sapet likes to let the produce inspire him.
Tip no. 8: Mas Tourteron – celebrating feminine cuisine
Garden terrace at the Mas de Tourteron
Once you pass through the wrought-iron gate into the garden of the Mas Tourteron, you enter a realm that will make you lose all sense of time. Not only does the garden with its overwhelming floral splendour and the old-growth trees look just like it must have looked decades ago – even some of the recipes were handed down by Elisabeth Bourgeois’ mother and grandmother. Elisabeth brilliantly refined the family recipes into sumptuous Provençal dishes that have her very own touch: feminine, sunny, and seasonal.
Tip no. 9: Le Bistrot du Paradou – an institution for gourmets
Dining room at Le Bistrot du Paradou
Everybody congregates at the Bistrot du Paradou: locals, mansion owners who moved here, and sun worshippers in town for a holiday. This is perfectly plausible because the owners turned an inconspicuous country inn into a heavenly retreat defined by vintage chic. The atmosphere is pleasantly upbeat. It is something of an established institution for eating well and plentifully. Our idea of the Provence. There is no homepage, not least perhaps because the guests keep coming anyway.
Tip no. 10: Le Jardin du Quai – laid back, picturesque and wildly romantic
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is a picturesque town, and an El Dorado for antiques in the Provence. After the Sunday outing to the antique market, “tout le monde” flocks to Daniel Hébet's. Hidden across from the shed “Le Village du Antiquaires de la Gare” you will find the entrance to Le Jardin du Quai which you enter via the romantic garden. Here, you dine beneath ancient chestnut trees, sheltered by rose bushes and wisteria.
Ready for more? We have compiled 20 hotel and restaurant tips in the Provence for you on pillowandpepper.com – each one of them tested in person, on location.
Using our concierge booking service will make your trip picture perfect. As a registered member of our travel community, you may entrust yourself to the care of our concierge, who knows every single place listed here. The concierge will request the best online rate for the finest room available, reserve tables in the trendiest restaurants, take care of every detail, and put together the perfect trip for you.