 | 
Olives, the virtuous fruit of the Mediterranean
The trees nearly disappeared. In 1956, the terrible winter frost killed off thousands of trees in Provence.
But the abandonment of olive trees in favour of vines and fruit trees was only temporary. Over the last twenty years it has once again become the king of Provence, borne by a wave of popularity that has placed its oil on a pedestal throughout Europe. An unexpected resurrection? No, just consumer logic. Consumers have decided to add a touch of Mediterranean sunshine to every meal and are happy to believe in the product’s “miraculous” virtues. Because olive oil is praised by doctors and dieticians, and everyone seems to think it’s wonderful! It’s thought to protect against cardio-vascular disease, ease the digestion of heavy foods and avert excesses at the table. All of this is supported by statistics, making the Mediterranean diet, with olive oil as its only fat content, one of the healthiest in the world.
In Provence, during the harvest, visitors can easily watch the “remedy” being made

There are large numbers of cooperatives and mills that are happy to open up, while in the orchards, armies of pickers work beneath the trees to harvest the “picholines”, “salonenques”, “grossanes” and “cailletiers”, varieties with secret names that will later take on exquisite - and healthy - flavours on your plate.

La Cabro d’Or
Hotel and restaurant in the country
If you are seeking an elegant country stopover on the way to the Oustau de Baumanière, you will be enchanted by the pure simplicity and the ambience of total liberty at La Cabro d’Or. Set amidst luxuriant foliage overlooking a landscape of olive trees, its comfortable rooms open onto an exceptional garden. The Mediterranean cuisine draws its inspiration from regional products and the hotel garden’s herbs and vegetables. ...Read more
France, Les-Baux-de-Provence

Domaine de Châteauneuf
Hotel and restaurant on a golf course
At the foot of the Sainte-Baume range (a pilgrimage destination and one of the finest belvederes in Provence), Châteauneuf is a splendid XVIIIth century country house, set in the heart of a park adjacent to a magnificent 18-hole golf course. The restaurant and the upscale facilities match the priviliged environment. Luxury is omnipresent but discreet, elegance its lifestyle. A site devoted to beauty. ...Read more
France, Nans-les-Pins

Hôtel Crillon le Brave Provence
Hotel and restaurant in a village
Perched above the village roofs, the hotel welcomes you to a green haven behind tall, ochre walls. Its rooms, bathed in the scent of honeysuckle and jasmine wafting up from the Italian-style gardens, offer stunning views across the vineyards to the Mont Ventoux, once cherished by Mistral and Cézanne. Enjoy sun-drenched cuisine and wines from the region, the Rhône and other parts of the world. ...Read more
France, Crillon le Brave

Villa Gallici
Hotel and restaurant in town
This country house overlooking Aix is bathed in the soft Provençal light so often depicted by Cézanne. Set amidst an elegant Florentine garden, where cypress trees are reflected in a luxurious pool, it offers sumptuous rooms with terraces and private gardens. Linger over an aperitif in the shade of the plane trees, then savour traditional Provençal cuisine accompanied by the finest Bordeaux, Burgundy and Aix wines. ...Read more
France, Aix-en-Provence

Le Jardin des Sens
Restaurant ‘Relais Gourmand’ and hotel in town
Jacques and Laurent Pourcel’s refined cuisine, which pays tribute to rich Mediterranean flavours and the regional produce of Languedoc, is a veritable festival for the senses. The Pourcel’s exquisite creations are accompanied by superb wines carefully selected by Olivier Château. Enjoy a true gourmet experience in the glass-fronted dining room overlooking the beautiful garden, then retire to a charming guest room. ...Read more
France, Montpellier

Le Prieuré
Hotel and restaurant in a village
In the heart of the medieval town of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon with its aromatic «priest’s» garden and climbing wisteria, the Prieuré has a rare charm. Taken over by Jean-André Charial, the creative force behind the Maisons de Baumanière, enhanced by the decor of Geneviéve Charial, the old monastery is experiencing a renaissance: more space, more light, an extended terrace sheltered from the mistral wind… As for the cuisine, it reinvents every day a menu full of Mediterranean flavours. ...Read more
France, Villeneuve lez Avignon

Le Mas des Herbes Blanches
Hotel and restaurant in the country
The Mas, almost a village in itself, pays tribute to the ancient Bories dry-stone hut building technique. On the heights of Joucas, tucked away in an isolated 5-hectare park, you will delight in a unique view of Luberon. All the rooms come with a terrace, balcony or private garden. The restaurant, with its panoramic terraces, offers Mediterranean cuisine and a wine list brimming over with Côtes du Luberon wines. ...Read more
France, Gordes

Château de Montcaud
Hotel and restaurant in the country
The buzz of local festivals fades into the background in this haven of wellness and light. Guests enjoy calm, serene days lounging by the pool, playing tennis or strolling through the rose garden. Tastefully decorated rooms open onto a peaceful park. The dinner, served on the patio of a charming «mas» when the weather permits, pays tribute to the sea and the Provençal markets. Excellent Côtes du Rhône. ...Read more
France, Sabran

Oustau de Baumanière
Restaurant ‘Relais Gourmand’ and hotel in the country
Baumanière is one of those truly exceptional settings that perfectly reconcile tradition and modernity. The legendary welcome and the luminous rooms immerse you in the contrasting Alpilles landscapes. Jean-André Charial, whose pure poetry is in pursuit of the utmost perfection, is the mythical narrator in the Baux region. The «œuf de poule au fumet de truffes noires» ranks alongside revisited classics. Exceptional wine cellar. ...Read more
France, Les-Baux-de-Provence

Le Petit Nice-Passédat
Restaurant ‘Relais Gourmand’ and hotel on the seafront
From the women in the family whom he watched as a child to the master chefs who taught him his trade, one thing is sure: Gérald Passédat’s cuisine is southern. His favourite dish is, of course, the «bouillabaisse», light and zephyr-like without a trace of fat. By reducing the bouillon he creates the impression of eating the very best from the sea! The rooms flooded in blue prolong the magic of dinner with a sea haze. ...Read more
France, Marseille

Hostellerie Le Phébus
Hotel and restaurant in the country
Here in the Luberon, between Gordes and Roussillon, in the heart of the Garrigue, the cuisine and the atmosphere have a Mediterranean flavour. A dry-stone residence in a 4-hectare park, erected over remains dating back to the Templars, offers its guests beautiful rooms full of the colours of Provence, some with a private swimming pool. Xavier Mathieu conjures up
creative culinary delights full of Mediterranean flavours. ...Read more
France, Gordes

Abbaye de Sainte Croix
Hotel and restaurant in the country
This magnificent XIIth century abbey, set amidst gardens of lavender and rosemary, has been lovingly restored and the monks’ cells converted into luxury suites and guest rooms. You will be enchanted by the superb Romanesque architecture, the beautiful vaulted ceilings and the delightfully rustic furniture. Dine on the restaurant’s panoramic terrace and savour Provençal cuisine and excellent local vintages. ...Read more
France, Salon-de-Provence

Le Vieux Castillon
Hotel and restaurant in a village
Between Nîmes and Avignon, close to the Cévennes national park, the Camargue and the Alpilles, this hilltop hamlet offers breathtaking vistas of the Ventoux valley. With its magnificent patios, renaissance architecture and honey-coloured stone terraces set in the heart of a Provençal village, Le Vieux Castillon is a truly unique domain. Enjoy musical evenings, sun-drenched cuisine and an exceptional selection of wines from the Rhône valley. ...Read more
France, Castillon-du-Gard
Picture credits : SCOPE - J. GUILLARD et - J. BOUTHILLIER
Central reservation office (United States)
+1 800 735 2478*
Calling from another country ? Click here
Press Travel agents Companies Careers 5 C Club Luxury Alliance & Partners |
 |