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 Provence Countryside Hotels
Provence is one of our favourite parts of France, where we have spent some of our happiest times inspecting hotels. From the Vaucluse lavender fields to the saltmarshes of the Camargue, it is still possible to find wonderful countryside unspoilt by tourism. We have also discovered some gems of hotels, traditional places passed down from one generation to the next. Recently a crop of boutique hotels has sprung up, beautifully-decorated but lacking character. We've rejected these in favour of hotels with real individuality and charm. The hotels are listed by price category, and their order bears no reflection on our preference.
 Reviews by Leonie Glass |
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| Luxury: A former stable has been cleverly converted into this seductive country-style hotel |
| Location: 2km south-east of Le Sambuc |
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| Jacques Bon breeds bulls and horses on his Camargue farm, whilst his wife Lucille, an architect and interior designer, has used her skill to convert their 18th-century stable with rustic panache to create this exquisite hotel. Antiques fill the large beamed bedrooms, some with galleried bathrooms. There’s also a peaceful reading room and traditional kitchen where guests dine. |
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| Luxury: Magnificent cuisine at this 17th-century bastide, decorated with low-key style |
| Location: chemin de Quinson, outside Moustiers-Ste-Marie |
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| A white-coated chef collecting herbs from the vegetable garden is a regular sight at this wonderful restored 17th-century bastide, owned by revered chef Alain Ducasse and now run by his pupil Dominique Potier. Your most arduous decision in this utterly relaxing place is which sublime menu to choose. The house is decorated with understated elegance and surrounded by mature gardens. |
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| Luxury: Genuine castle transformed into a charming, welcoming hotel |
| Location: Uchaux; between Bollène and Orange |
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| Built in 1550 for Diane de Poitiers, Henry II’s mistress, and reworked in the 18th-century, this is a real crenellated castle with a turret bedroom, 24-acre park and its own lake. In their stunning conversion, its designer owners, Peter Wylly and Birgit Israel, have created a masterly blend of the old and the new with a delightfully unstuffy feel. Their partner Marc Koenemund presides over a first-rate kitchen. |
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| Mid Price: Bedrooms in bungalows are scattered throughout the lovely gardens of this attractive hotel |
| Location: 2km outside Aix-en-Provence, off the RN7 |
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| This comfortable hotel in a series of red-roofed buildings is set in glorious grounds, around which the bedrooms are dotted in bungalows. Overlooking the pond is a stunning summer dining room, with glass doors that slide away to let the outside in. The main building has wood beams, tiled floors scattered with rugs and a congenial atmosphere. The owners are the charming Marignane family. |
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| Mid Price: Enchanting, family-run mas, crammed with antiques |
| Location: outside Gémenos, on the RN396 |
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| The Marignane family – relations of the owners of Mas d’Entremont – have been running this gracious country house hotel since 1932 with commitment and charm. Three brothers are currently in charge: Vincent and Christophe as managers and Philippe as the excellent chef. Antiques collected by the family offset the rustic decoration, and a romantic terrace is the perfect setting for summer dining. |
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| Mid Price: Renaissance mansion with original carvings in glorious grounds |
| Location: 2km north of Eygalières |
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| Legend has it that the 16th-century owner of this Renaissance mansion was an alchemist, and the house, a monument historique, is full of fascinating carvings. It stands in immaculate, secluded grounds overlooking the Alpilles. The owners are talented gardeners and have recently created a magical ‘Alchemist’s Garden’. Inside, the classic country style decoration is appropriate and tasteful. |
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| Mid Price: Stylish but friendly hotel where food is a priority |
| Location: 6km east of Bonnieux |
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| There’s a rare sense of well-being in this lovely hotel in a peaceful lush oasis by the river Aiguebrun, owned and run by Sylvie Buzier and her happy, friendly team. Warm and multi-talented, Sylvie has decorated the house with great elegance. Reception rooms and bedrooms alike are full of light and colour. Food is a highlight: organic meat and vegetables and wild fish on a simple set menu. |
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| Inexpensive: Charming traditional hotel, set amid the owners' vineyards |
| Location: 2km east of Gigondas |
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| Lovers of traditional family-run hotels will be enchanted by Les Florêts, a glorious example and long-time favourite of ours. Set in a fold of wooded hills amid the owners’ own vineyards, it was bought in the 1960s by the Bernard family, who have run it with straightforward honesty ever since. The bustling restaurant serves delicious good-value food, the perfect foil for the Bernards’ excellent Gigondas. |
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| Inexpensive: Delightful, calm home-from-home in the hills |
| Location: Les Essareaux, 3km north of Entrechaux |
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| This little gem with five rooms is for lovers of peace and nature, and we've been fans for many years. A former shepherd’s house in the hills, inside it feels much more like a home than a hotel. The charming owners, the Warlands, have filled it with their own furniture, paintings, objects and books – there’s even a guests' library. There’s no website, so phone +33 (0) 4 90 46 03 80 for more information. |
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