Charming hotels in Provence: 10 addresses among olive trees, bastides and lavender

Christine Robalo | 4/28/25, 11:47 AM

Between vineyards and the scent of garrigue, Provence unfurls its charms like an old golden film. Here are ten characterful hotels to discover this region of a thousand faces for a weekend - or more.

Sometimes it's enough to follow a slightly dry path, lined with boxwood and silence, to feel that something changes. The light becomes more golden, the air slower, and Provence opens up like a sketchbook forgotten at the bottom of a wicker basket. Olive-tree-covered hills, vineyards that draw lines across the landscape, markets where local produce is displayed in a palette of colors, perched villages that seem to watch over the plain... So many pictures waiting to be discovered. This is a land that forces nothing, a muted beauty, a charm that takes its time. And against this slightly blurred backdrop, ten addresses stand out like selected pauses: family homes with blue shutters, ancient bastides, stone refuges where you sleep with your windows open... Ten places to slow down, to linger...

Hôtel Le Pigonnet: a green interlude in the heart of Aix

just a few minutes' walk from the center of Aix-en-Provence, behind a discreet gate, Le Pigonnet unfurls five hectares of carefully tended gardens. Hundred-year-old chestnut trees, flowering trellises, contemporary sculptures and ancient fountains make up a bucolic setting that has not yielded to the siren song of so-called "Provençal" staging. The address is not new: this 18thᵉ century bastide, converted into a hotel in the 1920s, is a local institution. Paul Cézanne is said to have drawn inspiration here to paint, between contemplative walks. Now rated 5 stars, the hotel boasts 45 rooms and suites, divided between the main bastide and more recent extensions. The decor strikes a balance between classicism (antique furniture, wood panelling, mouldings) and a few contemporary touches, particularly in the renovated suites. Special mention goes to the Suite Cézanne, with its panoramic terrace overlooking the Sainte-Victoire mountain. When it comes to facilities, Le Pigonnet ticks all the boxes for top-of-the-range comfort: spa (with hammam, sauna, Codage treatments), gym, large outdoor pool, electric bike rental, valet parking. The restaurant La Table, headed by chef Thierry Balligand, offers revisited regional cuisine, rooted in the seasons and open to the garden in fine weather. Bar 1924, with its velvet armchairs and hushed atmosphere, attracts travelers and locals alike, who come for a homemade cocktail or a cup of tea away from it all.

Prices from €296 /night (breakfast not included)
Where ? 5 Avenue Du Pigonnet- 13090 Aix-en-Provence. Tel : 04 42 59 02 90
See Gault&Millau's review of Hôtel Le Pigonnet

Baumanière Les Baux de Provence: Provencal legend in the shelter of the Alpilles mountains

There are places that transcend their hotel status to become a chapter in local history in their own right. Baumanière, at the craggy foot of Les Baux-de-Provence, is one such place. What was once a forgotten sheepfold has, since 1947, become a mythical address where heads of state, illustrious painters and sun-seeking rock stars have met. Today, the estate extends over five historic buildings, set among vineyards, olive groves and pale stone walls. Fifty-three rooms and suites, each with a charming name - l'Oustau, la Guigou, le Manoir, le Mas Flora or la Ferme - make up an intimate, elegant landscape. The rooms are decorated in the style of a refined country house, with antiques, designer lighting, sober fabrics and comfort that's taken for granted. The gardens are in keeping with the setting: shaded terraces, fountains, paths where footsteps sink lightly into the gravel. Three swimming pools, dug into the rock or out of sight, and a spa, installed under the arbors, extend this atmosphere of discreet escape. It's a coherent, controlled whole that allows the landscape to express its full power. Baumanière's dining experience is twofold. On the one hand, La Cabro d'Or, a bistronomic restaurant run by Michel Hulin, celebrates a sunny, gourmet Provence. On the other, the historic Oustau de Baumanière, where chef Glenn Viel creates a precise, inventive cuisine that plays with textures and memories, while respecting our heritage.

Price: from €369 /night (breakfast not included)
Where to stay? Mas de Baumanière - 13520 Les Baux-de-Provence. Tel: 04 90 54 33 07
See Gault&Millau's review of Baumanière Les Baux de Provence

La Mirande: an escape through the centuries

Behind its baroque façade, just a few meters from the Palais des Papes, La Mirande cultivates a very specific idea of elegance, one that spans the centuries without wavering. Built in the 14th century and meticulously restored in the 1990s, this aristocratic residence turned five-star hotel is unlike any other. And that's not just a formula. Here, everything has been designed to preserve the atmosphere of a refined family home. Sculpted moldings, blown-glass chandeliers, Chinese-inspired furniture, parquet floors that whisper under visitors' feet... The 26 rooms, each named after a painting, share the same taste for detail: jouy fabrics, upholstered armchairs, patinated woodwork. You'd think you were in the home of a chic aunt who'd read the whole of Saint-Simon. Modern amenities blend into the décor - discreetly concealed television, Carrara marble bathtub, impeccable bedding. Chef Florent Pietravalle's score is sharp, precise and inventive, inspired by the flavors of Provence. A menu built around the seasons, vegetables from the in-house kitchen garden, and service in keeping with the place: attentive but never stuffy. Those who want to extend the experience can book the table d'hôtes in the old kitchen, a vaulted room where you can dine just a few meters from the stoves, between suspended copperware and the smell of a wood fire.

Prices from €484 /night (breakfast not included)
Where ? 4 Place de l'Amirande- 84000 Avignon. Tel : 04 90 14 20 20
See Gault&Millau's review of Hotel La Mirande

Domaine de Chalamon: Provencal refuge revisited

away from the main road, a plane-tree-lined driveway leads to a light-colored 16th-century bastide. Domaine de Chalamon, recently added to the Domaines de Fontenille collection, extends over 15 hectares of carefully structured grounds: boxwood beds, gravel driveways, fountains, ponds and olive groves. The whole has been redesigned in the spirit of an inhabited rather than ornamental landscape, where every nook and cranny is an invitation to pause. Architect Alexandre Lafourcade, already at work on other Group projects, has transformed the building without altering its appearance. Light-colored rendered facades, green shutters, natural stone floors, vaulted passageways and original staircases have all been preserved. Carefully selected furnishings combine discreet modernity with Provencal references. On the walls, country wallpapers and watercolors by artist Flora Roberts evoke a Provence more sensitive than expected. The 19 rooms and suites, spread over two floors, some open onto formal gardens or the surrounding countryside. The colors are soft, the details well thought out: period cremones, open ceilings under the roofs, wickerwork armchairs, wrought-iron desks. In the restaurant, young chef Rémi Falsquelle creates a vegetal, southern cuisine. Green asparagus, morels with estate wine, roast farmhouse guinea fowl and wild garlic gnocchi: the menu evolves according to the vegetable garden and local produce. Service takes place in the dining room or on the terrace, facing a goldfish pond. The heated outdoor pool is adjacent to a tennis court and boxwood maze. A bamboo-lined stream runs along the back of the estate. You can enjoy breakfast under the plane trees, leaf through a book in the shade of a pale pink parasol, or stroll between two beds of wild grass.

Prices from €496 /night (breakfast included)
Where ? 291 Chemin de Chalamon- 13210 Saint-Rémy-De-Provence. Tel : 04 87 83 10 10
See Gault&Millau's review of Domaine de Chalamon

Le 1932 Hotel & Spa Cap d'Antibes - Mgallery: Riviera in chiaroscuro

Some buildings seem to carry with them the memory of an entire era. Such is the case of the 1932 Hotel & Spa Cap d'Antibes, whose pale facade is still bathed in the discreet glow of the Roaring Twenties. The hotel was born in 1932, and despite the recent renovation, this memory has been aptly preserved. Behind its chic seaside building silhouette, the hotel hides 64 rooms and suites with revisited Art Deco lines. Sober palettes, soft materials, graphic details inspired by the interwar period: everything evokes the great transatlantic liners or the hushed salons of the palaces of yesteryear. The most sought-after rooms open onto balconies with sea views, some with private pools. Below, the Belles Rives beach is just a stone's throw away. The La Rotonde restaurant extends this elegant ambience in a 1920s-inspired setting, with French cuisine that surfs the seasons but without unnecessary fuss. upstairs, the rooftop Quinto Cielo plays a different, sunnier, more summery tune: Mediterranean dishes, Italian and Spanish influences, and panoramic views all the way to the horizon. The spa, designed by Codage, offers an interlude of precise, personalized treatments in a calm setting away from the hustle and bustle of the seaside.

Prices from €177 /night (breakfast not included)
Where ? 5 Avenue Saramartel- 06600 Antibes. Tel: 04 92 93 54 54
See Gault&Millau's review of 1932 Hotel & Spa Cap d'Antibes - Mgallery

Le Moulin - Beaumier Hotel, like a village house

Arriving in Lourmarin, you walk past the cypress trees and the old cemetery where Camus is buried. The village then unfolds slowly, between cobbled streets and whitewashed facades, until you reach the ancient 15th-century building that houses Le Moulin. Situated just opposite the château, this former oil mill has been converted into a hotel and remains firmly anchored in the village landscape. Now a member of the Beaum ier collection, Le Moulin has retained the essentials: warmly rendered walls, visible stonework in places, and a discreet stream winding through the garden. You can sit under the pergola, with the murmur of water in the background, or in the shade of the plane trees on the small square in front of the entrance, watching the village come to life. The 35 rooms are divided between views over the tiled roofs, windows onto the château and the peaceful corners of the patio. The décor, designed by the duo Jaune et Be-poles, is inspired by contemporary Provence: terracotta floors, sunny hues, raw materials... just what you need to feel at home. away from the hustle and bustle, the new swimming pool offers a welcome interlude after a day's wandering under the sun. Chef Julien Serry's regional cuisine is served both in the light-filled dining room and on the terrace. The deliberately short menu gives pride of place to local produce, and naturally complements the many well-chosen local wines available in the adjoining grocery store. For here, you can take away a little of what you've tasted: olive oils, tapenades or confidential bottles. Far from formatted hotel codes, it's a place where you'll want to stay longer than expected...

Prices from €264 /night (breakfast not included)
Where to find us Boulevard Raoul Dautry- 84160 Lourmarin. Tel : 04 90 68 06 69
See Gault&Millau's review of Le Moulin

Hôtel La Bégude Saint-Pierre: the clear comfort of an old coaching inn

The building retains the robust élan of its former function. Once a coaching inn, this XVIIᵉ century building now stretches across a fifteen-hectare estate, just a stone's throw from the Pont-du-Gard. Here, blonde stones, ancient olive trees and the sober lines of the renovation compose a coherent whole, without ostentation. The interior doesn't try to copy a Provencal style, but rather interprets it with a sense of proportion: beams left untouched, terracotta floors, old fireplaces, punctuated here and there by a few contemporary works of art chosen for their appropriateness. The hotel houses 25 key rooms and suites. Soft hues, contemporary furnishings, uncluttered volumes with attention to detail and materials. at the table, chef Christophe Aldin develops a cuisine d'auteur, built around local produce and open to Mediterranean and Asian influences. You can dine under the olive trees when the light falls, or in a room decorated with works by regional artists, in a setting that doesn't distract from the essentials. A relay, in the noblest sense of the word, where the journey is interrupted with calm, in a house that has kept its foundations.

Prices from €125 /night (breakfast not included)
Where? 295 Chemin des Bégudes - 30210 Vers-Pont-du-Gard. Tel: 04 66 02 63 60
See Gault&Millau's review of La Bégude Saint-Pierre

La Maison d'Uzès, a confidential address

The silence of old stone sometimes impresses more than the luxury on display. Here, it's a monumental 17th-century staircase that greets visitors, set against a listed façade, in what was once the home of the Chambon de La Tour family. Behind its thick walls, La Maison d'Uzès embraces its history with calm sobriety. The hotel has just nine rooms and suites, all different, spread over several levels. Some rooms are vast, others more restrained, but what they all have in common is their rare high ceilings, carefully chosen materials and finely integrated contemporary decor. The ambience remains clear and measured, without decorative overload. The vaulted spa features a Roman bath, a hammam and a selection of treatments by L'Occitane. In the restaurant, La Table d'Uzès, the tone is just as appropriate. Christophe Ducros, chef to three toques, offers a lively table without unnecessary demonstration. The restaurant operates on the economy of gestures, both on the plate and in the service, and this is precisely its strength.

Price: from €176 per night (breakfast not included)
Where ? 18 Rue du Docteur Blanchard- 30700 Uzès. Tel : 04 66 20 07 00
See Gault&Millau's review of Hôtel La Maison d'Uzès

Domaine des Andéols, between creation and living nature

At first glance, there's nothing to suggest that this estate in Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt is home to one of the Luberon's most unique addresses. And yet it is. For over twenty years, Domaine des Andéols has cultivated a personal vision of hospitality, combining art, nature and architecture. Olivier Massart, a former fashion set designer, has transformed the family home into a place apart, where every nook and cranny is a stage set. With his partner Patrizia, he has shaped this 38-hectare hamlet in his own image. This is not a watered-down version of Provence, but a lively place, where lavender borders sculptures and vegetable gardens intersect with artworks. The estate offers two types of accommodation: eleven independent houses, each different from the next, and a series of contemporary suites, partially concealed under plant structures. Some have private pools, others light-filled rooms with sauna or hammam. Each volume, each detail, displays an assertive aesthetic: here a sofa signed Ron Arad, there a bed under a glass roof, further on an indoor palm tree and a naturalized tiger. In the park, more than 250 works - paintings, photographs, installations - punctuate the itinerary. The Le Platane restaurant, located just below the estate, offers a cuisine based on products that come mainly from the land - orchard, garden, vineyards. The setting, whether under the four-hundred-year-old tree or on the suspended terrace, adds a special touch to the meal.

Price: from €322 per night (breakfast not included)
Where to find us Hameau des Andéols- 84490 Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt. Tel: 04 83 88 33 77
See Gault&Millau's review of Domaine des Andéols

Château de la Gaude: art, wine and silence in perfect harmony

on the edge of Aix-en-Provence, Château de la Gaude has reinvented an 18th-century bastide without betraying its past. Opening in 2019 after years of restoration, this multi-faceted venue combines the assets of a five-star hotel, a working vineyard, a contemporary art center and a gastronomic destination. The estate is built around several historic buildings: the bastide, a chapel, orangeries and carefully preserved longères. Everything here seems arranged so that each space tells its own story. The French-style park runs alongside the outdoor swimming pool, works of art invite themselves into the alleys, and the suites - some twenty in all - each offer a unique relationship with the outdoors, the light and the landscape. Some of the more unusual suites have been designed as suspended refuges between sky and vine, with private terraces and plunging views of Sainte-Victoire. The château produces its own cuvées and invites guests to discover its winery and cellar, and its resolutely contemporary approach to wine tourism, which focuses not on folklore but on experience. a discreet spa overlooks the gardens, where made-to-measure treatments and sensory rituals prolong the experience.