Provence’s most beautiful hotels: our best addresses

Looking for a palace?

Villa La Coste | A place for aesthetes unique in France

Why book? Halfway between the historic city of Aix-en-Provence and the Parc Naturel du Luberon, Château La Coste spreads its vineyards across a 200-hectare estate, entirely organically farmed and celebrating contemporary art. Whether it's an art center designed by Tadao Ando, a giant spider sculpture by Louise Bourgeois or a mobile by Calder, the ambitions of Francophile Irish collector Patrick McKillen are omnipresent.

It's here, on a hillside, that Villa La Coste has opened its doors, with 28 suites and villas - 10 with private swimming pools - soberly decorated in light woods, marble and rough stone, and widely open to the beautiful surrounding nature. 30 major works of contemporary art (Louise Bourgeois, Kengo Kuma, Sophie Calle, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Richard Serra, etc.) are installed in the open air along an Art and Architecture trail, with a Gallery designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte and a Pavillon de la Photographie designed by Renzo Piano.

Jean Nouvel designed the gravitational cellar in corrugated iron where the Château's organic wines mature, to be discovered during tasting workshops. In terms of gastronomy, Villa la Coste boasts 5 restaurants just outside Aix-en-Provence. Chef Francis Mallmann has designed the menu for an Argentinian grill, where excellent empanadas rub shoulders with octopus, beef or barbecued lamb, while Hélène Darroze heads the Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant supplied by the Château's kitchen garden. The Provençal-accented dishes are plant-based and delicate. Last but not least, a pizzeria features organic produce and noble transalpine specialties... Two other fast-food restaurants complete the offer, including one at Auberge La Coste, Villa La Coste's new address.

Finally, to make your weekend in Provence complete, the spa in blond oak, natural stone and marble, designed by Hong Kong artist André Fu, offers treatments based on natural and organic Provencal products (jasmine, lavender, rose, olive and apricot) in single or double cabins with garden, floatation bath, Vichy shower, yoga and meditation classes, sauna and hammam... A unique haven of peace amidst the vineyards.

The style? A place for aesthetes, unique in France, where art and luxury coexist in the midst of nature.

The number of keys? 28 suites and villas.

How much does it cost? From €1,000 per night for a Pavillon suite.

Where? 2750, route de La Cride 13610 Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade

Looking for a lifestyle boutique hotel?

Les Petites Maisons - Hameau des Baux

Why book? Just an hour from the beaches of Marseille and 30 minutes from the town of Arles, Hameau des Baux lies at the foot of the Alpilles Regional Nature Park, in the small village of Paradou. A hamlet in its own right, with its authentic Provencal village square, Hameau des Baux offers a peaceful atmosphere where nature is omnipresent. Just 7 km from the Servanes golf course and 11 km from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, this unique hotel is just 5 minutes from the mythical Baux-de-Provence.

What's the hotel like? Set in a 5-hectare olive grove, the hotel is built around a village square with a pretty fountain and imposing plane trees. An outdoor swimming pool, tennis court and cocktail bar surround the unusual hotel, which comprises 21 suites divided between the main mas and a number of mazets surrounded by the Alpilles mountains. The typically Provencal ambience is mixed with more contemporary touches, from furniture sourced in l'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue to designer objects, and most suites have private terraces overlooking the superb rose gardens, verdant olive grove or almond fields. The concept hotel also offers a 500 m² private farmhouse with swimming pool for up to 13 guests. To keep busy, head for the pool, an electric bike ride or a tour of the Alpilles in a vintage cabriolet.

Gastronomy? The cuisine at Hameau des Baux celebrates Provencal, organic and local produce for a unique culinary experience. Le Mas restaurant and La Ginguette de la Place des Platanes offer quality local produce on a short menu.Whether it's breakfast in the sun or indoors, dinner or a Provencal aperitif under the plane trees with mezze, chef Julie Chaix (Le Louis XV***, Le Grill* in Monaco, La Bastide de Moustiers*) prepares the best of the Mediterranean and the hinterland, from Sisteron lamb to fish from the Camargue, accompanied by a glass of IGP Alpilles or a cocktail created by the bar.

The style? typical accommodation in a small Provencal village.

The number of keys? 21 rooms and suites.

How much? From €392 per night.

Where? 285 Chemin de Bourgeac, 13520 Paradou

Looking for a gourmet table?

Baumanière | The legendary address in Les Baux-de-Provence

Why do we book? Without a doubt one of our favorite addresses, not least for its unbeatable location in the heart of the Alpilles, in Les Baux-de-Provence, a setting conducive to peace and relaxation. A summer haven for many celebrities, Baumanière is not only a historic hotel with a magnificent spa, three outdoor swimming pools and elegantly decorated by Geneviève Charial, combining works of art, contemporary touches and old stones. It's also a great place to dine, L'Oustau de Baumanière, which regained its third Michelin star in 2020 and is worth the trip in itself.

Chef Glenn Viel serves up a modern, creative cuisine that takes full advantage of the local terroir, in particular the superb vegetables grown in the adjoining kitchen garden. Because biting delicately into fresh peas that have never been in the fridge, before strolling through the narrow streets of one of France's most beautiful villages, is clearly priceless.

The style? The finest in gastronomy in a 16th-century mas.

The number of keys? 53 rooms and suites.

How much? From €372 for a double room.

Where? 900 Route d'Arles, 13520 Les Baux-de-Provence 

The alternative?

Hôtel & Spa du Castellet (Le Castellet, Var)

As if set on a pretty plateau planted with Mediterranean pines, with a view of the Bay of La Ciotat in the distance, Hôtel & Spa du Castellet is located on the border between Provence and the Côte d'Azur. In addition to an exceptional spa, the proximity of the Paul-Ricard circuit and its thrilling activities, the Hôtel du Castellet also boasts two restaurants.

A gourmet bistro overlooking the outdoor swimming pool and golf course, but above all the gourmet restaurant of chef Fabien Ferré, star of 2024, who managed to win back the 3 stars of his predecessor Christophe Bacquié, in just one season. This is a feat only achieved by Arnaud Donckele at Cheval Blanc, the 5-star hotel in Paris. At his table, it's hard to choose between the two menus Expression végétale (which is not a vegetarian menu, but puts the vegetable at the center of the plate) and Expression Marine, where the chef honors the terroir of Provence and the Côte d'Azur, as well as the daily catch from the small port of Sanary-sur-Mer. Paired with bottles of the finest Bandol or Côtes de Provence voisins, Le Castellet takes on a unique, timeless flavor.

Looking for history in Avignon?

La Mirande | Historic residence with timeless elegance

Why book? A magnificently restored former cardinal's residence in the heart of the city of the Popes, La Mirande is an invitation to step back in time, a journey that begins as soon as you enter the mansion. Inside, the furniture, parquet floors and chandeliers testify to the rare authenticity intended by the owners. The 26 rooms and suites, renovated in the spirit of the 18th century, are adorned with opulent wall hangings and curtains with similar motifs. A detail that makes all the difference: all rooms have a view of the unmissable Palais des Papes.

At the Michelin-starred La Mirande restaurant, chef Florent Pietravalle prepares sophisticated Provençal dishes, elegantly blending the colors of the South with respect for the environment - a special touch that has earned him a green star. Good to know? Its sumptuous room with its double coffered ceiling used to host the agapes of cardinals and popes.

Hôtel La Mirande - façade © DR

The style? Set back from the hustle and bustle of the city of the Popes, each room is dressed in its own period canvas print.

Number of keys? 26 rooms and suites.

How much? From €415 per night.

Where? 4 Place de l'Amirande, 84000 Avignon.

Le Prieuré Baumanière | Five minutes from the City of the Popes

Why book? Located just across from the Cité des Papes - easily reached by bike - and away from the crowds that invade the city center during festival periods, this 14th-century haven of peace, magnificently renovated by Jean-André and Geneviève Charial, is a veritable concentrate of history: lushly planted priest's garden, century-old wisteria trellises, incredibly well-preserved former cloister... Without compromising on comfort. Witness the vast outdoor swimming pool or the brand-new wellness area.

When it comes to food, the place is not to be outdone, with Christophe Chiavola's Michelin-starred cuisine focusing on the thousand and one ways to honor plants : seasonal vegetables, aromatic plants, delicate meats... It's hard not to succumb!

The style? An enchanting place steeped in history, far from the hustle and bustle of the city...

Number of keys? 37 rooms.

How much? From €231 per night, breakfast included

Where? 7 place du Chapitre, Villeneuve-Lès-Avignon

Looking for sport and activity?

Coquillade Provence | A la carte sports and spa in the Luberon

Why book? We love Coquillade Provence because billionaire Andrea Rihs, founder of this hotel, which is a hamlet of typical Provencal houses, has devoted colossal resources to turning it into a charming resort on a human scale. Three swimming pools, one of which is indoor, sumptuous views of the Luberon, close proximity to Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux and the region's most beautiful villages, three restaurants, including a gourmet restaurant featuring organic produce and vegetables from the chef's kitchen garden, a 2,000^m2 spa, extensive fitness rooms, Jacuzzis under olive trees overlooking the surrounding vineyards, a professional cycling center, absolute peace and quiet on the property..

And to keep you in shape, the resort offers an ambitious program of group classes in yoga, aqua bike, energy dance, pilates and cycling, in a modern, state-of-the-art facility whose flagship is the Cycling Center. Run by real cycling professionals, it rents out bikes from Tour champions, mountain bikes and electric cycles to explore the region according to your level and desires.

The style? A place that manages to combine effort and comfort: after the physical exertion, the Cycliste/Sport massage, a serenity ritual, steam baths, ice baths or whirlpools await you in the spa!

How many keys? 70 rooms and suites.

How much? From 460€ per night.

Where? Coquillade Provence, Hameau Le Perrotet, 84400 Gargas

Looking for authenticity in the heart of a typical village?

Airelles Gordes, La Bastide | A palace in the Luberon

Why book? In Gordes, the Luberon village that inspired Marc Chagall, Victor Vasarely and Jean Deyrolle, the eponymous Bastide offers the luxury of a majestic historic residence, fitted out with every modern comfort. Along with Les Airelles de Courchevel, it is one of the first addresses in the Airelles Collection of entrepreneur Stéphane Courbit, who has since opened his luxury hotel in the Château de Versailles. In Gordes, the hotel is the only one in Provence (excluding the Côte d'Azur) to have been awarded the Palace distinction at the end of 2016.

The program includes 40 luxury rooms and suites, an Airelles spa with the expertise of Dr. Barbara Sturm, four restaurants (including Jean-François Piège's "hors les murs" Clover and TIGrr, chef Oth Sombath's bar-restaurant with panoramic terrace and Asian influences), a splendid outdoor swimming pool lined with olive trees, and terraces with exceptional views of the Luberon Massif.

The style? A luxury setting in the heart of a picture-postcard village.

number of keys? 40 rooms and suites.

cost? from €990 per night.

Where? Rue de la Combe, 84220 Gordes

The alternative?

Hôtel Crillon le Brave (Crillon-le-Brave, Vaucluse)

The first 5-star address in the Maisons Pariente collection - Lou Pinet in Saint-Tropez, Le Coucou in Méribel, etc. - the Hôtel Crillon le Brave is located in the heart of the lovely village of the same name, over 2000 years old, at the foot of Mont Ventoux, a place for "nostalgic people who still haven't bought their house in Provence" , according to the book Les 1000 lieux qu'il faut avoir vu dans sa vie. Nine detached houses house 17 bedrooms and 17 suites with typical Provencal charm, making you feel like you belong in the village... or vice versa! And to finish the day in style, there's the Tata Harper spa, one of the few in France to offer treatments by the American brand made in Vermont, 100% organic, plant-based and not tested on animals.