Bastide du Mourre

Mr Smith and I arrived at Bastide du Mourre in a thunderstorm. And not just any old thunderstorm — a truly apocalyptic, end of days, sky falling in, hours-long thunderstorm. The small country-house hotel, which already has a dramatic enough view overlooking vineyards backdropped by the Luberon’s craggy mountain ranges, was turned into a soggy dark mess, punctuated only by bright white cracks of lightening, as we stared helpless from our first-floor bedroom window. As the apologetic receptionist said on check-in, 'We have a hotel that’s perfectly suited for sunshine, but not really for this. Do you mind if I show you the rest of the hotel later?' Fair enough, to be honest, mate. 

Prior to arriving, we had of course imagined lazing by the pool, perhaps a game of tennis, and a glass of wine on the lovely terrace — but truly we were not going anywhere. That is until, perusing the hotel information with a cup of tea, we came across a mention of a Nordic bath and sauna nestled in the woods at the end of the property. So, not to be defeated, we booked a time slot (which were happily free of competition from other, more sensible, guests) and trundled off across the gardens in our swimwear, under an umbrella, to plonk ourselves into the actually very nice and warm wooden Nordic bath. 

It was only when the rain and lightning really picked up again that we wondered if being sat outside under trees, in a large pool of water, in an electrical storm, was really a good idea (Googling it later, we confirmed it was not), so headed over to the sauna instead. This cute little circular pod is perfect for two — it was toasty and dry, and had a big window looking out onto the forest. Things weren’t so bad after all. 

We hurried back to our room, number one of 17 that are spread throughout the bastide. There’s a mix of sizes, but they are all consistent in their chic, rustic, farmhouse style: whitewashed walls, crisp linens, woven carpets, pressed flowers and simple pendant lighting. Ours had a small table, walk-in shower and herbal teas, but not much more in the way of furnishings — although it’s not exactly going to win any design awards, the minimalism does have a nice calming effect and there’s nothing to distract from those incredible views.

The downpour lasted all through the night, but the next morning was a different story, as the sun slowly beat the clouds away and revealed the landscape in all its green glory. As you might have guessed from the Nordic bath and sauna, wellness is a big part of Bastide du Mourre, and the hotel also has a spa offering Ayurvedic treatments and a daily line-up of 9am fitness classes. So, before breakfast, we were up and at 'em for a very relaxed, beginner-friendly Pilates class in the dedicated studio, located in an old stone barn. Even Mr Smith, who had never done Pilates before, managed to (not quite) disgrace himself. 

Breakfast here is excellent — a full spread of local cheeses, charcuterie, bread, fruits, detox juices, eggs, pastries and jams made by Fontenille, the group behind this and 11 other hotels. It also makes olive oil and wine, all of which can be purchased from the small lobby shop, along with some very cool merch made in collaboration with Late Checkout. We stayed on a Sunday and Monday, so we couldn’t try the chef’s table restaurant in the evening, but it sounded very good, with simple dishes like a vegetable tart or a sun-kissed fruit crumble, showcasing Provençal produce.

After breakfast, we were straight out for a big walk around the countryside. And oh my, what a place the Luberon is, full of pretty vineyards, crumbling stone buildings, mountains, woods and little villages fairly unblemished by over-tourism. Our 10-kilometre loop from the hotel took us to the closest town of Oppède, which has a great bakery and a couple of restaurants; Maubec; and the mediaeval village of Oppède-le-vieux, with winding narrow streets, an old castle and a village square with a couple of cafés. 

We passed through umpteen vineyards, any of which would have been a fun diversion, but settled on stopping at Mas des Infirmières, owned by none other than Ridley Scott. The big tasting room and shop are well worth popping into, as there’s a small display of memorabilia from his films — alien heads, Napoleon costumes, space suits, gladiator armour and story boards, including some from A Good Year, his pretty cheesy, Provence-set rom-com starring Russell Crowe. We watched it that night and, sorry Ridley, can't in good faith recommend it. What we can recommend, however, is one of his red wines — specifically, the only natural one his estate makes (you can take the girl out of Hackney, etc), which was just €8 a bottle and a very decent drop. Bravo! 

Back at the hotel, we finally got that swim in the lovely garden pool; we finally had a glass of wine on the now sun-soaked rather than rain-drenched terrace; and we did try to have a game of tennis, but the hotel rackets had been broken two days earlier. Still, Mr Smith and I loved Bastide du Mourre, and we are totally smitten with the Luberon, an area that we are absolutely going to return to, come rain or shine.