Provence, France

Domaine de Fontenille

Rates per night from$148.75

Price information

If you haven’t entered any dates, the rate shown is provided directly by the hotel and represents the cheapest double room (including tax) available in the next 60 days.

Prices have been converted from the hotel’s local currency (EUR129.82), via openexchangerates.org, using today’s exchange rate.

Domaine de Fontenille Photos

Style

Parisian-polished Provençal

Setting

Lazy days in Luberon

Explore

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If Cézanne were mixing up his paints in Provence today, we’re sure he’d set up his easel at Domaine de Fontenille, a classic château in the Luberon Natural Park with views worthy of an oil painting. It’s not just the old masters who rule at this boutique hotel; art connoisseurs will find themselves right at home in the private modern-art gallery, where exhibitions are held regularly. Even if you’re not a dab hand with paint daubing, this creative stay will capture your imagination: stretch out by the pool; have a facial in the spa; play pétanque on the lawns to work up an appetite for Jérôme Faure’s exquisite French menus; or, go on an exploration of the hotel’s house-made wine in the name of ‘sightseeing’…

Smith Extra

Get this when you book through us:

A free wine-tasting session, a bottle of wine in your room and 10 per cent off spa treatments

Facilities

Photos Domaine de Fontenille facilities

Need to know

Rooms

18, including two suites.

Check–Out

11.30am. Earliest check-in, 3.30pm.

Rates

Double rooms from $148.75 (€130), excluding tax at 10 per cent. Please note the hotel charges an additional local city tax of €1.65 per person per night on check-out.

More details

Breakfast isn’t usually included in the room rate, but it’s worth the extra cost. Chef Jérôme daily breakfast menu of patisseries, cold meats, cheeses, yoghurts and fruits is served in the dining room (€21 a day for adults; €15 for children).

Also

Owners Guillaume and Frédéric are art-mad, and it shows: every room is adorned with modern pieces, either from Guillaume’s gallery in Paris or from their private collection. The château’s former wine cellar has been transformed into a chic exhibition space, which hosts vernissages in partnership with international galleries four times a year.

Hotel closed

The château is closed annually from 7 January to 13 February.

At the hotel

Pétanque court, art gallery, meeting room (for up to 40 people), private vineyard, free WiFi throughout, laundry service, free on-site parking. In rooms: TV, iPod dock, air-conditioning, minibar, Malin + Goetz bath products; suites also have tea- and Nespresso coffee-making kit.

Our favourite rooms

For secluded luxury, couples will love the Executive rooms, some of which have a private terrace dotted with chairs and potted geraniums; inside, they’re traditionally decorated with intricately carved wooden furniture and black-and-white photographs.

Poolside

The large, unheated pool is open from April to October. It’s set amid verdant lawns, and is surrounded by sunloungers and shaded spots to sit in on long, lazy summer days.

Spa

A light, airy space, the intimate spa has a hammam, a fitness centre (kitted-out with high-tech equipment) and one treatment room. The menu of massages, facials and mani-pedis is extensive; there’s also the option to get your make-up done, or have a private hatha yoga lesson. The gym and hammam are open until 10pm, in case you fancy an evening steam or a late-night go on the elliptical (to compensate for an excess of fromage…).

Packing tips

Pack like an off-duty Jane Birkin: pale denim, white linen and sandals; chillier winter climes call for Parisian black cashmere and glossy hair.

Pet‐friendly

Four-legged Smiths are welcome to stay in any room; for €20 a day pups get a dog bowl, a cushion and the run of the hotel’s grounds. See more pet-friendly hotels in Provence.

Children

Children of all ages are welcome. Extra beds (€60 a night) and baby cots (€20) can be added to Executive rooms, the Park View Prestige rooms and both suites. Babysitting (which must be booked a day in advance) is available for an extra cost.

Best for

Domaine accommodates children of all ages, so you can bring everyone from tiny tots to truculent teens and they won’t mind. Although there are some on-site activities, there’s no crèche or kids club.

Recommended rooms

Families should go for one of the suites, which are super-spacious and ideal for larger broods; alternatively, the Prestige Duplex room has a superking-size bed, plus twin beds on a mezzanine level (an extra bed can be included, too).

Activities

It’s all very wholesome here, and children are encouraged to enjoy some good ol’ outdoor fun: splashing around in the pool, exploring the grounds, and discovering the custom-designed ‘Children’s House’ (a former dovecote now stocked with games and toys). Older children might find a tour around the kitchen gardens interesting, where the chef will teach them how to harvest fruit and vegetables. Smiths of all ages will have a soft spot for the Domaine’s donkeys, who are very docile and amenable to petting. 

 

Meals

Both La Cuisine d’Amélie and Le Champ des Lunes have children’s options, including sausages and chips, and simple meat or fish dishes with fresh vegetables.

 

Babysitting

Babysitters must be booked a day in advance. The hotel has audio monitors that guests can borrow, and many of the rooms are close enough to the restaurant to have reception.

No need to pack

Travel baby cots; baby bedlinen; highchairs.

Also

All the common areas are easily accessible with a buggy, so you’ll find it’s easy to get around with a tot in tow.

Food and Drink

Photos Domaine de Fontenille food and drink

Top Table

If it’s warm enough to dine alfresco, do. Otherwise, nab a table by the window; the views are almost as mesmerising as the food.

Dress Code

In homage to Frédéric, don Maje, Sandro and Claudie Pierlot; accessorise with classic jewellry and French insouciance.

Hotel restaurant

Domaine has two restaurants, both headed up by Jérôme Faure, who’s had his Michelin star for eight years. The relaxed, bar-style La Cuisine d’Amélie is situated on the ground floor, and has both indoor and outdoor seating. The mini, ‘touch of taste’ menus are a fine example of Gallic elegance: try the griddled sea bream; smoked salmon; and herb salad with orange blossoms. It's open in low season for lunch and dinner, from Friday evening to Tuesday evening, Friday lunch during mid season, and lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Monday during high season. Michelin-starred Le Champ des Lunes is smarter and more romantic; it’s well-positioned for a hit of evening sun so it’s an ideal spot for dinner à deux, overlooking a red-tinted sunset. The menu changes frequently, and the chef (and sommelier) will recommend what to have depending on how many courses you’d like – watch Jérôme and his team whip up your feast through the window to the kitchen. It's open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday evening to Sunday lunch in low season, Wednesday lunch during mid season, and lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Sunday in high season. Enjoy breakfast in bed every day of your stay; Jérôme's breakfast menu changes daily and will be delivered to your room on a tray; dishes like French toast, French cream and fresh pastries are always a favourite.

Hotel bar

The cosy bar feels just like a friend’s home (if that friend was an art-savvy socialite with serious cocktail-shaking skills): sofas are grouped around a roaring fire, modern art hangs on every wall and soft jazz plays from the speakers. Cosy up on a armchair and order a Rosé Rosé Josephine, a heady mix of rosé wine, red-fruit crème and violet syrup.

Last orders

Breakfast is served every day from 7am to 10am. Both restaurants have different opening times depending on the season – check with Smith24 Team for more details.

Room service

A room service menu of cold meats, local cheese and salads is available from 11.30am to 3.30pm and from 6pm 10pm.

Location

Photos Domaine de Fontenille location
Address
Domaine de Fontenille
Route de Roquefraiche
Lauris
84360
France

Planes

Marseille Provence Airport is an hour’s drive from the hotel (www.marseille-airport.com); most international carriers run frequent direct flights, including British Airways. Slightly closer (but with more infrequent arrivals) is Avignon Airport, a 45-minute drive from Domaine de Fontenille (www.avignon.aeroport.fr). The hotel can organise one-way transfers from both for €110 from Marseille and €100 from Avignon. The price for transfers goes up by €20 after 7pm.

Trains

Aix-en-Provence station is the closest, and connects to the whole of France and beyond (including Paris, Lyon, Brussels and Geneva) in double-quick time, thanks to the TGV. The Eurostar also runs directly from London to Aix-en-Provence (www.eurostar.com). The station is 40 minutes’ drive from the hotel and one-way transfers can be arranged from €100 (€110 after 7pm).

Automobiles

There are vineyards and villages aplenty to explore in the surrounding area, so don your headscarf and make like a Fifties French screen-star in an open-top motor: hire one from a booth at either airport, then take the A7 Autoroute to the hotel.

Worth getting out of bed for

There’s plenty to do on-site: admire the modern art in every room, lounge by the pool, stretch out in the spa and explore the grounds (plus the rest of the Luberon Natural Park). We highly recommend you also spend some time sampling the fruits of the hotel’s 35-hectare vineyards, where they produce their own (soon to be organic) wine. While rolling hills and bottled delights are undoubtedly Provence’s most famous attractions, its museums, architecture and artistic history are just as impressive. In Avignon, take a trip to the Musée Calvet and the imposing, Gothic Palais des Papes; a 35-minute drive outside the city is the majestic, Unesco-listed Pont du Gard. Cézanne is one of Aix-en-Provence’s most celebrated artists, and there are tributes to him all over the city: a dedicated room in the Musée Granet, and walking tours around his favourite locales (a route marked with ‘C’-stamped studs leads you from his first house, all the way to his grave at the Saint-Pierre cemetery).

 

Local restaurants

Head to La Petite Maison de Cucuron (a 20-minute drive from the hotel) for exquisite set menus of braised hare; beef fillet with black-truffle shavings; and scallop risotto. A 45-minute drive from the hotel, Mas de l’Amarine makes an ideal day-trip: set in lush, flower-filled gardens perfect for postprandial strolling, this modern restaurant-with-rooms specialises in relaxed, brasserie-style dishes. L’Insolite (10 minutes’ drive from Domaine) serves pizzas on their wisteria-shaded terrace – they also boast a wide selection of regional wines.

Reviews

Photos Domaine de Fontenille reviews
Laura Butler-Madden

Anonymous review

By Laura Butler-Madden, Interior designer

We left a very cold and grey Heathrow Airport at 7am, and snoozed through most of our short flight to Marseille, before we bounded off the plane into the Mediterranean sunshine. We collected our hire car and set off towards the Luberon range to begin our 48 hours of rest, relaxation and French dining. The weekend had begun…

A lunch pit stop followed in the charmingly French village of Eygalières – a picture-perfect spot with a lovely selection of cafés and restaurants where we basked in the sun, as we dined alongside locals enjoying a leisurely Friday lunch.

We declined the offer of a second (and possibly third) carafe of wine; we were too desperate to reach Domaine de Fontanille, our home for the next two nights. After winding our way through picturesque countryside, hilltop villages and vineyards aplenty, we arrived.

Set on a 17th-century estate in Luberon, complete with its very own vineyard, the hotel’s main house is a breathtakingly beautiful château. It was lovingly restored a few years ago, with its original features carefully maintained, and a feeling of contemporary, understated luxury throughout.

We dropped our bags in our bedroom – a beautiful hideaway decorated in soft, calming colours – and threw open the shutters to reveal a view of the verdant parkland stretching out  to Lauris in the distance. The grounds surrounding the house were studded with mature trees, and a very French terrace was accentuated by a fountain – the ideal setting for soaking up the last rays of sunshine and sipping a glass of rosé (from Domaine’s own vineyard, no less).

Before supper, we pottered around the gardens enjoying the aforementioned wine and sunshine on the terrace. For our first night, we’d booked into the acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurant (one of two at the hotel), Le Champ des Lunes.

After an apéritif, we faced a difficult choice between the tasting menus on offer and settled on one with three savoury and two sweet courses. The chef who oversees both of the hotel’s restaurants is Jérôme Faure, who won his first Michelin star when he was just 30. Now 38, his reputation precedes him – he's renowned for combining unusual flavours designed to ‘wake up the tastebuds’. Ours were certainly stirred as we worked our way through a lavish, creative feast of diverse flavours: langoustine, red pepper, raspberries, tarragon and goat cheese, wild-deer gravlax, home-grown beetroot, rose and black cardamom, blueberry and caviar…

Afterwards, we waddled up the stairs to our bedroom and collapsed into the huge, comfy bed. Heads resting on soft pillows, embraced by luxurious bed linen, we quickly drifted off into a deep sleep.

Breakfast was an equally gourmet affair – the ‘chef’s menu’ had a gluttonous four courses – but we were still rather full from the night before, so simply opted for croissants and toast spread with locally made jam. Our plan for the day was to explore more of the Luberon in the morning and then head back to the hotel in the afternoon to enjoy the gardens and pool and make the most of the gorgeous sunshine – possibly our last dose of the year…

We spent a wonderful day visiting Gordes and other beautiful towns in the region, then we returned for our lazy afternoon. Being a bit of a beauty addict, I booked a facial – after all, I couldn’t visit a hotel with a spa and not try it out. Treatment rooms are up in the eaves of the château. Here, I was tended to by one of the most glamorous women I’d ever seen. Dressed in a pearl-encrusted black sweater and immaculately made up, she was the personification of French elegance. The facial was one of the most relaxing I’ve ever experienced. I was alternately coddled in warm flannels and massaged with cooling potions. It was mesmerising; combined with the scent of the gorgeous Nuxe products, it sent me into a calm, meditative state.

That evening we opted to eat in the more casual, bistro-style restaurant. In the summer guests dine out on the terrace next to the fountain; we visited in autumn, so we ate in the cosy library overlooking the terrace. The menu had a selection of small plates to share: a highlight was the artichoke salad with lemon, bottarga and rocket, washed down with a delicious cuvée Fontanille.

Our departure morning came around far too soon. We were sad to be leaving our tastefully outfitted room and the magical country views – waking up to the sun streaming through the trees really was very special. But, our time away had definitely revitalised us – we boarded the plane home, fully relaxed and a more than a little full…

 

The Guestbook

Whenever you book a stay at a Smith hotel or villa, we’ll invite you to review it when you get back. Read what other Smith members had to say in Domaine de Fontenille’s Guestbook below.

We loved

We stayed one night en route to the Côte d'Azur and had a wonderful time. The location is stunning and the hotel has been beautifully restored. Our room was huge with lovely views over the terrace and gardens. All meals were served on the terrace which was quintessentially French but with lots of space between the tables for privacy. The food was delicious and service attentive but low key. It was super relaxing throughout. The heated swimming pool was a real bonus for the September visit. And the hotel was super dog friendly. They provided a very comfortable bed – plus bowls – for our dog, such that he barely got out of bed while we were there! Our only regret was that we stayed for just the one night – we wished we'd been there longer.

Don’t expect

Don't expect wild nights and loud music. It's the perfect place to relax and wind down.

Rating

Stayed on 17 Sep 2018

We loved

A beautiful property that has been elegantly renovated. Property is beautifully landscaped and surrounded by the vineyards. Excellent and innovative restaurant with an approachable wine list.

Rating

Stayed on 12 May 2018

We loved

We loved the property – the rooms, the restaurants, the winery, the spa, the garden, and Lauris. We enjoyed the attention to detail, such as the beautiful and unique scent of the property and the staff! The restaurants on site were superb, dinner at Le Champ des Lunes was one of the best meals we have had.

Don’t expect

Lively parties.

Rating

Stayed on 14 Mar 2018

We loved

The hotel grounds are beautiful. Also, the 'chef's recommendation' for breakfast was a delight. The bistro La Bergerie in Bonnieux is amazing.

Don’t expect

Everything is a drive, a car is a must.

Rating

Stayed on 17 Sep 2017

We loved

Beautiful hotel and room and private gardens. Delightful.

Rating

Stayed on 2 Jun 2017

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