Hostellerie de l'Abbaye de la Celle

I was nervous as we approached the beautiful old monastery that is Hostellerie de L’Abbaye de la Celle. Would such a grand country hotel be too formal and dull for our daughters? Just as worryingly, would our boisterous young family destroy the romance and tranquillity of this Provençal retreat for the other guests? Within seconds, all worries washed away. Yes, the surroundings are extremely luxurious, but with a confident formality that is in fact incredibly relaxed. Staff are so welcoming and delightful that it feels as though you are at the weekend house of a very rich friend’s parents rather than a hotel. As much attention was given to the needs of the kids as our own. I’m not quite sure what bought the affection of our daughters most, the hot chocolate they were given while we checked in, or the lovely handwritten note waiting for them in their room, wishing ‘The Children Granger’ a pleasant stay.

In no time, Inès was Instagramming pictures of herself draped over our antique bed, while Edie and Bunny ‘WOWed’ their way around the two adjoining rooms. I can see why they were so excited. Our quarters were so vast that once we opened up the adjoining doors and could see through, it was like being in a really pretty apartment that we could happily live in. Soft grey walls, grand proportions, and diffused light streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling French shutters. And to add to the feeling that we were being looked after by friends in their country house, each room had a lovely vase of fresh white roses. I appreciated this rare touch almost as much as the homemade gifts from the pastry chef brought to our rooms every night. And with those little bags of marshmallows or shortbreads would be another handwritten note.

I’m almost glad that we went in winter. Don’t get me wrong, I want to go back to L’Abbaye in summer to check out the vegetable garden when it’s more abundant. Lazing in the beautiful terrace while the girls enjoy the pool would have been magical, of course. But it gave us the perfect excuse to spend quality time as a family doing nothing much in our spectacular rooms with no guilt. It wasn’t quite a sit-in, but it was so charming, that we just didn’t want to leave. Take breakfast: we’d originally organised to have it in our rooms, thinking Mrs Smith and I would enjoy it in bed while the kids were in the adjoining room. The reality was something different.

On the first morning (and on all the remaining days!) the girls climbed in to share the feast with us. It could have been a nightmare, but the fresh light was coming in through the shutters, the home-made pastries, omelettes and fruit, freshly pressed juices, pots of hot chocolate, coffee and tea, an array of house-made cereals in individual glass jars, as well as home-made preserves, spectacular French butter, all served in the most elegant china and silverware, with piles of enormous linen napkins. Each breakfast was one of those moments you treasure. It also helped knowing that we weren’t the ones who’d have to get the crumbs off the bed.

When we finally made it out, we strolled around the beautiful gardens, then past the gates to a cute little village. There’s nothing much to do but to enjoy the picturesque surroundings – ideal for us, as we were recovering from a hectic couple of weeks. Back at the hotel we lounged with our novels, the girls played in the swings, and we blissfully just switched off.

Being a foodie family, the main draw was a restaurant headed by chef, Benoit Witz. I like things casual, so it was a relief to see that despite the Alain Ducasse connection, there is no pretension or stuffiness where it comes to food; just elegance, finesse and impeccable technique just as the French are famous for. Ducasse’s influence isn’t rammed down your throats, but it is clear that this is no ordinary country-hotel restaurant. No 16-year-old locals attempting silver service: the staff is probably the sleekest and most passionate I’ve ever come across – and the warmest.

The menu is confident and beautifully simple – just how I like it. Our five courses included a spectacular classic fish soup with rouille, a succulent baby shoulder of lamb with asparagus, and an incredible array of goats and sheep’s cheeses. The wine list is extensive and loaded with local specialities; not knowing much about this region I was happy to put myself in the expert hands of the manager. During our stay, we drank several stunning wines from the area, including two different vintages of the same wine, each with a different hand-drawn illustration on its label. The manager’s explanations about the wines’ backgrounds had the children as intrigued and fascinated as us.

I know I’ve said a bit about how great the staff were, but they were so impressive. If I could transfer them all into my restaurants I’d be a happy man. Nothing was a problem. And although this isn’t a place that caters specifically to children, it was their attention to our needs as a family that made the holiday. So that the kids wouldn’t have to sit through a long formal dinner, the girls were offered a simple plate of gnocchi and fish, which they happily devoured before going back to the room to watch French game shows. (In keeping with the Hollywood celebrity trend to only let your kids watch TV in a foreign language, Mrs Smith and I pretended this would have some cultural benefit, with the added bonus of giving us the chance to enjoy time alone.)

As we were leaving L’Abbaye de la Celle, we were all ushered into the pastry kitchen. The girls were offered house-made hard caramels in an array of flavours from salted to mango, and each left with a bag of bonbons. Delicious of course, and the way to our girls’ hearts – but the real treat was for me. We got to walk through the entire kitchen to collect them – a beautifully spacious series of rooms, with gleaming copper pans everywhere. Exactly the kitchen I want to have when I grow up.