Provence Road Trip Part 1 – La Bastide de Marie + The Luberon

I have wanted to visit Provence in the South of France for some time now. The vineyards, the stone farm houses, the colorful shutters, the hilly countryside, and the amazing food have been calling my name for years. When my husband and I decided to take a holiday for our first wedding anniversary, I knew this would be the perfect place to go. Staying in the Luberon area was at the top of my list and when I saw pictures of the hotel La Bastide de Marie in the heart of the Luberon, I knew we had to stay there! And let me tell you, it surpassed all of my expectations!

We drove up the winding, rocky, and somewhat treacherous hillside in search of a little town called Menerbes. At the base of the town we turned into a long cyprus tree lined entrance to find the most beautiful restored 18^th century farmhouse that was covered in vines and pretty blue shutters.

We immediately felt at home the second we stepped foot on the grounds and hurried inside to explore the hotel.

The inside was both casual yet elegant and luxurious yet relaxed. We were smitten. I was handed an over-sized key and we went in search of our room.

Only to find the most darling room filled with Provencal décor, a four poster bed, and amenities that even the most particular traveler couldn’t find anything to complain about.

A second door in the room led me out to the most amazing views of a vineyard.

Since we arrived mid-day we were just in time for tea. An array of treats were laid out for us to enjoy on the patio and when our stomachs were filled we decided to stroll through the 60 acres of vineyards in search of wine.

We didn’t have to go far as the hotel’s winery, Domaine de Marie, was just up the road.

We tried out the reds, rosés, and whites that were on offer and purchased a couple to bring home as souvenirs.

We strolled back through the vineyards only to find an empty pool calling our names. We hurried to grab our things and took a quick dip in the heated pool, making sure we’d be ready for the apéritif hour which started at seven.

We got ready for cocktails and joined the rest of the hotel guests for an acoustic music session on the terrace. The tables were filled with glasses of Pastis, rosé, and Campari. The guests were sun-kissed, relaxed, and swaying to the music. It was perfection!

Here’s a little clip of the music if you’re interested.

As the sun began to set and the air got cooler, we left our table and made our way into the dining room.

We had the most decadent meal, incredible service, and each course was paired with the wine we tasted from the vineyard earlier that day. The entire evening was unforgettable.

We made our way back to the room smiling from ear to ear.

Only to wake up to find a delicious breakfast of chocolate croissants and other delicacies. We filled our grumbling stomachs and headed out to explore the area.

The hotel is located in the town of Menerbes, a gorgeous hilltop town that houses a lovely bell tower and a corkscrew museum with 1,000 different kinds. We explored the town and visited nearby Gordes and Roussillon as well.

Roussillon was a lovely little town full of restaurants and galleries (you can find more pictures of Roussillon on Jenny’s blog here). There wasn’t a whole lot to do or see, but it was by far the most colorful and picturesque town we visited. We had a leisurely lunch and strolled around town.

And ended our time in the Luberon area with lavender ice cream (which was surprisingly good)!

This area was the perfect place to start our road trip through the south of France. And if you find yourself in this part of the world look no further than La Bastide de Marie in the heart of the Luberon. You won’t be disappointed.

 

Keep your eyes peeled for the second part of Jenny’s gorgeous road trip through the south of France next week!