Domaine de Fontenille

As a house, the Domaine de Fontenille, in Provence’s Luberon Valley, dates back to the eighteenth century, and the estate goes all the way back to 1638. But in its current incarnation as a luxury hotel, it’s more or less brand new. This might just be the best possible case for hotel guests, as you soak in an abundance of historical atmosphere, even as you benefit from a thoroughly modern approach to hospitality — in a new hotel, there’s no such thing as “we’ve always done it this way.”

That’s not to say they’ve entirely dispensed with tradition. The experience is still, delightfully, reminiscent of the Provençal farmhouse fantasies we’ve all had. There’s a contemporary sheen to the décor, and all the necessary technology in the rooms, but the effect never breaks the spell — the essential character of the place remains undisturbed.

The spa, the pool, the gardens, and the paths that crisscross the estates vineyards and grounds provide ample opportunity for physical restoration. And the focus, of course, is the dinner table, where chef Guillaume Goupil presides over a pair of restaurants, and the cellars stock the Domaine’s own wines, as well as countless other labels. It’s an instant classic, if you’ll forgive the phrase, nearly four hundred years in the making.

How to get there: Domaine de Fontenille is located 25 minutes from downtown Aix en Provence, 45 minutes from Avignon, 50 minutes from Marseille, all of which are served by air and rail links.