Benvengudo

It doesn’t take a Latin scholar to guess that in the traditional dialect of Provence, “benvengudo” means “welcome” — and you don’t have to be a travel journalist to begin to guess what you can expect from a hotel with a name like Hotel Restaurant Benvengudo, in a place like Les Baux de Provence. It’s a classic country-house hotel, set on seven acres of parkland and gardens, in the shadow of the Château des Baux-de-Provence. The setting is perfectly typical of the region, with views of lavender fields, olive groves, and the peaks of the Alpilles.

And the atmosphere is perfectly Provençal as well; mistral winds, Mediterranean climate, and a slow pace of life, with plenty of time for pétanque in between leisurely meals, accompanied by the finest local wines. The rooms and suites are classic in style, but fresh in finish and subtly luxurious in comforts. It’s no crumbling farmhouse — this is a quietly high-end experience. The restaurant focuses on a modern presentation of classic Provençal flavors, with as many ingredients as possible grown in the property’s gardens. It’s a fine home base for exploring the surrounding countryside, or for hiding out for a while — and if there’s nothing earth-shatteringly revolutionary about it, it’s because the formula of high-end French country hospitality is one that works perfectly well as it is.