Tucked away in high Provence is this glorious, three-hectare country estate. Within it, set among olive groves, are 24 uber-chic rooms and suites. Each one is unique, some with a history dating back to the early 1800s. Choose a room in the lovingly restored, original stone houses (most have private terraces) spread through the garden from the hilltop down to the village square, or splurge on a three-storey, tower-like suite with views over the cliff.
The gardens are vast, tranquil and beautifully well-kept, we spent hours moving from hidden corner to hidden corner with a book and coffee (sometimes wine), watching the light change over Provence’s rolling hills. A large heated pool sparkles somewhere among the trees, there's a separate one for families too. After a morning exploring picturesque Cotignac (awarded prettiest village in France in 2022), visiting its ancient cliff-side houses, cave dwellings and art studio-lined streets, we had the tough choice to make between restaurants, each one another successful restoration project undertaken by the owners. We chose the fine-dining option; here a top-rated chef works his magic using produce plucked from the kitchen garden, and you are able to enjoy course after course in private, homely dining rooms that are majestically French.
Spend days reclining on a sunny pool lounger or sampling beer at the hotel microbrewery (yep, it has one of those too). We managed (with difficulty!) to drag ourselves away from this sanctuary to discover Provence's spectacular scenery – from mountain lakes and hidden waterfalls to historic hilltop towns and ancient vineyards – content with the knowledge we’d be cosying up in our sumptuous suite after a session in the steam shower. Bliss.
Highs
- The picturesque, nature-rich country estate is quite the setting, with striking cliffs on one side, and Provence’s rolling hills on the other
- We loved the classic-yet-chic Provencal country styling, with modern art on the walls and a steam shower in the bathroom
- The tree-lined pools, perfectly placed in the lush green gardens
- A top location: in the heart of a charming Provencal village, bustling with art stores, great eateries and live-music venues
- Lunch at Jardin Secret was a treat – three courses made with ingredients sourced from within a 35km radius – each course light and bursting with flavour; no wonder it won a Green Michelin Star in 2023
Lows
- Parts of the hotel are still under construction (including some of the rooms) so you might see some building work within the grounds
- The main restaurant is closed for lunch and dinner on Weds & Thurs, but the bistro is open everyday bar Monday (& Sunday evening); the wine bar is only open mid-June to mid-Sept
- Finding the place is a challenge – bring detailed directions!
- The pools can be a little chilly during colder months
Best time to go
From April to June, and September to October, the climate is warm and the sights are less busy. Summers (July to August) are hot and busy in this region. That said, Lou Calen is a haven away from the masses. The hotel is closed for a month usually early Nov-early Dec.
Our top tips
There are lots of restaurants in the village, all easily walkable, so on a longer stay you can have quite a gastronomic experience. Picotte comes especially recommended.
The hotel provided chic straw sun hats for use during our stay - which was handy as we'd not brought any.
The hotel provided chic straw sun hats for use during our stay - which was handy as we'd not brought any.
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 8 independent reviews from i-escape guests
The room was charming, and the staff were good. They left us a very nice bottle of sparkling Rose, which was unexpected. Breakfast is really good, and the Secret Jardin is a fantastic restaurant. Staff where helpful when asked, but not as proactive as some other hotels we have stayed at. For the price of the hotel, in our opinion, I think they are missing a trick here, we expected them to be a bit more on it for helping us plan our days.
Room was amazing. So was the pool area and the gardens. However, we felt that breakfast was a bit on the basic side.
The Bastidon is a nice little room, quite secluded with its own terrasse, close to the zen pool, so it is a nice retreat for relaxing. The jacuzzi of the zen pool makes some noise when it is turned on but is is highly bearable. The room lacks a curtain on the window to protect from the morning light, and the shutter provides shade but not total darkness. Overall the room could be better maintained.
The restaurant is very good and offers a very nice atmosphere. The wine bar is nice but not good value for money. Breakfast is served in the new premises which are not so nice but we could go upstairs on the terrace so it was perfectly fine (though the renovation work while we stayed made it difficult some days to enjoy breakfast). The jam and juices are very good, but is was difficult to get hot water for a tea, and the pastries were not very good. And there is no novelty at all, so after 7 days we felt a bit bored with the limited offer. Overall the food is not at the same standard as the rest of the hotel.
Service was friendly. On the last day the pool products ruined the colour of our bathing suits. We mentioned it to réception who said they would pass on the message but no commercial gesture.
Overall Value was ok because we had the cheapest room and the place in itself (both in the village and out of the village) is beautiful and quiet.
The village offers lots of restaurants within 2 mins' walk where you can eat well: Picotte was very good.
I love your website so please keep going, you are doing a great job!
This is a fabulous place - staggeringly beautiful and very charming. The staff are all wonderful and ensure you will have a lovely time playing tennis, swimming, and eating at the elegant, bohemian Jardin Secret. Thank you all.
A little piece of heaven. We loved everything about it and found it hard to drag ourselves away. Perfect location with the gorgeous village of Cotignac only a short walk away. Lovely friendly staff. The food was excellent.
Lou Calen is a true gem in the charming town of Cotignac, which is mostly unspoilt by heavy tourism. The grounds of the property are wonderful, and the pool (which we had no time to use) looks very inviting. With more time we would also have taken advantage of the tennis court. The “piece de resistance” of our stay was the amazing dinner at “Jardin secret”, the hotel restaurant, where we enjoyed a superb meal with fantastic local wine. Our room was very comfortable with a beautiful patio that overlooked the lush gardens. We will definitely return to Lou Calen!
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