{"id":13199,"date":"2021-10-05T14:13:40","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T13:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/po\/?p=13199"},"modified":"2022-08-12T15:30:05","modified_gmt":"2022-08-12T15:30:05","slug":"a-postcard-from-provence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journal.slh.com\/journal\/a-postcard-from-provence\/","title":{"rendered":"A postcard from Provence"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn”]C <\/span>hasing the last of the summer warmth in a quiet corner of Provence<\/a>, SLH’s Senior Content Editor Chloe Frost-Smith ventures into the heart of the Vaucluse and Mont Ventoux region for a long weekend of sunshine, hill climbs and fine wine.[\/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type=”flickity_static_height_style” images=”17410,17413,17411,17414,17415,17412,17416,17418,17417,17419,17420,17421,17422,17424,17423″ flickity_spacing=”default” flickity_controls=”next_prev_arrows_overlaid” flickity_overflow=”visible” flickity_wrap_around=”wrap” flickity_box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” onclick=”link_no”][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn”]Photographs by Chloe Frost-Smith<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn”]The Proven\u00e7al landscape which has captured the imaginations of some of my favourite artists from Van Gogh to C\u00e9zanne has seen relatively little change over the years. A timeless patchwork of vineyards, lavender fields and farmland sprawls across the charming countryside, dotted with market towns and sleepy villages. I have long adored the rural French way of life \u2013 browsing the freshly baked spread in the local boulangerie for your morning pastries, mooching around markets and sauntering down side streets brimming with baskets and fragrant soap stalls \u2013 some of my fondest childhood memories spent holidaying on the\u00a0C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur<\/a>\u00a0came flooding back to me as we ascended the winding road up to the small hilltop village of Crillon-le-Brave, once ruled by a long line of dukes before the French Revolution forced them to lay down their swords.<\/p>\n

Cresting the hill and now occupying many of the historic blue-shuttered buildings,\u00a0H\u00f4tel Crillon le Brave<\/a>\u00a0belongs to the\u00a0Maisons Pariente<\/a>\u00a0brand \u2013 with two equally stylish sister properties\u00a0H\u00f4tel Lou Pinet<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Saint-Tropez<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Le Coucou<\/a>\u00a0in M\u00e9ribel \u2013 which has breathed new life into these old stones with the helping hand of Parisian-based architect and designer\u00a0Charles Zana<\/a>. A smattering of locally made ceramics here, a sprinkling of dried lavender bouquets there, and a trail of artwork around the hotel to rival any contemporary gallery. Colourful collages of geometric shapes, pencil drawings, watercolours, vintage photographs and engravings decorate the walls giving Proven\u00e7al traditions a distinctly modern twist.[\/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url=”17426″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn”]From the outside, it is difficult to know where H\u00f4tel Crillon le Brave begins and ends, but that adds to the charm of it all. You essentially have a French hamlet at your feet \u2013 rooms are scattered across nine G\u00e9noise-tiled houses dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, linked by narrow cobblestone courtyards and honey-hued alleyways, complete with its own bell tower which rings out across the vineyards on the hour, every hour, echoed by a single chime on the half hour. This was the only marker of time as the hours and days slipped into a lavender scented, sun drenched rhythm where slow days are spent sipping ros\u00e9 and dipping into the pool\u2019s emerald waters set to a soundtrack of cicadas.<\/p>\n

Our individually decorated room was housed within Maison Salomon, which was originally the office of the village\u2019s lawyer, recognisable for its\u00a0oiels de boeuf<\/em>\u00a0(cow\u2019s eye windows) on the top floor. A carefully curated mix of natural materials, antique furniture, and muted colours \u2013 think aniseed green, saffron yellow, stormy grey, and limewashed white \u2013 is bathed in a golden glow from the soft light filtering through the French doors which open directly onto a terrace with views of Mont Ventoux. There is history here at every turn \u2013 stay in Le Jas and you\u2019ll be sleeping in what used to be the stables of Maison Reboul, or choose Maison Soudain for its panoramic terraces where the artist Marc Soudain once sat to paint the surrounding countryside.[\/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url=”17427″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn”]For an authentic experience of this bucolic scenery, which feels within touching distance from the hotel\u2019s several viewpoints, make like a local by heading for the hills by bicycle. The lovely little agricultural village of B\u00e9doin is an easy downhill cycle from the hotel, which lies at the foot of the mystical Mont Ventoux where you might stumble upon a handful of local shepherds tending their flocks. The Monday morning market here is a must-visit if you\u2019d like to pick up some of the region\u2019s renowned soaps, olive oil, linens, and a sensory selection of seasonal produce from citrus fruits and cheeses to garlic cloves and honey.<\/p>\n

Venturing further afield to Mormoiron on e-bicycles with knowledgeable local guide Christophe from\u00a0Ride & More<\/a>, who plucked fresh figs from the trees as we passed for us to eat en route, we stopped in several quaint and quintessentially Proven\u00e7al villages with their quiet courtyards centred around sparkling fountains, framed by cornflower blue shutters with flower pots and wooden market boxes on the window sills. Flassan is particularly brightly coloured, with rows upon rows of marmalade houses painted in a special ochre from the region, while those weathered from the sun have faded to a warm apricot tone.<\/p>\n

The surrounding vineyards, olive groves, cherry orchards, and truffle-filled forests which we whizzed through on two wheels provide much of the inspiration for Chef Adrien Brunet, who puts the very best of Provence on a plate at H\u00f4tel Crillon Le Brave\u2019s two restaurants \u2013 La Madeleine and La Table du Ventoux. Tables at the gastronomic restaurant La Madeleine are booked up for weeks in advance, and for good reason, while the less formal La Table du Ventoux serves up rustic regional dishes flavoured with herbs from the aromatic garden just above the pool. Tuck into the likes of\u00a0foie gras<\/em>\u00a0nougat, flame grilled octopus, locally sourced cheeseboards and lavender souffl\u00e9 as you watch the sun set over the verdant Ventoux valley from your seat on the panoramic terrace \u2013 the perfect way to end a slow-paced day in this peaceful part of the world.[\/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url=”17428″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn”]\n

SLH Insider Tips<\/h2>\n