Along a road sprinkled with mansions fronted by heavy entrance gates, the Route des Pinchinats, to the north-east of Aix-en-Provence, leads to the Château de la Gaude. Within this quiet countryside setting, would you believe, the 17th century manor has undergone something of a revolution these last three years. Acquired by a businessman with a passion for art and wine, the Château de la Gaude has recently been transformed into a flamboyant boutique hotel and gourmet restaurant at the heart of the original 17-hectare wine estate.
Château de la Gaude: refined luxury in every detail
Vineyard hotels share in an art which they each excel at in their own way: the art of de-connect-ion. Attentive service, ultra-comfortable rooms, first-rate restaurants and extraordinary landscapes contribute enormously to this art.
At the Château de la Gaude, imagine all these luxuries – which give an oh so “nights in the vineyards” feel – multiplied tenfold! To create and combine these luxuries, the Blaise family called upon big names in their respective fields, such as architect Olivier Frémont (who also worked on Château du Seuil), to give the property its visual identity and design its 17 bedrooms, complete with sleek furnishings. At the heart of the dwelling, which is classed as a historic monument, guests can stay the night in one of 7 bedrooms where the moulding of days gone by blends harmoniously with the paintings of Robert Combas and Philippe Pasqua.
The high-tech winery, for its part, is the work of the architect Olivier Chadebost, and can be visited. A gleaming instrument! The French-style garden, which stretches out below the terrace, received the green touch of landscape designer Thomas Gentilini. The kitchens of the restaurant, Le Art, are presided over by the Michelin-starred chef Matthieu Dupuis-Baumal, who invites gourmets for an experience behind the scenes, at his side. Even the dining room’s chandelier was masterminded by craftsman Régis Mathieu. And let us not forget the monumental and captivating sculptures by artist Philippe Pasqua, which can be found here and there within the property’s grounds. The works, including a bling-bling skull where butterflies gather, sea urchins on the lawn, and a 7-meter long steel shark suspended by a rope, stand out in a striking yet solid manner in this princely realm.
A Provençal château-village?
The Château de la Gaude wine-tasting cellar is also one of a kind. Some 750 bottles from across the country are available to purchase, as well as luxury items including glassware and wine tools. The tasting area also welcomes inspired, themed afterworks every Thursday. Upcoming projects include a brewery (within which you’ll be able to see the estate’s spring, no less!), a spa, and an immense swimming pool. As a mini-village where a flow has been established between the different entities each with its own schedule, as an artwork with its gardens and gallery, and as a vineyard, the Château de la Gaude has embarked on a new chapter in its history, a chapter whose pages are already filled with a new, elegant, and assured language.
Overnight gift experiences from 390€ for two people. Château de la Gaude 3913 Route des Pinchinats, 13100 Aix-en-Provence – Tel 04 84 93 09 30 https://chateaudelagaude.com/
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