Provence's Domaine de la Baume to Reopen in April with New Spa and Rooms

Looking for an old-fashioned French retreat? In the Provencal village of Tourtour, a 90-minute drive from Cannes, Domaine de la Baume (a property located in an 18th-century building) will open for its second season on April 18 with a new spa and rooms. 

 

So what makes this hotel different? It used to be the home of artist Bernard Buffet (because what's more inspiring for art than the French countryside?) and has 99 acres for unwinding (including formal French gardens, several ponds, an olive grove, a chapel and numerous waterfalls, the highest of which is 220 feet high). Best of all, the hotel offers plenty of privacy, since it only has 22 rooms, including four suites.

Nice touch: The interiors were designed in an 18th-century Provence style by Jocelyne Sibuet herself using Braquenie fabrics, antiques from local shops, and custom-made furniture. 
 
The Spa

Looking for privacy while relaxing? The spa is housed in an old-fashioned wooden cabin in the forest by the waterfalls. There will also be two treatment rooms in the tennis house. Locally-inspired treatments will include the Brown Sugar, Honey & Olive Oil Scrub, and the Jasmine Wrap, both using olive oil and honey cultivated on the property.

 
Wining and Dining

Fresh-food fans will love this: Chef Francois Martin gathers produce every day from the town market as well as Domaine’s vegetable garden. As such, each day's menu is unique. Signature dishes include roast fillet of Dorado with grilled vegetables and vierge sauce, and saddle of lamb from the Alpilles Mountains with purple basil pesto and pommes bouchons drizzled with olive oil. Bonus: Guests can also sample honey straight from the hotel’s beehives and homegrown olive oil pressed at the nearby Aups mill.
 
Good to know: We hear the property is the latest in the Maisons & Hotels Sibuet collection of boutique hotels.