The vineyard vacation bundles up the best aspects of travel—fine wine, scenery and dining—into one experience. These three French properties offer unique wine tasting options (electric bike tours of the vines anyone?) in addition to luxe spas, locally-inspired onsite restaurants and acres of land for wandering and exploring at your leisure. Here’s where to go now:
Château l’Hospitalet, (Languedoc): This sprawling hotel, resort and winery rests in a slice of southern French paradise where the light is naturally pink-hued and the blue is endless. Owned by winemaker Gerard Bertrand, the resort recently unveiled its complete facelift—with totally renovated guest rooms and a brand new offering—Villa Soleilla. The Villa suites (there are 11 total) sit just up the hillside from the main hotel and boast a private pool and spa. Rooms, each of which has a private terrace, are perched directly overlooking the corrugated rows of vineyards that stretch far into the horizon—2,400 acres of vine to be exact, along with a swath of protected Mediterranean forest. Mattresses are seriously firm, furnishings have a Scandinavian-meets-Southern France vibe, and your rainfall shower looks out over the vineyards.
Overall, the property’s new look adheres to a modern and fresh style with emphasis on blonde natural woods tones, accented with grey, cream and black hues. For diversions guests of the resort can practice their game on the freshly manicured putting green, book a tennis court or just idle in one of the two heated pools. But, you came for the wine.
Bertrand’s property offers a great opportunity to get a taste of his many wines—the on-site wine shop and tasting room is open seven days a week. Be sure to look for tastes of his Ballentine Sparkling Rose, Clos du Temple (an ultra-premium still rose) and his Grand Vin La Clape red blend. For the full immersion, consider a guided tour of one of Bertrand’s many biodynamic vineyards, on foot or by electric bike.
Provence:
Located about 90 minutes from Nice, deep in the bucolic heart of Provence, Château de Berne's five-star Relais & Châteaux pampering might compel you to extend your stay. Specialists in organic wines, the Château cultivates roughly 432 acres of plots. The property also offers their own olive oil, jam from their orchards, and honey from their hives.
The staff of trained sommeliers are on hand to take you on a guided tour, walk you through a vertical tasting or arrange a food and wine pairing experience. Cooking classes are offered regularly in their stunning show kitchen or just make a night of Michelin-starred cuisine at their gastronomic restaurant, Le Jardin de Berne. Three vegetable gardens (and no less than 4,000 olive trees) supply the ingredients for meals, so you’ll be a true locavore during your stay.
Retire from a full day of wine immersion to your room, which oozes Provençal style, with a chic sunlit farmhouse ambiance. You can also book one of their private villas for a more private stay. The Spa by Cinq Mondes is always on hand for restorative treatments and hiking trails and yoga are on offer as well.
Bordeaux:
The Relais & Chateaux five star Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is tucked into the historic terroir of the Sauternes region of Bordeaux. This is the third Lalique Hotel (the other two are in Alsace) offering signature accommodations accented with Lalique crystal pieces, which are set in bed frames, chests of drawers, bedside tables, mirrors and sofas. The winery for Domaine Lafaurie-Peyraguey rests on roughly 50 acres and boasts a cellar and chapel entirely decorated by Lalique.
Winery experiences include tastings, vertical tasting and a food and wine pairing combinations. The on-site Lalique Restaurant, one star Michelin, is housed in a 17th century building and features walls of glass that look out over the vineyards. Chef Jérôme Schilling experiments with the full range of culinary potential of Sauternes—infusion, maceration, fermentation, crystallization, poaching. Every aspect of the wine’s production provides inspiration: grape must, wine lees, vine shoots.
The property has ten rooms total with three suites, all with vineyard views—and, it was voted as the 2021 most beautiful hotel in the southwest by Yonder magazine.
