|Places| When the Greeks
|Places| When the Greeks arrived in Marseille over 2,600 years ago, they planted vines all over the sundrenched countryside, never dreaming that one day, the fine art of winemaking in Provence would attract medieval monks, centuries of aristocrats and, these days, cinema royalty like Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Ridley Scott. N o wonder there’s an old Provençal proverb extolling the virtues of the grape – “a day without wine is a day without sun” — but now, beyond savouring the region’s exceptional vintages (award-winning tri-colour AOC Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence), you can sleep in elegant country castles hidden away in forests of truffle oaks and pines, or discover the invention or revival of sleek contemporary neo-Provençal hotels that celebrate everything that springs from the soil. One of the most grandiose châteaux of its kind, Villa Baulieu (villabaulieu.com), 15 kilometres northwest of Aix-en-Provence, sits atop an ancient volcano and once belonged to the vine-growing Counts of Provence in the late 1500s. Formerly a private home and under new management by the Airelles group, this enchanting 12-bedroom Italianate Provençal country bastide, located inside a 300ha wine estate, is available for private rental for special occasions, and includes a chef and a full staff. It is a stunning period-piece gem, inside and out: everything from the crenellated towers and majestic cour d’honneur entrance, stone pool and vast French garden (where a 17th-century “temple of love” still stands) to the hand-picked antique interiors conjure lavish fêtes of days past. Along with a library, a music room, a country kitchen, a glassed-in orangery for breakfast, a Renaissance-style dining room, romantic canopy beds, museum-quality paintings, and sitting rooms for teatime or cocktails, comes an elaborate attention to detail. During the seven-year restoration by former owners, the Guénant family, expert local craftsmen turned this three-storey castle into an eyecatching example of authenticity, apparent everywhere from the ornate white Provençal-plaster gypserie chimneys to the delicate painted ceiling frescoes. Airelles has also embellished the estate with modern luxe features such as an indoor spa, a cutting-edge fitness room and a plush after-dinner smoking parlour. Nearby, the once-sleepy rural village of Le Puy- Sainte-Réparade has become an unexpected hot spot for serious foodies, wine lovers, nature enthusiasts, history buffs and culture vultures. If you’re looking for a beguiling mix of 18th-century aristocratic allure and deep comfort, head to the meticulously restored Château de Fonscolombe (fonscolombe.com), a listed historical monument set in a leafy 12ha park edged with vineyards. Glimpsed from the entrance path and lined with majestic plane trees and two ochre stone towers, you might mistake this 50-room Quattrocentostyle mansion for a private estate – which it was for nearly three centuries. The former home of two illustrious botanist families, the Marquis de Saporta and de Fonscolombes, the atmosphere – marked by dreamy four-poster beds and splendid public rooms with glittering drop-leaf crystal chandeliers – evokes a timeless pastoral hideaway, but that’s not all. A major highlight is the newly arrived chef, Marc Fontanne Octopus and radish in curry butter and sour-cream soup at Château de Fonscolombe’s L’Orangerie restaurant PHOTO © LE CHÂTEAU DE FONSCOLOMBE 32 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
