Château de Fonscolombe is a magnificent 18th-century château built in the Italianate Quattrocento style, now a 5-star boutique hotel in Provence, France.
It has wonderfully elegant accommodation, beautiful botanic gardens, a vineyard and winery, spa facilities, and an excellent restaurant.
The Rooms:
They have 50 B&B rooms and suites at the château, from doubles to quadruples, with the rooms being classed as Standard, Deluxe, and Superior, and the suites; Junior and Prestige.
The Prestige Suites are the ultimate in style and class and a lavishly romantic feast for the senses, but even the most standard rooms at Château de Fonscolombe, though more minimalist, are also elegant and chic.
The entire château is immaculately restored, in formal 18th-century style, and is a great pleasure to wander around.
It has numerous lavish salons and intimate spaces to lounge in, and a great array of old art and antique furniture to be admired.
There is a fine restaurant here, a separate lounge bar, spa facilities, and an outdoor heated swimming pool in the beautifully tended gardens.
Prices:
Check out all the details – prices, reviews, and more photos – on the booking page here.
Facilities & Things to Do:
L’Orangerie is the hotel restaurant and serves what might best be described as creative updates on traditional Provençal cuisine.
Much of the ingredients come fresh, and organic, from the château kitchen gardens, with the rest being locally sourced as much as possible.
The food is simple, wholesome, and delicious. Examples of main dishes include lamb with coriander and Jerusalem artichoke purée, red mullet with cauliflower cream, seaweed oil, and rocket, beef and potatoes with confit and crispy shallots, and sole fillet with caramelized sweetbreads, milk mousse, and hazelnuts.
All dishes can be happily paired with a selection of their own organic fine wines; reds, whites, and rosés, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The dining hall is bright, airy, and contemporary and in summer the château terrace opens up for al fresco dining overlooking the immaculate gardens.
The elegant lounge and bar is a more old-style space that also opens out onto its own terrace space. It has a broad selection of drinks, including fine cocktails and of course wines.
It is adjacent to the wine cellar and there guests can partake in wine tasting, privately or in the company of their fellow guests.
Other spaces around the château include some very inviting salons and boudoirs, a library, a writing room, a billiards room, and a music room.
The wellness facilities at the château include a luxurious hammam salon, a beauty salon, and a fitness centre/gym all of which are open all day from 8 am to 10 pm.
Outside in the gardens you also have an outdoor heated swimming pool with an adjacent pool house serving snacks and drinks.
The entire grounds are lovely to wander around, with lawns, ponds, beds of flowers and shrubs, fountains, statues, an old chapel, a boules court, and beyond all that the estate vineyards.
The gardens at Château de Fonscolombe, which include 180 plant species, many of them rare, were mainly the work of its 19th-century owner: Marquess Gaston de Saporta, an old friend of Charles Darwin and a renowned botanist in her own right.
Location:
The château is near the borders of the Luberon National Park in a quiet peaceful corner of Provence that, though it feels far from the madding crowds, is still less than 20 minutes from Aix-en-Provence.
It is a lovely area for hiking, long country walks, and cycling (bikes can be hired at the hotel) and the concierge service can help plan itineraries, activities, and excursions in the local area including wine tours, hot air balloon trips, horse riding, etc.
The nearest airport is at Marseille around 45 minutes beyond Aix-en-Provence to the south.
Some Guest Reviews:
“Amazing castle in the peaceful French countryside. Everything was perfect. Beautiful surroundings and landscapes. The staff are super friendly and helpful….”
“This place was just magical!! The surroundings were just incredible, it had everything you needed (including a beautiful restaurant) and the staff are extremely lovely. I never wanted to leave this place – it was like a fairytale castle!!…”
