There's nothing like a short 'n' sweet seasonal getaway to recharge batteries so a couple of months ago, my friend and I took a long weekend trip and escaped to Lourges, a Provençal town in the south of France. We stayed at the beautiful Château De Berne,a 1500 acre residence surrounded by countryside and all the fresh air a girl could wish for. For me this place had everything; a vineyard, a spa, a gorgeous pool, tennis court and gym and amazing food. As you drive through the entrance gates, you're instantly aware of its remote location as you need to drive 3km just to get to reception.You're immediately greeted by a concierge who parks your car and carries your luggage, followed by a welcome glass of sparkling Château De Berne wine while you check in. I'm always a stickler for service and was pleased with how Christine and the rest of the front of house staff welcomed us. I honestly had an a amazing 2 day break doing an array of my favourite things which went a little something like this:
Saturday:
Saturday:
Our room was a beautiful and elegantly decorated suite overlooking the vineyard and castle with a private balcony, en suite shower, bath and cute living area. Once checked in, we decided to have some spa time before dinner and were pleasantly surprised with everything on offer including an indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and quiet reading area. I also had a 20 minute massage the next day which was extremely relaxing and rejuvenating. Our spa treat was followed by dinner at L'Orangerie,
a gourmet restaurant within the vineyard offering a perfect dining experience,
impressive menus and of course an abundance of local wine and cheeses to enjoy.
Sunday Funday
Sunday was all about pool time. Hours were spent,
reading, cooling off and taking in the last bit of vitamin D at the beautiful
infinity pool. The peace and quiet was much needed as was the mid-afternoon wine tasting tour that followed ( it's not like you can go to a 292 acre vineyard and NOT taste the wine...)
Our host certainly knew everything there was to know about the château's heritage and wine making and I loved the fact that he took us full circle showing the early days of the grapes right to how they are harvested and turned into wine with the huge steel and wooden barrel cellars. The tour ended up with some tasting at La Cave, the local gift shop and wine bar within the château grounds.
Last Day
