Review of Hôtel Crillon le Brave - Provence

Located at the foot of Mont Ventoux, the hotel is perched in the quaint hilltop village of Crillon le Brave in Provence, just 40 kilometres north of Avignon and its TGV railway station. The towns of Aix en Provence and Marseille are less than one and a half hours drive south whilst the Côte d’Azur is around three hours away. 

For oenophiles, the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône are just 30 minutes by car whilst the antiques-paradise of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is 40 minutes away, Vaison-la-Romaine, 30 minutes away.

The nearest airport is Avignon Provence Airport which is 44 kilometres away with Avignon TGV station a similar distance. It is easy to rent a car from any of the main car rental agencies at the airport and railway station. Marseille Provence Airport is a little farther afield are around 100 kilometres distance. For drivers, there is valet parking.

The 16 rooms and 18 suites of Crillon le Brave are nestled within 17th and 18th century buildings with most of them offering unobstructed views of the surrounding landscape and mountains from their balconies. Each of the light and airy rooms is unique with antique furniture and carefully selected artefacts and original room layouts according to the architecture of each of the ten houses comprising the property. Some enjoy wooden ceiling beams whilst others have feature windows and cubby holes. Neutral colour schemes are enlivened with pretty Provençal fabrics, cosy throws, curated artworks and tailor-made cotton satin bed linens. There are flat-screen televisions with satellite channels; Chromecast; minibars with complimentary non-alcoholic beverages; personal safes; Nespresso machines and kettles; individually adjusted air-conditioning; Bamford toiletries for the entire family and hair dryers.

Rooms start with the 25 - 30 square metres Superior Room and Superior Ventoux Room, the latter having favoured views over Mont Ventoux. Moving on up, the Deluxe Rooms are more spacious at 30 - 35 square metres of space but they still enjoy the same contemporary styled interiors. The Deluxe Ventoux Rooms sometimes offer a free-standing bathtub in the middle of the room while the view of the mountain lends a particular charm to this room category.

The nooks and crannies of the Prestige Rooms at 35 - 40 square metres, lend interest to the space whilst the Junior Suite Deluxe Ventoux offer 40 to 50 square metres and feature décor using wood, linen, black wrought iron and ceramics – natural materials blending together to offer simple elegance and a warm and welcoming vibe.

The Suite Deluxe adds on 20 square metres, offering a separate lounge overlooking the medieval village of Crillon le Brave. The Suite Deluxe Ventoux is of a similar size but with incredible views over the valley whilst the Two Bedroom Deluxe Suite a offers the independence of a house, ideal for a family. It has a lounge on the ground floor, a double room on the first floor and another double on the second – all with ensuite bathrooms.

The Suite Prestige Ventoux Rooms at 70 - 80 square metres are the largest rooms, suitable for three guests and have that most requested view.

In the centre of the village is the pampering haven of the Spa des Écuries, located in the former vaulted stone stables dating back to the 18th century. There are three treatment rooms at this private sanctuary including one double with the spa using Bamford natural organic products for massages, exfoliation, face and body treatments with Opi for manicures and pedicures. Feel your heart relax as you breathe in the plentiful pails of lavender situated throughout. Personalised programmes are available on request: sports preparation and recovery, yoga, meditation, slimming and detox, anti-stress treatments, future mum massages and so much more. 

Other facilities include a Fitness Centre housed in the former chapel of the village with TechnoGym equipment, free weights and yoga – the property features yoga retreats – whilst there is also a peaceful heated outdoor swimming pool for residents only with its turquoise waters overlooking the countryside and the vineyards. Loungers surround the space, ideal for lazily watching the countryside with its plentiful birdlife. Try your hand at pétanque as well in the lovely, terraced court. 

The hotel’s gardens and herb garden cover the dry-stone walls, cascade down steps, cut into the village ramparts and feature shady pergolas, a fountain and grand cypress trees just beneath the Château de Crillon with its medieval battlements.

For those who like to explore, concierge will share their in-depth knowledge of the region – from restaurants and vineyards to neighbouring villages and guided tours. From hiking, cycling (this is a Tour de France hotspot for avid cyclists) and kayaking to hot air ballooning and vintage car outings, there is a feast of activities at your fingertips.

The hotel offers a wide selection of artworks in both the guest rooms and public areas – some owned by the hotel, others loaned from the private collection of the owners. In the Madeleine Restaurant for example are two paintings by Donald Judd whilst in La Table du Ventoux, there’s a portrait of Picasso to admire. Jaume Roig’s ceramics can be found in the public areas of the property – either in a hallway corner or in the Bar – spontaneous sculptures with organic shapes made of different types of clay and coloured with natural pigments.

Families are welcomed here with kiddies welcomes with cuddly toys, Jacadi amenities and mini bathrobes and slippers. Bathtubs, changing mats and highchairs are available on request. Small dogs under ten kilogrammes can stay too in the Prestige Room category.

Hôtel Crillon le Brave is like a romantic idyll – a property which blends perfectly into the hilltop village founded in the twelfth century – a collection of ten ancient houses, acquired over time, cascading down the hill connected by ancient walkways, meandering shaded paths and terraces. As you walk through the space, the hotel reveals itself to you with pedestrianised little streets and galleries leading to spectacular viewing points over the surrounding areas. For many of us, when we dream of France, this is exactly what we are thinking about – no wonder it has won so many awards. Small and intimate, it still offers all the facilities beloved of the world’s elite in the most unusual of settings, recently refreshed and inviting with a contemporary flourish and the most attentive and courteous of personnel to look after you. 

Provence is one of France’s best-loved regions, thanks to a large part to Peter Marle and his 1989 best-selling memoir, A Year in Provence. Who really can resist this beautiful region with its jams, tapenades, fruits and wines: yes wines, wonderful wines with opportunities to visit private vineyards, try their products over a picnic lunch and return laden with bottles to enjoy at home? It is hard to contemplate a time when I would not want to venture back to Provence but more particularly to this charming luxury abode: to just relax and smell the roses.

Hôtel Crillon le Brave's two restaurants are now under the toque of Adrien Brunet, the new Executive Chef, whose philosophy dictates that the ingredients’ flavour and textures must shine through any recipe. Reinterpreting typical dishes and products from the region to bring his guests Provence on a Platter, it’s helpful therefore that he has the abundant bounty of Provençal produce at his disposal.

The gastronomic La Madeleine is inspired by the richness of the local terroir with Adrien carefully selecting products sourced from the best producers of the area. His recipes play with the concept of the madeleine symbol, showcasing a perfect technical virtuosity whilst retaining a presentation of simplicity. The menus are refreshed every day depending on what is available from the farmer’s market.

In each of his dishes, the young chef seeks local tastes, an explosion of flavour and a combination of textures. He draws on the rich variety that the Vaucluse and Mediterranean region has to offer, from the traditional Marseille Panisse to the Tian Provençal, to go alongside fine cuts of fish and meat. In summer, barbecues and grills give pride of place the chef’s selection of meats, such as Alpilles lamb and Ventoux pork. 

The all-day dining of La Table du Ventoux offers a bistro version of Provençal cuisine, with sharing platters created from the best of local ingredients. Enjoy Cavaillon Melon cut like a flower, accompanied by a jelly of Beaumes de Venise muscatel, perfect for admiring the view from the expansive terrace with its comfortable seating or in the light and airy interior, enhanced by a collection of art from the property’s collection. Many of the recipes are inspired by the aromatic chef’s garden located just above the pool.

Breakfast is served at La Table du Ventoux – a sumptuous Provençal buffet taken either in the large, sunny main room or on the spacious terrace with its breathtaking views of the countryside. Sunday Brunch is also an institution at Crillon le Brave, showcasing the generous selection of products from the local area and beyond. The menu offers something for everyone with a range of sweet and savoury treats from the home-made pâté croûte, the Isle sur la Sorgue smoked trout or the foie gras nougat. Chef’s latest discovery? The main ingredient of tapenade, an olive purée, as the perfect appetiser.

The Bar is located on the ground floor of Maison Roche, the oldest house of the hotel with vaulted ceilings and ancient fireplaces. Perfect for relaxing in a calm and intimate atmosphere whilst enjoying a Pastis – a Provençal tradition - or a cigar.

Hôtel Crillon le Brave, like its sister hotels in the Maisons Pariente Collection, has become partners of the Unisoap charity, whose goal is to recycle hotel soaps for humanitarian purposes. Most guests do not use all their soap during their stay so the residue is recycled within a vocational rehabilitation centre for disabled workers. Once recycled, the new soaps are donated to local and international associations and NGOs to provide underprivileged communities in France and around the world access to hygiene.