estled in the heart of untouched ‘Green’ Provence, Lou Calen is much more than a luxury hotel. It is the third chapter of a legendary story that began in the 1970s, which now unfolds over three glorious hectares of nature, and carries a globally accessible approach to holidays.

Just 50 minutes from the TGV station at Aix-en-Provence, or 1h15 from the airports of Marseille, Toulon and Nice, Lou Calen is perhaps one of the best-kept secrets of famous Provence. It is a place linked to the renowned Miraval recording studios and its cherished memories up until the 90s. The musical stars that recorded at the studios went on to discover Cotignac: from AC/DC, to The Wham!, to Muse, and Pink Floyd.

The hotel bears an emblematic address within the village’s center, one of the most stunning villages in the Var landscape, and a prestigious member of the ranked "Most beautiful villages in France" since 2022. It is here, just over an hour from the coast, that this tranquil and traditional spot in Provence goes about its busy life at the foot of a spectacular tuff-limestone cliff still wrought with medieval troglodyte fortifications. Overlooking both the village square with its gurgling fountains and the panoramic vista dotted with slender cypresses, fields of olive trees and crumbling ancient walls.

Discover eco-responsible haute cuisine honoured with a Michelin green star last summer, their restaurant Jardin Secret, celebrates food and the idea of generosity and sharing between friends.

Lou Calen’s guiding light is an atmospheric charm free from anything superfluous or wasteful, and more significantly, using local craft and expertise in its creation. The hotel’s recent renovation features 34 rooms which have been created out by the region’s best craftsman and artists: ironworkers from Cotignac, carpenters from Brignoles, earthenware crafters from Varages, cabinetmakers from Entrecasteaux. If the architecture is traditional or if the design is contemporary, every choice has followed the commitment to local lore (wood from old wagons, lava stone from Salernes for the worktops, Périgord stone on the floor, wood fibre sheets throughout, and so on). These are suites designed to be ‘lived-in’: many with a small, fitted kitchen, a woodburning stove, and a private terrace, while every bedroom offers stunning views of the surrounding nature and the inevitably lovely feeling of waking up serene, at peace, to the sound of cicadas or rushing water.