La Bastide de Marie as seen by Stacie Flinner

The Luberon is surprisingly rugged and beautiful. A host of charming old villages, clinging to the hilltops and dating back to Roman times, are now filled with wonderful cafés and pastel shutters. It's best to get off the beaten track and explore each of these villages as you go. During our week in Provence, we couldn't think of anywhere more enjoyable than Ménerbes and thought it would be ideal to spend half our time relaxing in the French countryside at La Bastide... and the rest wandering around this charming village.

We arrived at La Bastide late in the afternoon. The sun was low on the horizon, beaming down on the property's living room, with its beautiful antique furniture and large, warm fireplace. We settled down to enjoy a glass of rosé, while the staff were busy preparing the fire. I've mentioned before on Instagram that every nook and cranny of this property is absolutely perfect for Pinterest... nothing could be further from the truth. La Bastide has one of the most inspiring interiors I discovered on our trip (along with La Mirande) and I have already saved many of the images on my Pinterest interiors board to refer to when imagining a future home or interior for a client.

As the sun continued to set, we returned to our room to prepare for dinner. At La Bastide, it is traditional for guests to gather in the lounge for hors d'oeuvres and an aperitif around the fireplace before dining in the restaurant. I loved this progressive approach to dining! The dining room was beautiful and reminded me of Ralph's in Paris. It became even more cosy in the cheerful murmur of guests' conversations. The short, four-course menu was accompanied perfectly by the La Bastide wine list.

The next morning we quietly enjoyed our breakfast and were surprised to taste the best bacon we had ever had, thick and salty. David and I are still dreaming about it! In the afternoon we drove around the countryside to see the surrounding villages of Lacoste, Bonnieux and Ménerbes. As I said before, Ménerbes is our favourite village with its unobstructed overhanging view. It was here that we discovered the famous Provençal Mistral, and it was really fun trying to tame my hair to take a photo! In the evening, back at the hotel, we strolled through the property for a wine tasting at Domaine de Marie and finished the evening around the fireplace, playing chess on the vintage malachite and marble set we had just hunted down.

Ménerbes proved to be a relaxing and unexpected stopover. I can't wait to return when we are back in Provence!

Photos by Stacie & David Flinner

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