Sprawling across the undulating cliffs of Cap Canaille, where the land seems to spill like viscid folds of gold and green, into the blue, lies the sensational seaside sanctuary, Cassis de Luxe. Sixty hectares of Provençal perfection, within the protected landscape of the Calanques National Park. Lending its historical grounds as an opulent villa, this hideaway in France shall become your own private kingdom. With an enviable postal code, declaring itself as one of the most illustrious estates on the Côte d’Azur.
What was once the prestigious Hôtel du Revestel, is now an expansive spot for you and your clan of up to twenty (twenty-four at a push), to settle into the magic of the Mediterranean. An exclusive place for you succumb to its natural poetic rhythm. The likes of Virginia Woolf and Winston Churchill chose to linger around its lavish spaces, back in their day. The residence has been resplendently restored, its grandeur revived in 2017 by the new owners with impeccable taste and the occasional flirt with theatre.
The interiors are understated, yet thought-provoking. Salons with high ceilings that encourage evenings of fervent conversations, followed by the occasional slow dance. A grand piano awaiting impromptu nocturnes, and long dining tables made for feasts that stretch until the candles surrender. A home cinema and a discreet office remind one that leisure can be an art form. Eleven or twelve suites offering views of the sea or the garden scatter themselves around the villa as private retreats for you to cocoon yourselves in.
Outside, the terraces unfold like verses of a love letter. Each evoking a sentimental stanza of the Riviera below. Sailing boats drifting like punctuation marks on a turquoise page. There’s a pool to perfect the art of languor. A jacuzzi for more effervescent musings, and gardens that appear to have negotiated an alliance between the wilderness, and a landscaper’s intuition.
A private pathway escorts you down to Plage de l’Arène. You’ll be behaving like barefoot beach philosophers in less than five minutes. Dipping in and out of the warm water, gently sizzling the tips of your shoulders and collecting crumbs of sand around your toes. Hours spent finessing the essence of a holiday in the south of France.
The crème de la cassis
Days begin at your leisure. Indulgent breakfast spreads precede boat excursions, cliffside hikes, yoga, paddle-boarding, mountain biking and wine tasting. For the romantically reckless you can simply recline for the remains of the day. Reading, strolling around the gardens, swimming and snoozing. When you crave civilisation and a little cultural excursion, the harbour and honey-hued streets of Cassis are a fifteen-minute stroll away.
The wonderful team of staff will ensure your stay is tailored to your liking. They’ll recommend and make reservations in accordance with the clan’s desires. It might be a gathering of like-minded voyagers on a holistic retreat. Or perhaps even a business-bonding venture, tending to the necessary chat away from the noise. It could also be a milestone celebration or a family reunion. Whatever brings you to the shores of the French Riviera, Cassis de Luxe generously and elegantly envelopes you in une vie parfaite. The perfect existence, whatever your style of romance.
Written by Colleen Ogilvie