The penultimate stop on the recent Gentleman’s Journal Road to Cannes saw the convoy pull up at Château Saint-Martin & Spa, a seasonal hotel perched on the slopes of Vence, high above the French Riviera.
Set in 34 acres of spectacular natural beauty, the entire property recently unveiled a fresh design with a contemporary twist, all the while maintaining its exquisite gardens, dotted with century-old olive trees and extraordinary views.
The Chateau is a wonderful metaphor for the modern Riviera — a perfect blend of historic architecture and bold, modern interior design. Inside, the chȃteau showcases the estate’s historic charm, but now boasts a vibrant, fresh energy flowing throughout.
The woman responsible for this recent re-imagining is Countess Bergit Douglas, renowned interior designer and architect of MM design, the Frankfurt-based studio. Douglas meticulously curated each of the materials used to bring the Château into the 21st Century, with fabrics and trimmings from French designers such as Pierre Frey, Manuel Canovas and Fadini Borghi, and cushions and benches made in England by Baker Lifestyle, Ian Mankin and Colefax & Fowler.
It’s a design of linen in soft, pale colours, and accents of more vivid shades such as coral, mint green, plum and lilac.
Steeped in character, the rooms and suites are bright, airy and finished with natural wood flooring and fine upholstery. The breathtaking views — for which the Château is famed — take in a sweeping stretch of the Côte d’Azur from Nice to Cannes.
Once the view has fully delighted your visual senses you can indulge your tastebuds in Restaurant ‘Le Saint-Martin’, a sparkling new setting for an exceptional culinary experience — and one that is quickly becoming one of the most coveted on the Cote D’Azur.
Fully decked out in warm coral tones, the dining room occupies a special spot in the Château, with panoramic views over the countryside down to the Mediterranean. The interiors were restyled with the rest of Château Saint-Martin to be as ‘fresh as the season’.
Chef Jean-Luc Lefrançois draws inspiration from seasonal produce — namely, some of the freshest fish in the Mediterranean — to give each dish a distinctive flavour of summer. This is a place to be savoured, in every sense.
To book now, visit oetkercollection.com. Flights from London to Nice, with British Airways, start at £32 one-way in June.
Read more about Gentleman’s Journal Road to Cannes here…
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