Cradled within a mountain-fringed plain where picture-perfect villages perch precariously between the southern Alps and the Esterel Massif, Terre Blanche Hôtel Spa Golf Resort occupies a stunning inland spot close to Tourrettes, between Vence and Grasse. If peace and solitude are your thing, you’ve come to the right place. A mere 50-minutes’ drive inland from Aéroport de Nice, and you’ll be whisked away to this country club-resembling, cypress-fringed gated residence, via the stunning Lac de Saint-Cassien which feels like you’re driving through the Ozarks – its cool waters not only offer welcome respite from the unrelenting heat of the summer, but also the oft-overcrowded beaches of the Côte d’Azur.
Terre Blanche takes its name from the historical lime kilns that once stood on the estate, which were essential for the construction of houses and buildings in the area, as they were used to convert limestone into quicklime. A byproduct of the production process, a white dust residue would blanket the ground, lending the area its distinctive name, which translates as “White Earth”.The property was acquired by French aristocrat Charles Bogue at the end of the 18th century and occupied by his family until 1979, when it was bought by 007 himself, no less – Sean Connery. Terre Blanche was managed by the Four Seasons group up until 2012, when it became an independent luxury resort and re-launched as the gateway to Provence and the Riviera. Spread across 750 acres, it’s larger than the Principality of Monaco. How’s that for a fact?
Set between two prized drought-resistant, Bermuda grass-carpeted golf courses in the foothills of Pays de Fayence, Terre Blanche, blessed with swathes of spacious leafy lanes, flanked by art installations from the likes of Antony Gormley and Niki de Saint Phalle, feels authentically Provençal – a swish individual villa-style affair that’s akin to having your own second, albeit golf-buggy-connected home in the sunny south. All the generously proportioned rooms and suites are of the minimalist, pared-back variety, unfussily furnished in symphonies of terracotta and cream and replete with Coco-Mat beds crafted from 100 per cent natural materials which promote divine slumbers. All of its 115 temperature-controlled rooms and suites (ranging from 40-square-metre Deluxe Suites right up to their most luxurious 300-square-metre Terre Blanche Villas) are designed specifically to automatically cut out the moment doors and windows are opened for prolonged periods of time, in order to conserve energy. Vast, party-inducing balconies, where rosé comes as standard, overlook lush flora alive with the unmistakable fusion of the rhythmic buzz of cicadas and cinematic birdsong. Terre Blanche is constructed from environmentally friendly materials chosen specifically to harmoniously blend into the surrounding landscape of the Pays de Fayence, where all things technological are cleverly housed underground, out of sight and mind so as not to disturb the status quo. A beautifully landscaped private cabana-fringed infinity pool is Terre Blanche’s pièce de résistance, offering up panoramic vistas from its elevated position across the gently undulating hills.
Terre Blanche Hôtel Spa Golf Resort
Sustainability is at the core of everyday life at Terre Blanche and, as it celebrates its 20th anniversary of a fervent commitment to preserving its surrounding environment, its eco credentials make impressive reading: everything from no single-use plastics on site; light-pollution reducing methods courtesy of intelligent tech concealed within the resort’s lamp-posts, resulting in adaptive lighting that’s reactive to varying weather conditions; the use of electric bikes – the hotel positively encourages guests to discover and connect with Provence using eco-transport and even provides dedicated guides; electric golf carts; recycling bio-waste; preserving natural habitats; the creation of bat shelters; supporting nature conservation projects; monitoring biodiversity… the list goes on.
The food game at Terre Blanche is strong, with four restaurants spanning from the less formal right up to Michelin-starred Le Faventia’s premium dining – its four-course Expression tasting menu is off-the-charts good. Lunch is usually taken at Les Caroubiers restaurant, dining from the Albatros set-menu overlooking the resort’s private golf course. Provence is synonymous with gastronomy and authenticity, so local produce is king – chef Christophe Schmitt sources ingredients from neighbouring suppliers to maintain short supply chains for all his restaurants. He believes authenticity, identity and respect for the product are an integral part of the guest’s culinary experience. Wines are impeccably paired too by sommelier Aurélie Deharbe, including Château Minuty’s exceptional Rosé et Or which, in the spiritual home of the salmon-pink-tinged dry, minerally and delicately fruited wine, is no mean feat. The hotel’s cellar hosts 750 different wine references spread across seven venues, from fine dining to the pool bar. Terre Blanche has also recently collaborated with 44°North to produce a special, distilled in Grasse, chic transparent-blue-bottled gin. Special mention goes to the viennoiserie offering, scene of the most divine pain au chocolat, made by pastry chef Jérémie Gressier and utterly delectable. It made breakfast feel like I was walking on sunshine.
Villa Provence
Michelin-starred Le Faventia
They don’t do things by halves at Terre Blanche and the two-storey luxury spa with an indoor pool and outdoor vitality pool is no exception. The spa, meanwhile, offers an indulgent menu of pampering rituals, including a signature warm honey one-hour or 90-minute massage, specially targeted facials and luxurious body treatments. Sports fans are well catered for with two tennis courts and two Dave Thomas-designed 18-hole championship golf courses, which for the past eight years, have been ranked in the top three best golf resorts in Continental Europe. I’m not a golfer myself, but the state-of-the-art driving range here, where you can perfect your swing, made me wish I was.
Terre Blanche is a family-friendly destination, and younger travellers have a dedicated Kid’s Club (suitable for ages two to 12) with its own terrace and private pool.
What to see
There’s a plethora of attractive hilltop villages in the surrounding Pays de Fayence. Tourrettes, locally referred to as an open-air museum, is the closest to the resort. Topped by the mysterious 19th-century Château du Puy, it boasts an incredible maze of narrow, picturesque streets where over 70 artists have been allowed to leave their mark on the old stone walls, doors and shutters. The aforementioned lure of local rosé wine should not be ignored and tasting sessions at Château des Selves and Château d’Esclans (of Whispering Angel fame), among a host of others, are within easy reach. Not to mention the perfumeries of Grasse and, for the more adventurous, canyoning, paddleboarding or kayaking at the jaw-droppingly beautiful Gorges du Verdon.
Prices
From €465 for one adult, breakfast included.
3100 Route de Bagnols-en-Forêt, 83440 Tourrettes, France; terre-blanche.com; reservations.tbhotel@terre-blanche.com; +33 4 94 39 90 00
Lee Osborne is creative director of Secret Trips
