A Retreat to Lou Calen: Rediscovering Provence in CotignacWhere time slows, art breathes, and sustainability meets Provençal charm
The Charm of Cotignac
Set in the Var region of southern France, Cotignac is one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, a patchwork of terracotta rooftops, climbing vines, and shaded café terraces. It’s here, on a gentle hillside overlooking the village, that Lou Calen quietly redefines what a Provençal retreat can be.
Once a family wine estate, Lou Calen has been transformed into an eco-conscious retreat by Canadian entrepreneur Graham Porter, who spent years restoring the property with sustainability and authenticity at its core. The result is a resort that feels deeply connected to its surroundings, elegant, creative, and unmistakably Provençal.
A cultural stay
My base was The Joe Dassin Suite, named after the French-American musician, who once lived and even married here in 1978. The connection to music still hums softly through the property, which has hosted its share of artists and creative guests over the years.
Slowing Down, Provençal Style
Days at Lou Calen unfold slowly: mornings by the heated pool surrounded by olive trees, a massage in the garden or an afternoon sketching or joining one of the seasonal workshops
Days at Lou Calen unfold slowly: mornings by the heated pool surrounded by olive trees, a massage in the garden or an afternoon sketching or joining one of the seasonal workshops from art classes to truffle hunts. Every detail encourages guests to pause and enjoy the region.
Dining Among the Olive Trees
Dinner at Le Jardin Secret showcases chef Benoît Witz’s refined approach to Provençal flavours, with local produce, and site grown ingredients reimagined into dishes with quiet creativity.
The MICHELIN Green Star awarded in March 2023 attests to the restaurants commitment to eco-responsible gastronomy.
For something more casual, Le Bistro de Lou Calen serves hearty seasonal dishes paired with craft beers from the hotel’s own micro brewery, La Tuf. The hotel’s own microbrewery, producing small-batch craft beers inspired by the region, best enjoyed on the terrace as the sun dips behind Cotignac’s cliffs.
Benoît Witz’s has a no-waste philosophy, using the ingredients in their entirety ; any leftovers are given to animals or transformed into compost. New building on the site seeks to minimize the environmental impact."
“Lou Calen proves that luxury in Provence is not about excess, it’s about authenticity and ease.”
Exploring the Village
Step out the doorstep to discover Cotignac itself. Visit Maison Mirabeau for a tasting of its signature rosé, then wander upstairs to the Art Centre La Falaise, also part of Lou Calen. Inside, rotating exhibitions and artist residencies celebrate the creative pulse of the region.
Mindful Luxury
Sustainability runs quietly through everything at Lou Calen. Guests are gifted reusable bottles, towels are changed every four days to save water, and much of the produce comes from the estate gardens. The philosophy is simple: travel thoughtfully, without losing comfort.
Spring brings wine tastings and terrace lunches beneath blooming plane trees.
Summer hums with cicadas, poolside afternoons, and live music in the village square.
Autumn is truffle season, when vineyards glow gold and workshops fill with painters.
Winter offers firelit dinners at Le Bistro and the quiet rhythm of village life.
Whether you come for the food, the art, or the stillness. Lou Calen feels like the Provence we all dream of finding - authentic, welcoming, and quietly unforgettable.
