Would you like to taste some top Provençal wines? Stroll among sculptures by world-famous artists? Enjoy a spa day, followed by a delicious meal? You can do all this and more at Château La Coste, nestled among rolling hills just minutes from Aix-en-Provence. It’s like Disneyland for adults!
Irish construction magnate Paddy McKillen bought the 600-hectare estate in 2001, when it was just an undistinguished winery. He went to work on improving the quality of the estate’s wines, shifting to organic agriculture and adding biodynamic practices. But that was only the beginning.
McKillen wanted to create an art and architecture center with a hotel, spa, and restaurants. Today, Château La Coste has over 40 major sculptures, two hotels, a spa, and six cafés and restaurants, offering something to stimulate any (or all) five senses. Below are just a few reasons why Château La Coste should definitely be a stop on your next Provençal vacation.
1. Stunning Art and Architecture is Everywhere
The centerpiece of McKillen’s vision is the art center designed by Tadao Ando, perhaps the world’s most sought-after architect, who has designed extraordinary homes like Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s $200M mansion in Malibu. He is known for his minimalist style, emphasizing empty space and light.
Here Ando’s art center is in the shape of a V, filled with light and surrounded by a peaceful pond. It houses both an art boutique and a restaurant that looks out over the water.
McKillen commissioned works by artists and architects like Frank Gehry, Ai Weiwei, and Bob Dylan. This art, mostly sculpture, is spread throughout the property, among olive groves and vineyards. Best-known is the giant bronze spider by Louise Bourgeois, which seems to hover over the art center’s pond.
Guided tours in English take place every day at 10 am, 4:30 pm, and 6 pm, and cost 25€. The tours follow a two-and-a-half-mile path, and take about two hours. You can also tour the art on your own, with tickets costing 15€.
2. You Can Learn All About Fabulous Provençal Wines
La Coste’s vineyards produce a range of wines: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and even non-alcoholic. The estate also owns vineyards elsewhere in France and in Argentina. Tours of the winery, with a tasting included, take place daily at 2 pm. They cost 25€ and last 90 minutes. Additional programs are available, including intros to wine tasting, and tastings centered around food pairings, for prices ranging from 45€ to 75€.
Wines can be purchased at the estate’s boutique, along with their own olive oil and honey, plus a wide variety of tableware.
3. They Offer a Range of World Class Dining Experiences
The property boasts six cafés and restaurants, offering everything from simple bar grub to Michelin-starred fare. Even finicky eaters will find something to enjoy!
La Terrasse
Featuring live music on summer evenings, La Terrasse is open daily from 10 am to 9:30 pm. It offers tasty Provençal dishes like cold soups, salads, and tarts, using produce from the estate’s own vegetable gardens. Dishes range from 15€ to 25€.
Tadao Ando Brasserie
Set inside the Tadao Ando Art Center and overlooking the pond, this restaurant serves lunch daily from 12-3 pm. Starters cost 15-20€, and mains cost 20-35€.
Vanina Italian Restaurant
With an emphasis on fresh pastas and pizzas, Vanina serves lunch daily from 12-2:30 pm, and dinner from 7-9:30 pm. Starters cost 15-20€, and mains are in the 20-30€ range.
Francis Mallmann Argentinian Restaurant
With a menu featuring grilled meats and flatbreads, Francis Mallmann serves dinner daily from 7-9:30 pm, and lunch on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 12-2:30 pm. Starters range from 25-40€, and mains from 40-80€.
Le Bar de l’Auberge
This bar, connected to the estate’s smaller hotel, serves straightforward fare, like burgers, wings, and fish and chips. Prices range from 15-30€, though you can splurge on the Angus beef filet for 40€ if you’re so inclined.
Restaurant Hélène Darroze
This is where to go for a special occasion meal. With two multi-Michelin-starred restaurants under her belt, Madame Darroze has already gained one star for this, her fine dining establishment connected to the larger of the estate’s two hotels. Fixed-price menus are 100-150€ at lunch, and 150-190€ at dinner.
4. Accommodations are Available at a Luxury Villa and Charming Auberge
There are two places to stay at the Château La Coste, the Auberge and the Villa.
L’Auberge
This hotel, with its light ochre and pinkish-cream facade, holds 52 rooms. Prices vary by the season, from 185€ in the winter to 355€ in the high summer season.
La Villa
Accommodations here are roomy and luxurious, with private rooms offering fabulous views of the Luberon, and prices to match. The cheapest villa costs just shy of 1,000€ a night in the winter, while high season prices approach 5,000€ for the top villas.
5. The Villa La Coste Spa is the Perfect Place to Unwind
Château La Coste’s spa has all the facilities you would expect, like a sauna, a hamman, flotation baths, and more. It offers a full range of wellness services—scrubs, wraps, facials, massages, and more. There is even a spa for kids! There is no entry fee; services are priced à la carte. They range from 95€ for a manicure, to 180€ for an hour-long massage, and up.
How to Get to Château La Coste
By Car. Château La Coste is located at 2750 Route de la Cride in Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade. In addition to being close to Aix-en-Provence, you can drive to it in an hour or less from popular destinations like Marseille, Avignon, and St-Rémy-de-Provence.
By Train. The nearest stations are the Aix-en-Provence TGV station (30 minutes from the Château by car) and the Marseille TGV station (60 minutes by car). From there, you can Uber or rent a car to the château.
More detailed information on how to reach Château La Coste is available here.
Keith Van Sickle splits his time between Provence and California. He is the author of the best-selling An Insider’s Guide to Provence. Read more at Life in Provence.
