Quiet luxury is still very much en vogue at France’s Château de Berne.
Located about 45 minutes by car from the hustle and bustle of the Cannes Film Festival, the five-star hideaway is totally hidden inside 1,200 acres of a preserved forest near Flayosc, France. The sprawling property is home to 34 rooms and suites, along with seven private villas and another in the final stages of construction and set to open in early summer. The new seven-bedroom luxury villa is located on its own 25 acres of land, half of which is a private vineyard, complete with a pool house and available to be staffed with a private butler, chef, car service and custom experiences for a tab of about 50,000 euros ($58,400) for a weeklong stay.
A new villa added to the impressive roster is cause for celebration, and there’s plenty of rosé (and red and white wines) on site, with 370 acres of organically farmed vineyards that produce namesake pours. That’s just a sip of what’s on offer at the Mark Dixon-owned Château de Berne, cited as the top hotel in France and Monaco per Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. There’s the relaxing and meditative Cinq Mondes & Vinésime Spa, cooking classes, a gym, tennis, padel and pickleball courts, yoga and Pilates classes, fishing, vineyard safaris, sommelier master classes, seasonal truffle hunting and more. If animals are an obession, they have those too with horses, Corsican sheep, Alpine goats and sheepdogs.
“We are a quiet luxury place,” explains Maxime Mathon, director of sales and marketing at MDCV Provence, the French wine group behind four signature estates, including Château de Berne, Ultimate Provence, Château des Bertrands and Château Saint-Roux. “This is not the fanciest, gold-drenched place you can find on earth, that’s for sure. That’s not what we are delivering to our guests. We offer something unique.”
It’s all in the details, per Mathon. “Everything we do is organic, not just because it’s fancy to do so but because that’s what we are trained to do by nature.” Speaking of, Château de Berne boasts three restaurants on the property, including the Michelin-starred Le Jardin de Berne, “the estate’s flagship gastronomic table” steered by chefs Louis Rameau and Éric Raynal. Mathon is quick to point out that beyond the Michelin distinction, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin Green Star for its sustainability efforts.
It’s also just quiet. The property didn’t land on so many best lists by whispering the names of the A-listers who have stayed there — “they are in privacy mode when they are here,” Mathon attests — but he confirms that guests hail from entertainment, business, music and tech sectors. We do know one: Post Malone has stayed there and even produced a collaboration with Château de Berne for his own wine label. It also wouldn’t be a surprise to see George and Amal Clooney strolling about, as the famous couple bought a nearby vineyard estate in Provence.
“Most of the time celebrities come, they come with family, friends and staff for extended stays at one of the villas for three to five days, two weeks or even a month,” Mathon explains, adding that concierge and activity managers help keep the itineraries as packed or relaxing as guests prefer. “We developed the property while keeping the same level of excellence across Chateau de Berne. It’s tailor-made and built for full privacy.”
While their VIPs are protected, Mathon points out that there is no gate on the property, both figuratively and literally. “We are the keepers,” he said. “The philosophy of the owner is to say that we are here for a short period of time and the whole idea is to pass Chateau de Berne onto the next generation as something better.”
This story appeared in the May 6 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
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