Hôtel Les Lodges de la Sainte Victoire

Set on some fifteen acres, this hotel has 35 contemporary-style rooms, a pool, a Cinq Monde spa and a gastronomic restaurant.

• The cool solar-powered bicycles for those who get tired of peddling up hills
• The mesmerizing view of Sainte Victoire from the restaurant Le Saint Estève
• The cavernous, three-bedroom lodges with private swimming pools

Formerly an 18th-century, rural bastide, this sprawling property surrounded by pines has undergone a complete metamorphosis. When you enter the modern lobby and bar lounge give out on a sweeping view of the landscapes, at the foot of Cézanne's landmark Sainte Victoire mountain.

The sober uncluttered design of the rooms may be the least thing you'd expect in a Provencal country inn. The ones to get are the three, loft-like lodges. Ideal for families who like to be independent, each has a fully equipped modern kitchen (private chefs are available on request) and a private garden and pool. Views from enormous bay windows are stupendous as well.

Decidedly, the biggest draw, aside from the untamed natural setting, is the superb restaurant. Headed by talented chef Mathias Dandine (who pocketed Michelin stars at his former establishments Les Roches in Le Lavandou), the Le Saint Estève, in a separate small white annex just adjacent to the hotel, features a refined Mediterranean-style menu with varying fixed price offerings. Book a table on the dining terrace, and watch the famed majestic granite peak, painted over and over again by Cézanne, change from glowing gold to red, then to soft pink, mauve and grey, as the sun sets in an inky blue sky.

The spacious Cinq Monde spa, which has a small indoor pool, sauna and hammam, offers a variety of signature treatments, from energizing Californian and Swedish massages to a soothing Indian Ayurvedic treatment with hot oil.

Couples, foodies and families who enjoy a calm country atmosphere, but like the long list of activities available at this larger property. This is also a good choice for those who want to be in the country but not far from Aix.