Le Couvent des Minimes Hôtel & Spa L’Occitane, Mane, Provence, France
Nestled on the hillside near the idyllic village of Mane, and protected from the Mistral Wind by the statuesque Volx Rock, this former convent (dating back to 1613) blends medieval architecture with contemporary design.
Outside there's an aromatic garden, outdoor pool, tennis and boules courts, and both the bistro Le Pesquier and the gastronomic Le Cloître brilliantly combine exotic influences with local produce. But the real star of the show is, unsurprisingly, L'Occitane Spa, which incorporates locally grown ingredients like verbena, lavender, lemon-balm and honey into its utterly blissful treatments.