Le Château des Alpilles

Le Château des Alpilles stands just beyond Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, hidden behind an avenue of century-old plane trees and surrounded by seven hectares of parkland. The estate occupies a site with roots in the 17th century and centres on a manor house built around 1825 by Pierre-Paul Blain, a Provençal merchant who returned from Philadelphia and transformed the property into one of the region's notable private residences.

The estate later became associated with literary and political circles through Amédée Pichot, helping establish its place within the cultural history of Provence. Yet the reason for its inclusion in NOTES lies less in its past than in its continuity.

In 1979, Jacques and Françoise Bon acquired the neglected property and began a careful restoration. Their vision was not to create a grand hotel but a house where guests would be welcomed personally. More than four decades later, three generations of the same family remain involved in the life of the estate.

The property today includes the manor house, a traditional Provençal mas, a chapel and a historic lavoir, all integrated into a landscape of mature trees, gardens and open space. What distinguishes Le Château des Alpilles is not scale or spectacle but permanence. In a region where hospitality is increasingly shaped by brands, the estate remains deeply personal, rooted in family stewardship and a strong sense of place.