Bastide de Tourtour ★★★★

As we arrive, night has already fallen. The hotel's warm stones are up-lit with an amber glow as our tyres slowly crunch up the sweeping driveway. Shadowy glimpses of the four hectares of parkland reach me as we pass, but it's the all-encompassing scent of evening blooms and green freshness that hints at the immense size of the park. The alluring gleam of the hotel's bright windows beckons us inside; the delights of the grounds and the village of Tourtour will have to await the morning light.

Travel-weary, we are ushered to our room with the utmost professionalism. It’s decorated with taste and elegance in a classical French style, and we have modern amenities, plush furnishings, and just through the door, a bathroom with a bathtub and luxurious complimentary toiletries by Damana. Right now, though, it's the wonderfully quilted bed that catches my attention. I sink into its cosy embrace without another thought...

I awaken the next day to the first shafts of early sunlight working their way through a gap in the curtains. Instantly alert, refreshed and renewed, I burst onto the balcony and take in the startling view for the first time of the deep green hills of the massif des Maures in all of its glory. A long, hot bath followed by a fresh breakfast sets me up for the day, which I start with a walk in the hotel's expansive parkland. Not all four hectares at once, of course, but piece by piece, discovering a new corner each time. But there's no need to delay pleasure around these parts; whether it's ambling through the garden, allowing ourselves to be gently buffeted by soothing jets of water in the Jacuzzi or allowing the hands of expert masseurs to knead away our cares, there are endless opportunities for relaxation without even leaving the grounds.

When we do eventually tear ourselves away, we're met with one of the most beautiful villages in France, breathing history from every stone and tile. We stroll by the picturesque 10th-century church and alongside the 17th-century ramparts, idling in the stone-flagged streets between arched passageways, red roofed houses or in the Place des Ormeaux square with its eight fountains. We stop at quaint restaurants to sample the region's unmissable cuisine, which is built around an intense appreciation for olive oil, truffles, local wine and fresh produce. The village's historic charm makes its presence felt; it feels like a trip back in time. In fact, the whole stay feels like an idyllic dream.

Indeed, a visit to the Bastide de Tourtour is nothing like any holiday you've ever had before or will ever have again. The locals will tell you that nobody ever visits Tourtour just once. As I look back on our spellbinding days under the sun of southern France, I know we won't be the exception that proves the rule.