Château de Massillan ★★★★

My ongoing love affair with Provence has brought me into its dreamy mountains for a summer fling at the incredibly beautiful Chateau De Massillan. I am already enchanted and I have barely driven into its lush grounds that comprise 9 hectares of gardens and a vast organic vineyard. This vineyard is the inspiration for the ethos of the hotel, which uses all organic produce from its own gardens to create a mouth watering menu in its restaurant. Classic cuisine that offers all the goodness without skimping on an ounce of deliciousness! This in itself is a great draw for my partner and I, who are enamoured with that French flair for living well and eating even better! It seems that all this and more is promised us here and indeed, as we draw up to those elegant, grey turrets, I am filled with a sense of happy anticipation.

I love it when I have high expectations and they are not only met, but exceeded! This is precisely what happens as we enter the grand reception and are given a lovely warm welcome before moving on and immersing ourselves in this chic fairytale world. Our room (just one of 20) is a fabulous blend of old and new, much like the rest of the hotel, which does a tasteful job of evoking its historical background whilst bringing a breath of stylish air and rich comfort to its interiors. We have booked into a tower room, which boasts a deluxe bathroom with free-standing wrought iron tub that has us both delighted. Fluffy robes, windows looking out onto the leafy trees outside from the bedroom and bathroom, soft pale shades of white and chocolate tones, terracotta tiles and a sumptuous simplicity combine to create a perfect little love's nest in our corner of the castle.

Keen to explore the grounds, we resist the temptation of a sneaky siesta on our plush bed and make our way down to the courtyard. Here we see pretty tables where I envision feasting on tomorrow's breakfast as we look out at the morning sunshine and make plans for the day... Perhaps a little wine tasting tour wouldn't go amiss. In the meantime we have meandered our way directly to the large, picturesque pool, glistening pale blue in the afternoon sunshine. For the time being our walk ends here as we spend the next couple of hours diving in to cool off in the delicious water and lounging with a book on the deckchairs provided, surrounded by the song of cicadas and silence. In a dream we watch the sun disappear and the sky turn to deep blue, the cicadas give way to crickets and the garden suddenly overwhelms our senses with sweet evening perfumes. In a state of relaxed, romantic bliss, we bathe in our fabulous bath and go down for a magnificent supper under the stars. Ahh... This is the life!