Abbaye de Sainte Croix ★★★★

Summer is on its way and winter has seemed particularly cold and grey this year, leaving my partner and I a little weary and longing for real, hot sunshine and a haven of nature where we can shed our old skins and emerge renewed with the burgeoning spring. A tip from VeryChic and a very well-timed excuse to escape the daily grind miraculously appear and no sooner have we said our prayers than we find ourselves winding through the stunning Provençal roads up the mountain to the Abbaye de Saint Croix. A renovated abbey whose legend tells that it was built with a piece of the cross of Christ around the 9th Century. Certainly it is blessed with an air of serene mystery and a glorious beauty that makes one feel almost anything is possible. At least this is my sensation as we park our rental car and enter the courtyard with the ancient edifice of pale, ivy-clad stone rising up, dignified and infinitely calm, around us.

The instant we set foot in this magical place we both feel a weight lift, invisible clouds shift and a ray of light, as though from the heavens themselves, fills us with well being and tranquillity. Now the sun feels that little bit more golden on my bare arms, the dizzying perfumes in the air are slightly sharper and we hear a song of silence stretching out over centuries and of wild birds and cicadas merrily rubbing their wings in the heat of the afternoon. Our sense of serenity is compounded in our exquisite bedroom, a luminous haven that belies its antiquity with a fresh, rustic charm that nevertheless captures its historic context. Exposed wooden beams, wide, pretty windows, large, cosy bed and quaint furniture all combine to create an effect of farmhouse chic that is quintessentially Provençal.

A quick wash in our lovely bathroom, boasting a generous bathtub, dressing gowns, slippers and delightfully scented complimentary products, and we set up our improvised picnic feast on our little private terrace. Comprised of goodies we have picked up along the way, we sit back and bask in the glory of our dreamy haven as we sample those mouth watering cheeses and creamy honey on artisan pain de campagne, washed down by half a bottle of white, which we cheekily chill in the minibar. Not the only modern accoutrement, we also have a slick television with Satellite channels and free WiFi throughout the premises, which is very handy as there is a lot to see and explore in and around the area.

For today, however, we do not want to tear ourselves away from our new found slice of Provençal paradise. We spend the rest of the afternoon lounging by the shimmering, sky blue swimming pool in a secret hideaway amid the lush, green shade of pine trees and with the occasional breeze carrying a waft of lavender over from the hotel's own miniature lavender field. Tonight we dine at the hotel's la Table de l'Abbaye gourmet restaurant and so we Christen the beginning of our restorative retreat at our heavenly find, the Abbaye de Saint Croix.