What: If Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort had been around in the days when Picasso and Cézanne roamed the French Riviera, surely they would have found a muse among the cypress trees and lavender-scented hills on the 750-acre property, an area larger than Monaco. With 115 suites and villas, two championship golf courses, an Albatross Golf Performance Center, tennis courts, a large swimming pool with astounding views and a 34,000-square-foot spa, the hotel provides ample inspiration. Plus, four restaurants serve up Provence on a plate, pulling ingredients such as local olive oil, fish, tomatoes, fruit and meat from the surrounding land and sea.
Golf aficionados will delight in a stay here. The resort offers two challenging courses, both par 72 with gorgeous vistas of nearby villages. The Riou course hosts the Terre Blanche Ladies Open each year, part of the Ladies European Tour Access Series. R&R types will want to opt for the spa. It resides in a separate building just a short walk from the hotel’s main lobby, surrounded by art-filled gardens, lavender bushes and pine trees. Indulge in group yoga classes, a tea lounge, a hammam, a sauna and a Jacuzzi before heading into one of the 14 treatment rooms for a contouring body wrap or shiatsu massage.
Where: You’re poised to take advantage of Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort’s surrounding areas — the sparkling Riviera town of Cannes is only 40 minutes away by car, and the eight medieval villages that make up the Pays de Fayence are easy drives. Longer day trips are also possible, whether to wine-tasting regions near St. Tropez or shopping excursions to the coastal towns of Antibes or Nice. Or head to the Verdon Grand Canyon, where the turquoise-green waters of France’s equivalent to the Grand Canyon invite you to swim, cliff jump or rent a pedal boat. For those looking to be at the crossroads of two of France’s most populous regions but seek a retreat from the crowds in the heart of Provence, Terre Blanche is the answer. It’s the antidote to a hectic holiday. The onsite concierge can cater to any whim and help set up excursions.
When: Anytime is a good one to visit Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort, but September and October — when crowds have thinned and pleasant days (low 70s) pave the way for comfortable nights — are amazing. During the spring, temperatures begin to rise again, and the flowers and shrubs bloom thanks to rain showers. Summer means temperatures climb into the high 80s and mid-90s, and are accompanied by the hissing cicadas, sunflowers and the scent of lavender. Don’t plan to visit in the winter; the resort closes in December and January.
Why: The hotel manages to deliver luxury, variety and attentiveness to detail, and still gives you the feeling of being accessible and relaxed. No matter what your reason for being at Terre Blanche, a sense of space and belonging is pervasive. Its location makes it ideal for discovering a region extolled in the works of famous writers, artists and travelers of the world over, yet the modern comforts invite you to kick off your shoes, unwind and check out for a while.
Photos Courtesy of Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort
