La Reserve Ramatuelle

Ramatuelle

Like Saint Tropez, its closest neighbor, Ramatuelle is an authentic Provencal village. Protected by its ramparts, the heart of the village is strangely configured like the shape of a snail with narrow, winding streets filled with craft boutiques, retro style inns and old stone houses surrounded by bougainvilleas.

On the main square, which has preserved its original name, »Ormeau » or Elm Place although an olive tree has long since replaced the original elm, a fountain with lions’ heads continue to spurt water, oblivious to the passage of time.

On the spur of the hill, Ramatuelle is a calm and peaceful village where numerous artists have chosen to live, far from the glitz of Saint-Tropez, including renowned French actor, Gerard Philippe, who is also buried here.

The only interruptions to this ancestral serenity are the music festivals which are held at the Verdure Theatre. The classical music festival in July and the “Theatre and Show Music” as well as “Jazz at Ramatuelle” in August, attract impassioned and faithful audiences every year.

A secret refuge

Perched on a hill overlooking Cape Camaret and Cape Taillat, in the middle of a sumptuous private pine forest, the Ramatuelle Reserve is a secret refuge, a retreat where guests come to relax and recharge their batteries. This veritable small luxurious five star village includes a hotel with 19 suites and 9 rooms in immaculately white tones and 12 villas created by interior architect Rémi Tessier, with private terraces and swimming pools as well as a spa.

The hotel, an old 1970s building, was transformed by the architect-designer Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Its half moon shaped roof gives an avant garde profile to the building, which is perfectly integrated into its environment. Its pure lines and subtle mineral tones of ochre, white and sand like beige are in perfect harmony with the traditional dried stone walls. Built with the goal of offering guests a sense of intimacy, the Ramatuelle Reserve is intentionally spread throughout the entire property.

There is no reception desk in the lobby, only a salon where the visitor is welcomed as a friend. The interior consists of natural materials in the same gentle colors as the exterior. The spacious and pure reception salon contains re-edited vintage armchairs, lounge chairs and sofas created by great designers and re-editors including Moroso, Poltrona Frau, B&B Italia and Flexform, all covered in white leather to create an atmosphere of tranquillity.

The rooms, like the rest of the hotel, are minimalist, with natural stone floors or Wengé wood, decorated with Paola Lenti and Tai Ping carpets. The pure style furniture was designed by B&B Italia, Flexform and Hans Wegner. The luxurious and spacious rooms measure between 50 and 100 square meters. The cream colored tones and the stretches of dark wood create fresh and relaxing spaces which gracefully respect the serene seaside atmosphere. Essentially created for summer living, they possess huge bay windows opening onto either a terrace or a private garden, so that guests can take full advantage of the Provencal sunshine and the ocean breezes. All the rooms have an uninterrupted view of the sea and the magnificent Provencal landscape.

The 1000 square meterspa, located in the former night club, proposes personalized treatments designed to detoxify, relax and re-energize the body in a peaceful environment.

The 30 meter long outdoor swimming pool enables guests to take a dip under the morning sun or simply to relax in the shade during the afternoon, with the singing of the cicadas and the lapping of the waves onto the shore as the only sounds.

The cuisine follows the same concept as the spa. Chef Eric Canini proposes a menu dedicated to well-being in which the only fatty product is olive oil, where natural sugar replaces refined sugar and where the vegetables come from the hotel’s own vegetable garden.

For anyone in search of the refined pleasures of a luxurious experience in an exceptional natural environment, settling in here for a vacation is highly recommended. In total osmosis with a natural environment, the Ramatuelle Reserve is a haven of well-being, a world apart, with the Mediterranean for its only horizon.

The Ramatuelle Reserve has been awarded the Palace distinction. Among all of France’s five star hotels, only 12 have been honored with this classification. Being a palace hotel differentiates it from other five star establishments based on its possessing exceptional characteristics.