Inside My Experience at France's Top Resort, a Favorite for Celebrities and Fashion Insiders Looking to Escape

      Welcome to Fashion's Finest Stays, a travel series where we share our fashion-editor perspective on the hospitality industry. Here, you'll gain exclusive insider access to the most celebrated hotels and resorts globally, revealing every detail you need to know before booking. Among the celebrity-favored hotels worldwide, the ones that first come to mind are typically the well-known hotspots where the A-list crowd frequents. However, there are also establishments that remain largely under the radar, focusing more on tranquility and relaxation rather than being seen. Crillon Le Brave epitomizes this second category. Nestled quietly in the Provençal hills of southern France, this 17th and 18th-century stone village-turned-hotel was honored as the top resort in France in the Travel + Leisure 2025 World's Best Awards. After spending three nights there in May, I now fully comprehend its appeal.

      If you haven't heard of it before, that's somewhat intentional. More a collection of charming honey-stone village houses than a single hotel structure, this five-star retreat is where fashion insiders, actors, F1 drivers, and royalty escape when they wish to remain low-key. There’s no flashy atmosphere here—just centuries-old architecture, exceptional local cuisine and wine, and sweeping views of Mont Ventoux. In this piece, I’ll share my experiences at Crillon Le Brave and what makes this southern French hotel a favorite among the fashion elite.

      I first came across Crillon Le Brave through Jenny Walton and have kept it on my wish list ever since. Iconic images of its elongated rectangular pool framed by tall cypress trees are what the hotel is known for. Over time, it has welcomed a range of famous guests, from Formula One racers and British royals to top-tier actors (it is said that Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas spent some time there around their wedding festivities in the south of France). The hotel is owned by the family-run hospitality group Maisons Pariente, which operates only three (soon to be four) other hotels across France, including the fashion insider-favored Le Grand Mazarin in Paris. After a significant renovation, the hotel reopened in April, revealing an expanded selection of guest rooms. This update includes three restored historic houses featuring 10 new rooms and suites (bringing the total to 26 rooms and 17 suites), a completely revamped spa, a second adults-only pool, and a new culinary area for cooking classes and events.

      What sets Crillon Le Brave apart, making it unlike anywhere else I've stayed, is its location. While the hotel is situated in a picturesque town in the foothills of Provence—already an appealing aspect—what truly distinguishes it is how seamlessly it integrates with the hilltop village, blurring the lines between the two. For instance, walking from your room to breakfast means navigating the cobblestone "streets" and passing beneath graceful archways. The overall ambiance made me feel less like a hotel guest and more like a genuine resident of the village. The architecture and design carefully retain original details wherever possible, highlighting hidden aspects and corners with roots in the 17th century. A striking example of this was in my bathroom, where a small window built into the shower wall offered a breathtaking view of the valley below—truly something special.

      There's farm-to-table dining, and then there's the menu at Crillon Le Brave. The hotel's restaurant adheres to Écotable, France's top sustainable restaurant rating, which imposes strict standards regarding short supply chains, seasonal menus, and a minimum of 15% organic products. This presents a creative challenge for the kitchen—if an ingredient isn't in season or is only available from afar, it won't be on the menu—but it also translates to extraordinarily fresh and inventive dishes on my plate.

      While I could easily have spent several days without a desire to leave the property, its location presents many excursions and experiences not available elsewhere. I ventured out twice—once to explore the local market in Bédoin, just 10 minutes away, and a second time for a vineyard tour and wine tasting at Chêne Bleu. I also noticed some guests seizing the chance to cycle along a route used in the Tour de France. Among the updates planned for 2026 is the newly unveiled Maison Tilleul, a facility meant for events like cooking classes and workshops. I had the opportunity to take a cooking class with head chef Thomas, learning to prepare several dishes typical to the region. The space will also host retreats, beginning with Crillon Le Brave’s inaugural culinary retreat led by photographer and cookbook author Chloé Crane-Leroux, accompanied by her mother and co-author, ceramicist Trudy Crane, this October. They will bring the seasonal, plant-based approach featured in their cookbook, The Artful Way to Plant-Based Cooking.

      While the pool is undoubtedly the main attraction at Crillon Le Brave, the spa comes a close second, and I was fortunate to be among the first to experience it after its