Three hours by car from Monaco, Capelongue in Bonnieux is a refined country retreat for a spring escape.
Torn between a change of scene and the ease of staying close to home this spring? Point the car north, and within three hours from Monaco you’ll reach Capelongue, Beaumier’s five-star retreat above Bonnieux in the Luberon. Perched on the edge of the Claparèdes plateau, it feels like a small Provençal hamlet gathered around a fountain, with rooms and suites stepping down the hillside and long views to the village below. Open from April, it’s the ideal spot for an easy retreat.
Architecture here is the quiet star. Studio Jaune has worked with stone, lime plaster, wood and terracotta to draw more light into historic volumes while keeping everything rooted in place; elsewhere, artworks by regional artists add character. The gardens, by Atelier Lamarck, extend the hotel into alcoves of vines, olives, almonds, rosemary and lavender, so you are never far from the scent of the garrigue—preferably on a shaded bench armed with a book.
Food here is a two-chapter story. Noël Bérard’s La Bastide charts the seasons with a composed menu drawn from the Luberon. Next door, Mathieu Guivarch keeps the flames alive at La Bergerie for sociable lunches and dinners, from Sisteron lamb to a well-cut chop, all enjoyed with terrace views of Bonnieux.
Wellness is another highlight. Guests can enjoy a variety of baths—including Roman and cryogenic—plus a hammam, or book Biologique Recherche rituals that are performed in calm cabins. Beyond the spa, there are two pools: one poised above a lavender field and a 25-metre heated alternative for when the weather is cooler. Life at Capelongue slows down, and guests are invited to play pétanque before dinner, join a cooking class, or take a packed picnic on the trails. If the mood strikes, we recommend climbing Bonnieux’s cobbles and ramparts for long vistas towards Mont Ventoux before returning to the square and its fountain.
Capelongue is the ultimate staycation sweet spot—close enough to home for a spontaneous escape, yet far away enough to feel genuinely removed from familiar surrounds.
