Mas de Castillone

The road narrows as you enter the small village of Paradou, the church bell appears, and you enter another world—Mas de Castillone—just behind it through a covert gate.

With its golden façade framed by arches, stone lintels, and the massive canopy of a 300-year-old plane tree that has watched over the Alpilles for generations, this elegant stone estate—once the town hall and village school—now unfolds as a private, fully serviced retreat.

The 18-meter heated infinity pool, which stretches toward olive trees and century-old trunks in the afternoon heat, is the focal point of Mas de Castillone. The water catches flecks of Provençal light. The terrace is lined with sun loungers; beyond, a hectare of lawns, lavender, fig trees, and cypress create the tranquility of a private park, despite the fact that the cafés and weekly market of Paradou are just a short walk away.

The tale of this historic mas continues in a more personal way once you enter. The former mairie and classrooms have been transformed by architects Liliana and Alain Meylan into a series of tactile, soft areas with exposed beams, stone floors, and limewashed walls that are complemented by contemporary art and custom furniture.
Long talks and late-night digestifs are encouraged by two spacious salons with deep sofas; on chilly evenings, people gravitate toward the enormous stone fireplace, whose flames are reflected in ancient terracotta tiles.

Mas de Castillone is intended for groups that respect privacy and unity. Up to 14 people can be accommodated in the seven air-conditioned bedrooms and suites, each with a private bathroom. Anticipate king-size beds, natural linens, dark wood floors, and, in certain suites, sculptural copper or stone bathtubs that transform bathing into a miniature ritual.

Even in the hottest part of summer, rooms are blissfully cool for late-morning lie-ins thanks to blackout shutters and thick walls.
As it should be in the finest Provence villas, food is the main attraction here. Large family feasts or catered dinners are powered by a professional chef’s kitchen, complete with a butler’s pantry and Lacanche range.

Lunch can easily move from market basket to grill to shaded table because doors open directly into the garden, which has a sizable summer kitchen and gas barbecue next to the pool house. The estate’s vegetable garden and herb beds, which include tomatoes still warm from the sun, basil, figs, and courgette flowers picked right before cooking, are the focal point of many visitors’ days.

With housekeeping, a dedicated villa manager, and a daily breakfast service featuring pastries, fruits, and local produce, the practicalities are taken care of in the background.

Instead of being viewed as an add-on, wellness is integrated into the property. A modern spa and fitness wing at one end of the garden features a fully furnished, air-conditioned gym with the newest equipment, a sauna and hammam, a massage treatment room, and cool areas for stretching or meditation.

Before apéritif hour, friendly competitions can take place outside on a private tennis court and pétanque terrain under the open sky. A few steps past the wall, the village bell tower announces the time, lanterns flicker beneath the plane tree, and the smell of olive wood smoke permeates the air as night falls.

Provence is surprisingly close beyond the gates of Mas de Castillone. The village center, bakery, small grocery store, pharmacy, and Tuesday Provençal market are all about two to five minutes’ walk from the villa, which is located in the Vallée des Baux in the center of Paradou.

Les Baux-de-Provence and the Carrières de Lumières immersive art quarry are approximately 8 km away, a short 10-minute drive through the limestone hills, while Maussane-les-Alpilles and its famous olive oil mills are five minutes away by car.

Arles, the entry point to the Camargue and Van Gogh country, is about 16–18 km away, or 20 minutes by car. Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, with its Roman site of Glanum and elegant boutiques, is about 12–13 km away, or 15–20 minutes depending on summer traffic.

It’s easy to get there. The most practical hub for the majority of foreign visitors is Marseille Provence Airport (MRS), which is normally 45 to 60 minutes away by car from the villa outside of rush hour. About 30 to 35 minutes away is Avignon TGV, which offers quick connections from Paris and other European cities; Avignon-Caumont regional airport is comparable. Additional seasonal routes are available from smaller airports in Nîmes and Montpellier, which are about 30 to 45 minutes away by car.

The last strategy is simple: after entering Paradou via the D17 and local departmental roads, a level, paved village lane takes you straight to the covert entrance of Mas de Castillone. There is safe private parking on the property, and standard rental cars and people carriers are ideal. 4×4 vehicles are not required.

Hiking and cycling trails, such as the Castillon Towers loop above Paradou, which rewards a quick climb with expansive views over olive groves and limestone ridges, start practically at your door because the villa is located within the Alpilles Regional Nature Park.

Few Provence villas offer a fully serviced former town hall turned private estate with an 18-meter heated infinity pool, spa, gym, tennis court, and one of the oldest plane trees in the area, all within a few minutes’ walk of a livable, year-round village. This combination of walk-to-village convenience, resort-level wellness amenities, and rich historical character is Mas de Castillone’s true differentiator.

Imagine three of your favorite activities that are all close enough for you to return by the pool before dusk to get a sense of what your days here might entail. You take a ten-minute drive up to Les Baux-de-Provence one morning to explore the medieval streets and enter Carrières de Lumières, a fully immersive light and sound show where masterpieces are projected across the walls and floor of a large former quarry.

On a different afternoon, you travel three to five minutes to Maussane-les-Alpilles for an olive oil tasting at Moulin Jean-Marie Cornille or another nearby mill. There, you discover why this valley is regarded as one of France’s olive oil capitals, and then you return with bottles for your villa kitchen.

On a cooler day, you take a 15- to 20-minute drive to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence to visit the Glanum archaeological site at the base of the Alpilles. After that, you stay in town for galleries, cafés, and a traditional Provençal lunch.

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