Chateau La Coste comprises an arts centre, sculpture trail, vineyard, hotel and restaurants and is a delightful place to visit for a leisurely lunch followed by a stroll through the vast estate.
Getting there:
Château La Coste is located within a 20 minute drive of Aix-en-Provence and 45 minutes from Marseille, making it a perfect day out from both cities or the nearby Luberon regional park. Ample free parking close to the restaurants makes a visit easily accessible whether in your own or a hire car.
Our visit was on a glorious spring day with temperatures around 23 degrees. After parking the car we made our way to the beautiful Art Centre which is a large glass building surrounded by a shallow pool of water. Here we spotted the first of the estate’s art installations, a giant steel and bronze spider (Crouching Spider by Louise Bourgeois) which stands guard in the pool.
Dining:
Before embarking on the art trail we decided it was time for some lunch. The estate comprises six restaurants to suit all budgets ranging from the Michelin-starred Hélène Darroze à Villa La Coste through to the informal La Terrasse where table reservations are unnecessary. Here, we enjoyed some delicious, authentic Provençal dishes out in the garden seated on colourful chairs, shaded beneath large Plane trees.
Cuisine focuses on produce from the estate’s vegetable garden, offering simple flavoursome dishes including fresh salads, cold soups, homemade tarts, organic charcuterie and cheese. The menu is limited to just a few seasonal options ensuring everything is freshly prepared. Service was efficient and friendly with our waiter suggesting one of La Coste’s organic white wines to accompany our lunch which tasted crisp and fresh, being just perfect for a warm spring day in Provence.
The art trail:
To walk off our lunch we then set off on the self-guided art trail, utilising the map that we had picked up earlier from the visitor centre. I suggest wearing comfortable shoes as some of the installations are located away from the main paths and the terrain can be a little uneven underfoot. Many world renowned artists and architects were invited to visit the Estate and discover the beauty of Provence then encouraged to choose a place in the landscape that spoke directly to them. They were given the freedom to create a work that would live there. We were happy exploring on our own but if you would like to participate in a guided tour then these take place daily at 10.00 a.m. with an English speaking guide.
We strolled through the 450 acre site which comprises wooded hilltops, valleys and vines. At various points along the way we discovered art works by the invited contemporary artists including the likes of Tadao Ando, Renzo Piano and Frank Gehry.
Thirty major art installations are scattered throughout the domain among oak trees, hundred year old pines, vines and lavender fields creating a wonderful backdrop for the sculptures.
Music Pavilion:
Frank Owen Gehry, the Canadian American, studied in some of the most respected universities in America. He embarked on a project to create the pavilion at Chateau La Coste which was in partnership with the Serpentine Gallery. The pavilion was first exhibited at the Serpentine in 2007 with the support of Château La Coste before being installed permanently in its current position.
Yoko Ono Wish Trees
At Château La Coste, Yoko Ono selected the almond tree as being central to the culture and history of the Mediterranean culture. Planted in a circle, visitors are able to write their own wishes for a better future onto luggage labels and affix them to one of the eight almond trees, so naturally I added my own.
Wine tasting at Chateau La Coste:
It took us around two hours to follow the art trail and what better way to finish than to enjoy wine tastings in their own cellar. The winery was designed by Jean Nouvel and is composed of two curved aluminium structures, housing the latest technology in winemaking.
We tasted six different wines: two rosé, two white and two red. I enjoyed sampling each of them, preferring the fresher, lighter wines as they were ideally suited to the warm weather. Bottles and cases of wine are reasonably priced and if I hadn’t been restricted by weight on my flight I would definitely have bought some to take home with me.
Overall:
I didn’t really know what to expect before visiting Chateau La Coste but my day out far exceeded my expectations as the entire estate is an architectural masterpiece with its art trail, sculptures, mirror ponds, restaurants and vineyard.
Detaiis: Chateau La Coste, Puy Sainte Reparade, Provence
I was a guest of Aix-en-Provence Tourism and as always all views and opinions are entirely my own.
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