Château de la Gaude — Winery in Aix-en-Provence

Ten minutes' drive from the centre of Aix-en-Provence, Château de la Gaude is tucked away in the hills of the Pinchinats district, sheltered from the mistral and overlooking the Montagne Sainte-Victoire. The 18th-century bastide is a protected Monument Historique and combines a wine estate, a five-star hotel and Relais & Châteaux member, a spa, an artists' residency and four restaurants under one roof. Tours of the estate (32 hectares in total), the vineyards and the wine cellar with more than 40,000 bottles: the wine route takes you from vineyard to bottle, with a guided tasting of five wines in English. Four restaurants, something for everyone: Le Art (one Michelin star: seasonal Provençal cooking with Japanese influences, chef Matthieu Dupuis Baumal), Kaiseki (a gastronomic Japanese restaurant inspired by the Kyoto region), La Source (a chic brasserie with tapas and street food for a casual lunch or dinner) and B'Art (an outdoor bar with terrace for a relaxed aperitif in the shade). The estate's own wines (AOP Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, organically grown) are available in all the restaurants.