Boutique Hotel Provence

A unique project to develop a site in the south of France into a highly sustainable boutique hotel, farm and refuge for people seeking to enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of this special area. Located north of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, the site has the village of Lourmarin to its south, and a short drive from the village of Bonnieux to its north. Nestled in the heart of Luberon National Park with the Aiguebrun river running through it, the site accommodates a rich flora, fauna and wildlife.

The site houses an 18th Century Bastide, farm buildings, an ancient mill, timber cabins, a natural, fresh water river, plunge pools, lavender fields, wild herbs, olive groves, and thick vegetation that provides a natural habitat for wildlife to roam freely. The previous owner was Agnes Varda, the filmmaker who received an honorary Oscar in 2017. Varda and her family bought the site and its buildings in 1997 and since then it has been used as a (boutique) hotel, restaurant and a venue for film, literary and music events.

Aspiring for a sustainable carbon-neutral scheme, in all aspects of the design and operation, at the heart, the project aims to utilise the natural resources of Provence, and the immediate landscape. UHP is an exploration in luxurious, considered architectural and sustainable environmental processes.

After a long period, the project was given planning approval for all the elements of the development.