Perched on the edge of the Claparèdes plateau, Capelongue feels like stumbling across a perfectly kept secret. The world slows as you enter its gates: cicadas hum, lavender nods in the breeze, and somewhere in the distance, church bells echo from Bonnieux below.
It’s a love letter to Provence, where the light is golden, the food is poetry, and every view feels like it was composed by Cézanne himself. Since its rebirth under the Beaumier collection, Capelongue has emerged as a destination for those who want Provence not as a postcard, but as a living, breathing, utterly indulgent experience.
The first thing you notice is the stillness. The estate seems to float above the village of Bonnieux, offering uninterrupted views across the rolling patchwork of vineyards, olive groves, and cypress-dotted hillsides all the way to Mont Ventoux. It’s Provence, distilled, not just a location but a feeling that wraps around you like a linen shawl. Stone walls glow warm in the afternoon light, gardens hum with bees, and each pathway leads to another little pocket of quiet discovery.
What are the rooms like?
Capelongue offers 57 rooms and suites spread across its bastides and carefully renovated outbuildings, each one designed to immerse you in the landscape. Interiors are refined yet simple, evoking Provençal tradition with plastered walls in earthy ochre, handmade tiles underfoot, natural wood furniture, and soft textiles in muted sage and ivory.
It feels authentic rather than staged, and comfort is considered in every detail: a soft chair placed just where the light falls best for reading, a carafe of water on the bedside table, windows framing scenes of lavender fields or the rooftops of Bonnieux.
Those seeking something unique will fall in love with the Pigeonnier suite, tucked into a converted stone dovecote, its circular walls and intimate scale creating a hideaway unlike any other. Many rooms offer terraces or balconies where mornings begin with the chorus of cicadas and evenings end with a sky painted in peach and violet hues.
How Many Restaurants are there?
Food is where Capelongue truly sings. The hotel is home to two restaurants, each a different expression of the region’s culinary soul. At La Bastide, chef Noël Bérard crafts a Michelin-starred dining experience that celebrates the produce of Provence in its purest form.
Seasonal tasting menus lean into what the land provides: vegetables and herbs gathered from nearby farms, locally raised meats, and fish delivered fresh from the Mediterranean. Each plate feels deeply connected to the terroir, paired with wines chosen from the surrounding valleys.
For something more relaxed, La Bergerie is the heart of the property. Its wood-fired oven perfumes the air with the aroma of roasting vegetables and crackling bread. This is the place to gather around rustic sharing plates, sip a chilled local rosé, and watch the sun slip behind the hills.
Even the poolside café takes care to serve drinks and snacks that feel rooted in the region, offering refreshing cocktails, Provençal spritzes, and light bites that carry you gently from afternoon to evening.
A Sanctuary for the Senses
Capelongue’s gardens and outdoor spaces feel like an extension of the rooms, designed for lingering. Two pools invite you to spend the day alternating between water, shade, and sun. One is expansive, a place for slow swims and sociable afternoons; the other is tucked away, perfect for those seeking a quieter corner.
The spa is a highlight of the recent renovation: a cocoon of stone and soft light featuring a Roman bath, hammam, cold plunge, and treatment rooms offering rituals by Biologique Recherche. It’s the kind of place where time dissolves, where you emerge feeling unhurried, hydrated, and reset.
What Makes Capelongue Stand out?
What sets Capelongue apart is its ability to feel both luxurious and deeply local. The architects, Paula Alvarez de Toledo and Marine Delaloy of Studio Jaune, took care to let the buildings feel as though they had always belonged here.
Natural materials, time-worn textures, and locally crafted ceramics connect the property to its surroundings. Each space feels layered with intention, from the art on the walls to the wicker baskets placed by the doors for gathering herbs or carrying a market haul back to your suite.
The Bonnieux Effect
Days here unfold gently. Some guests linger by the pool, sip coffee in the café, and wander the gardens before dinner. Others take advantage of Capelongue’s perfect location as a base for exploring the region: hilltop villages with shuttered windows and markets spilling over with cheese and olives, vineyards offering tastings of bright, mineral whites and peppery reds, and hiking trails through the Luberon that lead to views worth every step.
By night, the skies darken to a brilliant wash of stars, one more reminder that this is a place where nature still has the final word.
Who’s It For?
Capelongue is made for couples seeking a romantic escape, for gourmands chasing the flavours of Provence, for artists and writers in need of a muse, and for anyone who wants to trade the noise of the world for birdsong, lavender, and the quiet rhythm of a slower life. It is not simply a stay. It’s a gentle reset, a reminder that luxury can be both effortless and deeply human.
Address: Les Claparèdes, 550 Chemin des Cabanes, 84480 Bonnieux, France
Website: https://www.beaumier.com/en/properties/capelongue-hotel/
