So you've seen the exteriors of the beautiful
Chateau de Massillan. Now to the amazing food and wedding offerings.
There are 13 rooms in this gem of a luxury hotel housing up to 29 guests. For 2009/2010 weddings of 40 guests are still available, all bigger weddings (up to 80) are sold-out – you can easily see why. Andreas Schmid (General Manager) and his staff can help you find tents, florists, rentals, cake, entertainment and more. Weddings can be held from April to June and September to early October. More details on pricing can be found
here. And
Mr. and Mrs. Smith, one of my favorite luxury hotel finder sites, says
this about holding a wedding at the hotel.
Note that Vaucluse and the Provence region offer ancient local churches, amazing Roman ruins and plentiful bed and breakfasts for guests to enjoy.
But now for a little tour of the food I tasted -- I give it 5 stars!
Chef and General Manager Andreas Schmid sources all farm fresh local meats, fish and produce, and serves local wines. His international experience as a chef includes: Relais & Chateaux in Canada, a hotel in Oslo, private clients in St. Tropez, eight years in the Black Forest and Berlin in 5 Star hotels and stints in Spain and Denmark. I found the influence of Germany and France most prevalent in my meal – but delicious in any language.
From a guest room window -- the herb garden of the restaurant and pond in the distance.
Olives in a wonderful mercury glass bowl – a simple, impactful presentation.
A selection of Provencal cheeses with a home made berry confiture.
Braised pork with Cotes du Thone and garden herbs. A risotto of potatoes and grilled asparagus. In my case made complete with a glass of Chateau neuf du Pape.
A cured filet of beef “a la gravlax” with Coquille de St. Jaques and a crème fraiche. Perfect when coupled with Cote du Rhone.
Vichy Sois with fresh truffles from the nearby Luberon. I had it with a marvelous regional rose.
An amusee bouche of grilled quail leg on pickled onions.
Local liqueurs and wines abound.
For a wedding Andreas suggests a 6-course menu with beverage by consumption. All meat in organic, the fish controlled and 80% of the seasonal produce organic. As the Chateau is perfect for a weekend event, Andreas recommends a casual dinner or barbecue with lobster and steaks for the Friday evening meal; a meal similar to the one I tasted for the wedding and standard hotel breakfasts for guests. The Chateau is perfect for the foodie with the highest standards for regionality and freshness.
Don't take my word for it, here what
Luxury Explorer has to say about the Chateau.
The simple and ornate balance perfectly in the light and airy hotel.
For those of you who love modern, the mid-century accents and a cool vibe to the interiors.
The international clientele is mostly European -- I met Dutch, French, British and German guests during my stay.
One of the loveliest rooms of the Chateau.
This indoor-outdoor room is open to the courtyard -- sumptuous!
Birgit's color sense is impeccable. This crushed velvet couch is in the most elegant shade of lavender.
Another purple couch in the reception area melds with the beautiful local stone floors and walls. (Who would guess I would fall head-over-heels with purple?)
An interior sitting room is quiet and refined.
The alternate reception room with fireplace would be a perfect after-party spot.
A final view of the gorgeous antiques, colors and styling in the Orangerie.
