When Alain Ducasse took over the Hostellerie de l’Abbaye de la Celle in 1999, his vision was to create a balance of lifestyle, heritage and gastronomy. Nestled among the Varois vineyards, the property adjoins a 12th century Benedictine abbey, a classified historical monument where nuns once caused a scandal by organising trysts.
Ducasse commissioned decorator Tonia Peyrot to renovate the building in 2011, emphasising the abbey’s personality and history, and today the Hostellerie offers charming contemporary accommodation in the shaded square of a tranquil Haut-Var village, and the exquisite pleasures of a true gourmet experience.
Chef Benoît Witz, a long-time disciple who joined Alain Ducasse at the opening of the Louis XV in Monaco in 1987, reinterprets the “essential cuisine” that is the founding philosophy of his culinary mentor, with a combination of Provencal products from land and sea that evolve with the seasons. The inn’s own vegetable garden uses natural fertilisers to produce 25 varieties of tomato, 15 varieties of basil, four varieties of zucchini and four varieties of squash and eggplant, plus peppers, strawberries, persimmon, fennel, beet and Swiss chard.
Awarded a Michelin star in 2006, the restaurant offers a rich menu that ranges from zucchini flower and crispy bacon risotto to pressed duck, pressed foie gras and figs, and hake, mashed sweet almond and lemon gnocchi. The Hostellerie has a special romantic getaway offer throughout February (including the 14th), including one night in a double room, a glass of Champagne on arrival, a “romantic welcome” in the room with delicacies, bouquet of red roses and sweet gift, and a gastronomic dinner for two with their Special Valentine’s Day menu.
www.abbaye-celle.com
