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Lou Calen is an exceptional hotel located in the heart of the village of Cotignac, in the Var department of Provence. It's a jewel hidden in a verdant park with 36 rooms, 3 outdoor pools including an adults-only pool, a Michelin-starred restaurant, an artisanal brasserie, an art center and a summer pastis bar. Some suites are independent and located in their own private home.
Enter promo code LETSGOMYLOVE when booking on Lou Calen 's official website and benefit from an exclusive romantic package: -5% discount on your stay, late check-out at 1pm, bottle of Mirabeau sparkling rosé and free upgrade subject to availability. The promo code works all year round, except between July 10 and August 25. Look at this image to see where to enter the promo code.
Between July 10 and August 25, simply mention Let's Go My Love during booking to benefit from all the above advantages, except the discount. Always fun!
When you book online, you can get your room key directly on your phone, so you can enter your room independently. Good news: small dogs are accepted in certain rooms, for a small extra charge.
Huguette Caren, a native of the area, acquired Lou Calen in 1971. Huguette had no hotel management qualifications, yet she quickly transformed the old building into a 16-room hotel-restaurant. In 1972, General de Gaulle's wife, Yvonne de Gaulle, moved into the hotel and helped make it famous. We found this old article from a newspaper of the time.
By the end of the 70s, Lou Calen (which means "oil lamp" in Provençal) was well known beyond French borders. Its cosmopolitan clientele included many artists who came to record their albums in the studios of the famous jazz pianist Jacques Loussier, located at Château Miraval, just a few minutes from Lou Calen: AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Sting as well as The Cranberries and The Cure, for example.
The hotel closed its doors in 1999, and Huguette decided to switch to fabric painting and writing. But 15 years later, the legendary hotel has risen from the ashes, in the form of a formidable eco-responsible project focused on people, nature and romance. By the way, do you know who has owned Château Miraval since 2011? Brad Pitt!
Lou Calen is home to 36 rooms, divided between the historic hotel on the village's main square and the Hameau Mico, a large, leafy estate planted with trees. Here's a map of the estate to help you find your way around.
Here are the 24 rooms in the historic hotel:
1 - Les Chambres Bessillon - View of Cotignac - From 220€/night - Map - Photo - 🛏️
2 - La Chambre Joe Dassin - Baignoire îlot - From 250€/night - Plan - Photo - 🎶
3 - La Chambres Cassole - Vue sur le massif des Maures - From 270€/night - Plan - Photo - ⛰️
4 - Les Chambres Providence - Some with kitchen - From 370€/night - Map - Photo - ☀️
5 - La Suite Sarrasine - Terrasse tropézienne - Mezzanine - From 420€/night - Plan - Photo - 🏠
6 - Les Suites Trompine - Bathtub - Hammam shower - From 500€/night - Plan - Photo - 🛁
7 - La Suite Signature - Bath - Hammam shower - From 560€/night - Plan - Photo - 🎈
8 - La Suite Famille - 3 bedrooms and bathrooms - From 650€/night - Plan - Photo - 🧸
And the 12 rooms in the Hameau Mico :
1 - Le Bastidon - Bastide provençale en pierre - From 200€/night - Plan - Photo - 🏡
2 - La Troglodyte - Embedded in the rock - Glass roof - From 250€/night - Plan - Photo - 🪨
3 - Les Chambres Cassole - Pets allowed - From 270€/night - Map - Photo - 🌿
4 - Les Chambres Providence - Some with kitchen - From 320€/night - Map - Photo - ☀️
5 - La Suite Sarrasine - Hammam shower - Wood stove - From 420€/night - Plan - Photo - 🪵
6 - La Suite Trompine - Bathtub - Wood stove - From 500€/night - Plan - Photo - 🛁
7 - Le Pigeonnier - Triplex - Bath - Wood burning stove - From 560€/night - Plan - Photo - ✨
Our favorites: the authentic Bastidon with its old stones and private terrace, the very romantic Troglodyte room and, last but not least, the spectacular Pigeonnier with its unique view of the Cotignac rock.
Depending on your choice, you'll enjoy the following amenities: king-size bedding, soft Tencel sheets from Mascioni Collection, private bathroom with bath and/or shower, welcome products from Une Olive en Provence, biodegradable slippers, fully-equipped kitchen, wood-burning stove, Japanese toilet and air conditioning.
Every morning, a delicious breakfast is served from 7.30am to 10.30am. The bread comes directly from the village bakery. If you have a special diet, please let the team know in advance, and we'll be happy to accommodate your wishes.
During the day and in the evening, you can choose between 2 places to eat well. At Jardin Secret, chef Benoit Witz's kitchens simmer with the joy and color of Provence. The restaurant has been awarded a Green Star by the Michelin Guide. We also love the new bistro, opened in 2024, which showcases local meats sublimated by flame cooking.
Looking for a drink? Discover O'Fadoli, a pastis bar with more than 80 different pastis and absinthes from all over France. And if you're a fan of good energy and local beers, you absolutely must try the brewpub la TUF and its vintage atmosphere.
Lou Calen organizes numerous activities and workshops throughout the year, including ceramics workshops, wild basketry, clay modeling and wood carving. Take a look at the diary and add more activities to your stay.
Cotignac (video on site) is considered one of the most beautiful villages in France. When you arrive, it's easy to see why. It's simply enchanting, and all you want to do is spend an entire summer there, enjoying the pleasures of life. It's nestled at the foot of an immense cliff of volcanic tuff, riddled with secret caves and topped by 2 12th-century Saracen towers. We love the colorful facades, fountains and venerable plane trees.
You're just 45 minutes from the Gorges du Verdon and 1 hour from Aix-en-Provence. A little further south, the Côte d'Azur and its superb beaches are literally waiting for you!
This blog already features over 350 romantic places in a rare collection. It could be a secret hotel, an unusual stay, or a cabin in the woods, for example. Everything is handcrafted. We travel around 4 months a year and share lots of tips. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok if you like this content and enjoy your visit.
Tip: save this page using the button below and always click on our links before booking.
Tip: save this page using the button below and always click on our links before booking.
Enter promo code LETSGOMYLOVE when booking on Lou Calen 's official website and benefit from an exclusive romantic package: -5% discount on your stay, late check-out at 1pm, bottle of Mirabeau sparkling rosé and free upgrade subject to availability. The promo code works all year round, except between July 10 and August 25. Look at this image to see where to enter the promo code.
Lou Calen has 36 rooms, divided between the historic hotel on the village's main square and the Hameau Mico, a large, leafy estate planted with trees. The hotel houses 24 rooms and suites, and the hamlet 12.
Yes, some rooms have a bathroom with a bathtub. These include the Joe Dassin room, some of the hotel's Providence rooms, the hotel's Trompine suites and the Trompine suite at Hameau Mico, the Signature suite, the Family suite and Le Pigeonnier.
Yes, almost all rooms and suites have a private terrace. Only the Bessillon rooms and the Joe Dassin room do not. A word of clarification: the terrace in the Sarrasine suite is a tropézienne terrace, i.e. a terrace built into the roof, with slightly less greenery.
Yes, all rooms are air-conditioned.
Yes, Lou Calen offers 3 large outdoor pools, one of which is entirely reserved for adults.
The hotel has no spa, but 3 large outdoor pools. Some rooms are also equipped with a hammam shower. These include the Joe Dassin room, the hotel's Trompine suites, the Signature suite, the Family suite and the Sarrasine suite. A massage service is available at an additional cost.
Yes, small dogs are accepted at Lou Calen in the Cassole rooms located in the Hameau Mico for a small supplement.
Arrival is from 4pm and departure until 12am.
Yes, enter the promo code LETSGOMYLOVE when booking on the official Lou Calen website and benefit from an exclusive romantic package: -5% discount on your stay, late check-out at 1pm, bottle of Mirabeau sparkling rosé and free upgrade subject to availability. The promo code works all year round, except between July 10 and August 25. Between July 10 and August 25, simply mention Let's Go My Love during booking to benefit from all the above advantages, except the discount. Always a pleasure!
You're just 45 minutes from the Gorges du Verdon and 1 hour from Aix-en-Provence. A little further south, the Côte d'Azur and its superb beaches are literally waiting for you!
