“Let’s get lost, lost in each other’s arms
Let’s get lost, let them send out alarms
And though they’ll think us rather rude
Let’s tell the world we’re in that crazy mood.”
Chet Baker
If you are in a romantic crazy mood and want to get lost, there is no better place than on the 70 acres of the magnificent Château du Martinet, a veritable Château first built in 1712 and then rebuilt in 1846 after a fire during the revolution with stones from the ramparts of Carpentras.
The Château was the residence of the Marquis des Isnards. The Isnards are one of the most distinguished families in the Comtat Venaissin dating back to the end of the 12th century.
When the French employ the phase “une vie de Château” they mean a life of luxury and comfort, and these are appropriate adjectives for the opulent décor and regal ambiance of the Château du Martinet.
Once within the gates of the Château, you experience a delightful sensation of living in a luxurious manner within a self-enclosed envelope of privacy.
The atmospherics are soothing. The setting is lush. Columns of rose marble, sculpted ceilings and high walls, precious ceramics, antiques and period paintings. The large salon opens to a spacious terrace with a majestic view of a meadow.
The delicately fashioned rooms (5) are bathed in a rich and refined décor, with two rooms having twin beds and the others doubles. All of the rooms have television, high bandwidth internet, and air conditioning. Bathrooms have Italian fixtures with baths and showers. Continental breakfast is included in the room price.
On the spacious grounds, there is a large swimming pool, a tennis court, a jogging trail, billiards, a ping-pong table and the traditional Provencal games of boules.
Dinner (Table d’hôtes) is available on Tuesday and Friday evenings with a reservation, which is served in the majestic dining room (photo above). Gourmet platter may be ordered for lunch.
For private self-catering accommodations, there are two pavilions (gites) for weekly rentals (see website below).
For planning a visit to the nearby wine appellations in the Southern Rhone, a good place to orient your palate is Chez Serge, a wine bar restaurant in Carpentras. At Chez Serge you will find a rich wine list with all local appellations represented as well as some keen advice from Serge and his staff on vintages and particular wineries to visit.
Basics:
Château du Martinet, 2807 Route de Mazan, 84200 Carpentras, Contact: Françoise and Ronald Devries, Tél 04 90 63 03 03, Website
Directions: From the center of Carpentras, take highway D942 to the west in the direction of Mazan. Look for signage a few kms out of town, turn left on an access road to the Château.