Inland from Saint-Tropez, in the cork oak hills of the Massif des Maures, there is a wine estate that looks nothing like a postcard château. No turrets. Steel windows, poured concrete floors and a wall of oak barrels where the front desk should be. This is Ultimate Provence, and we spent two nights there this summer.

An “Urban Wine Estate” in the Var

Ultimate Provence calls itself an urban wine estate, and you understand why the moment you walk in. Reception sits in front of the barrels, there is a vintage scooter parked in the lobby, and the interiors by the Monaco studio Humbert & Poyet mix industrial lines with mid-century warmth, in sage, sepia and aged oak. It is a very different idea of Provence from the stone farmhouses and lavender fields, and I loved it.

We had a standard room with sage green walls, and it managed to be cozy and very modern at the same time.

Lunch by the Pool

We went straight to the pool, which sits among olive trees with the hills behind it. Lunch was there: some of the best Caesar salads I have ever had, and our first glass of the estate’s rosé. The afternoon went the way afternoons in Provence should, with a lounger, a book and the cicadas. Pack a good one-piece and a straw hat; you will not want to leave.

Dinner at UP, the Rooftop Restaurant

By early evening the light turns gold and the whole estate goes quiet. Dinner is at UP, the rooftop restaurant, under pergolas with the vineyard below. The cooking is Provençal produce done simply and done well. We started with rosé as the sun went down, then burrata with heirloom tomatoes, a beautifully done main and a lemon meringue tart that lasted about thirty seconds. It is a dinner worth dressing for; a linen midi dress and flat leather sandals are exactly right.

A Day on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez

The next morning we drove down to the coast. In July the Gulf of Saint-Tropez is a parade of superyachts and classic sailboats. We found a spot at Plage L’Orangerie on Pampelonne, one of my favorite under-the-radar beach clubs, swam and watched the boats come and go.

That is the trick of staying inland: Saint-Tropez when you want it, and silence when you don’t. For the town itself, see my complete guide to St. Tropez.

The Winery

The second night was easy: the pool, another bottle of rosé and nowhere we needed to be. Before we left, we toured the winery. The estate farms organic vines on the land around the hotel, and everything you drink here, from the rosé at the pool to the bottles at dinner, comes from them. You can taste with the sommelier at the bar and take your favorites home from the shop. Mine is the classic UP rosé, and it shows best in a fine, thin-rimmed glass.

If you like the idea of sleeping among the vines, I also wrote about staying at a French rosé vineyard at Château de Berne.

The Verdict: Is Ultimate Provence Worth It?

If you want Provence without the clichés, then yes: serious wine, a rooftop dinner worth dressing up for, a pool you will not want to leave and Saint-Tropez less than an hour away. It is a hidden gem for people who want a little countryside and a little Saint-Tropez in the same trip. Note that the hotel is seasonal, so plan for late spring through early fall, and book it on my Expedia Travel Shop.

Shop the Edit

• Eres Cassiopée One-Piece Swimsuit, Moda Operandi
• Lack of Color Paloma Raffia Straw Hat, Bloomingdale’s
• FAITHFULL Marais Midi Dress, Revolve
• K.Jacques Ombeline Flat Sandals, Bloomingdale’s
• Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer Sunglasses, Ray-Ban
• Zalto Universal Wine Glass, Selfridges