Le Pigonnet Aix En Provence

Le Pigonnet cultivates discretion, tucked away in a residential area, just a few minutes walk from Aix-en-Provence center. Practically nothing gives it away at the entrance – you need to go up the alley lined with plane trees to see the hotel, which feels like going back in time to a Provence of the past.

A few mullioned windows evoke the original 18th century foundations, leaves crawl across the façade and the green shutters ooze timeless charm. A sculpture of Saint Peter holds the key to this garden of Eden, which is the hotel’s most cherished treasure.

The hotel’s history is linked to the revival of thermal baths at the beginning of the 20th century. Things sped up in 1924 when the Swellen family took over the property. For three generations they injected and fostered outstanding character perpetuated by Esprit de France today.

Le Pigonnet currently brings Aix locals and tourists from around the globe together via fine dining and music. Traditions and modern art de vivre are rolled into one, making the hotel an ideal base for touring the south.

It is also a destination in itself. Relax to the sound of the water features and walk in Paul Cézanne’s footsteps. No need to go far to escape as you explore the delightful sections one after another.

The Villa Pigonnet
La Villa du Pigonnet is a little piece of Provence. Built in the early 19th century, the architecture has a constant air of vacation with varnished tiles on the facade and arcade windows. Behind the shutters, shade and light play around like in a Matisse painting. However, recent renovations have added modern comforts.

There are four bright and cosy bedrooms for up to 8 guests. The room layout around the spacious lounge is just like a family home with all the comforts of a 5-star hotel! The landscaped garden, garden furniture on the terrace and private pool are invitations to unwind after a busy day out.

La Villa is an ideal home base for touring Provence : exploring the Luberon, the Mediteranean coast, the Alpilles mountain range and Saint Victoire mountain. The proximity to Aix town center is perfect for shopping and enjoying the bustling ambience.

Terrace Suite – Garden View
Luxury is at ease in this 860 sq ft suite including 1,830 sq ft panoramic terrace. The lounge, bedroom and bathroom are all linked and the decor’s contemporary spirit enduces a sensation of spaciousness combined with abundant natural daylight flooding in through large French windows.

To enhance the length of the bathroom there is a free-standing hot tub connecting it to the bedroom. Open-spacing prevails, both inside and out where the view meets the tree tops and plunges down to Saint Victoire mountain.

A delight to be shared by 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children. The suite includes a convertible sofa in the lounge and a 6.5ft king bed in the bedroom. The bathroom includes a shower (in addition to the hot tub), bathrobes, slippers and SOTHYS beauty products (WC separate).

Junior Suite Terrace – Garden View
Our Junior Suites were designed for guests who like space. 430 sq ft inside with a modern decor – up to 1080 sq ft of private terrace outside. The view from these outdoor lounges is unrivalled, starting with the century-old chestnuts in the foreground and the foothills of Saint Victoire mountain in the distance.

The inside is divided into a sleeping area with a 6.5ft king size bed and a lounge area with a convertible sofa. The suites include a desk and a large wardrobe, and can accommodate 3 adults or 2 adults & 2 children. The bathrooms include a shower and bathtub, bathrobes, slippers and SOTHYS beauty products (WC separate).

RESTAURANT
Elegance and seasonal menus – the restaurant at le Pigonnet has been a reputed institution for nearly a century, which is no surprise! The decor first of all, enchants just the right degree. The bright dining room inside is sectioned by arcades opening onto the garden.

The impeccable table linen, table Arts and waiters’ coordination illustrate the level of quality. Tables are laid outside in season beside the century-old horse chestnut tree alley. They shade the dining rooms which invite guests to enjoy the view, even if just for a cup of tea or coffee.

Local market produce dictates the menu. Although originally from the north of France, Chef Thierry Balligand adopted southern cuisine a long time ago. He joined le Pigonnet in 1993 and immediately fell in love with the hotel and all the local produce.

Today he runs his brigade with dedication as if conducting an orchestra. The mostly local produce is selected when ripe (subject to harvests). The cooking methods and seasonings are always “just so”. The plating and texture arrays remind diners the chef started out as a pastry chef.

Some of his specialties are organic egg parfait, cream of stuffed artichokes, filet of sole, saffron cockles, real mashed potato, pan-fried veal sweetmeats, chestnut flour gnocchis and grilled pancetta, which are all southern dishes.

To vary pleasures, Thierry added a vegetarian menu using aromatic herbs from our own garden a few years ago. Iranian pistachio soufflé and red berry sorbet are the most popular desserts. Pastry chef makes all the gourmet treats served at tea time under the chestnut trees.

The 1924 Bar
How about trying a Farigoule Sour or a Spritz à la française in a stress-free ambience? Then go to the 1924, the hotel’s cosy indoor bar. Open from October to May, the winter bar recalls a Gentleman’s club where the music is always good, with mirrors and a real fireplace.

The bar hosts live music THE Thursdays. In addition to signature cocktails, the list includes fine wines, tapas and classic snacks (Caesar salad, burgers, tartare, etc…) to enjoy while looking at the portraits of the artists who stayed at the hotel in the past.

Garden bar
The outdoor garden bar opens as soon as warm weather arrives. A large open lounge is set up on the teak terrace from May to October. Aperitifs are enjoyed while casually playing pétanque and tapas are cooked to order on the plancha. A casual ambience and extra entertainment with live music on Thursdays.

Romantic dinners
There is a special table for romantic dinners in a secluded part of the garden, away from the terrace. It provides idyllic settings which become magical at nightfall. The service includes a waiter of the utmost discretion who will only intervene on request.

Pool
The pool is heated from Spring to end of Summer. It is on the edge of the garden and surrounded by pine trees to filter the heat of the sun. After a busy day of visits, enjoy a siesta on our deck chairs and listen to the ciccadas’ song.

Wellness Area
A cocoon of serenity including Sothys products, energizing or relaxing beauty treatments, plus a sauna and a turkish bath to truely unwind.

Petanque ground
Play pétanque, an extremely popular game which is practically an institution in the south of France! Test your bowling accuracy in the shade of the outdoor bar while making new friends!

Enchanting settings for that special day.
Bringing family and friends together to celebrate your wedding should be an unforgettable moment. Le Pigonnet offers enchanting settings and 5-star services to make sure it is!

The charms of a provencal country home are cleverly combined with the landscaped garden. Make the delightful decor yours and design the meal and evening you want to experience on the best day of your life.

A member of the Events teams will assist or become your wedding planner to manage the flowers, music, menu, show kitchens and entertainment for your guests. Not forgetting there are 45 cosy rooms and suites to accommodate your guests. Dreams come true here.

A lucky star shining down over your event
The settings are truely exceptional. They combine the charms of a grand country house with a luxuriant garden, which allows the hotel to put on a variety of events. The Events team will help you find the space you need.

We offer large rooms opening onto the garden for receptions and private dining rooms for family meetings, birthdays and anniversaries. Our suites with terraces are ideal for cocktail parties and gatherings.

The outdoor bar is near the pétanque ground and the pool, making it an excellent spot for garden parties, and the Villa offers select settings for romantic evenings. Made-to-measure is not just for decor, it extends to your plates thanks to Chef Thierry Balligand’s experience in creating one-of-a-kind menus.

Modern equipment in select settings
Prestigious settings to promote your firm. The Events team will help you design an event in your image. 258 – 860 sq ft rooms with French windows opening onto the garden to host all sorts of meetings, think-tanks, conventions, press conferences, cocktail parties, product launches etc…

There is also a spacious Garden Apartment (1,722 sq ft) and the Villa for board meetings, contract signing and other private and confidential meetings. We offer accommodation in-line with your employee incentives.

Eight different room categories (45 rooms & suites) are available, including 4 suites with panoramic terraces. The entire hotel is geared up for a variety of sports and cultural activities. We guarantee attendies will evacuate stress and go back to work more motivated than ever!

The Region, Escape in Provence
Le Pigonnet is ideally located at only 875 yards from Aix-en-Provence town centre (a 10-minute walk) and therefore close to local entertainment, perfect for combining relaxation, business, cultural outings and even a little shopping!.

Aix is a large, charming town, a genuine gem of Provence, bursting with remarkable monuments and architecture, as well as all the typical little lanes. It is a wonderful place to wander round and enjoy, stopping every now and then to admire sites and visit quaint boutiques all year round.

Aix has been a cultural hub since the Romans and hosts an international music festival every summer featuring major opera singers. The neighbouring town Avignon also hosts a highly-reputed annual arts festival.

Le Pigonnet is a perfect starting point to tour Provence and see the sights, such as wild bulls and horses in Camargue, gorgeous creeks at Cassis, country manors made from Luberon stone and lively Marseille.

Musée Granet
The Granet museum is inside the old hôtel de l’Ordre de Malte in the old town, next to the Cours Mirabeau district.

The museum is devoted to painting, sculpture and archaeology, ranging from antique treasures to Andy Warhol’s aesthetic pop art, and continues to expand and add permanent collections, illustrating a desire to display Art of all eras and cultures.

A new presentation of French, Nordic and Italian 15th to 18th century painting collections has been on show since 2010, in addition to the splendid permanent collections (Granet, Ingres, Cézanne’s donations to Giacometti, and more). Over 500 paintings, sculptures and archeological items are on show to the public.

Exhibitions on tour regularly embelish the permanent collections – contact the front desk to find out which exhibitions will be on while you are with us or to request private showings.

Hôtel de Caumont
The institution was set up in the old Hôtel de Caumont, an 18th century marvel, and hosts two major annual exhibitions focused on famous painters ranging from classical antiquity to today.

In addition to paintings, other forms of art are also on show at the hotel’s highly-prized Art Centre. The Cézanne au pays d’Aix (Cézanne in Aix) film is streamed all day at the Art Centre’s auditorium, and concerts, artistic performances and forums will be scheduled in 2015.

Cézanne’s studio
All true Cézanne lovers know that this is where the painter’s presence can be felt the most. The Lauves workshop is a genuine memorial steeped in the artist’s image. All the painter’s personal items and his artistic preferences are on show.

Cézanne started moving to his large country workshop 1st September 1902 and worked there every day during the last four years of his life. Tens of works, including his last and notably the Large Bathers, were painted in the bright and peaceful workshop.

MUCEM
Three sites, three ambiences and multiple surprising offers at the massive 10.9 acre MUCEM (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations): the museum is ultra modern and attracts diverse publics given the extremely wide range of activities on offer.

In addition to seeing all the major exhibitions in the new museum’s gallery, visitors can also attend lectures, concerts, intellectual debates, watch film projections or simply enjoy the town ambience while strolling around the Mediterranean gardens at the restructured Saint-Jean Fort.

MUCEM is much more than must-see exhibitions, it is an incredible meeting place for all sorts of interests.

The Camargue
An enchanting natural region with impressive skies where people live with in the wetlands with horses, cattle and birds. The Camargue National Nature Reserve offers visitors stunning scenery and is a sanctuary of protected species and rare fauna and flora in Europe

Camargue is a listed UNESCO biosphere reserve and Arles is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region is located between the two branches of the Rhône delta, of which 385 sq miles is marshland, the largest and most secretive wetland in France.

It is divided into three distinct zones: farming in the north, salt marshes to the east and west and brine lagoons in the south. Horse and cattle breeding is divided into approximately 100 manades (small, semi-feral herds led by a gardian) which visitors can see.

The Camargue horse is the only mount of the gardian and also his work tool. The region is also an Important Bird Area given over 400 species of birds have been identified there including the greater flamingo, which has become the symbol of Camargue birds.

Taking the time to explore Camargue is extremely worthwhile and possible on foot, by bicycle or even better, on the back of a real Camargue horse!

The Sainte Victoire Mountain
Saint Victoire mountain (3,317 ft) is the symbol of Provence, present at the Cézanne museum and the emblem of the Aix region. The site is an explorers’ delight, covered in pathways and dry stone banks (for terrace farming).

The religious heritage offers ramblers and trekkers several interesting stop-offs: Sainte-Victoire priory, built in the 17th century, Saint-Ser refuge, a little chapel built in extension to a cave in memory of a 5th century hermit who took refuge there, surrounded by marvellous scenery, the Croix de Provence standing tall on the west point of the mountain range.

The Mouches summit is the highest point and offers an amazing panorama encompassing the Provencal horizons and the rolling planes of the countryside. Mont Ventoux and the Alps can be seen in good weather.

Marseille’s calanques
Marseille on the Mediterranean coast definitely deserves a visit. The Jardin des Vestiges archeological site, the banks of the Old Port, Le Panier district (oldest part), MUCEM (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations), the Vallon des Auffes district (little fishing haven) and more!

In fact, there are heaps of things to see, covering 26 centuries of history, and lovers of the sea will be delighted with the bright blue Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean is a genuine treasure trove and trips to tour the Frioul islands (including the Chateau d’If – Count of Monte Cristo) and the Cassis creeks are top of the list. Then head back inland towards the Garlaban and Sainte-Baume mountain ranges to see Pagnol’s Provence.

Luberon
The Luberon enjoys the gentle Mediterranean climate east of the Rhône valley and has nutured its important cultural heritage and natural countryside for centuries. The region, became a Regional Nature Park in 1977, is reputed for the quality of the tourist offers.

The attractive villages (Bonnieux, Roussillon, Lourmarin, Gordes, etc.), authentic local produce and crafts guarantee visitors an unforgettable time in Provence.

The City of Avignon
Avignon was the Christian capital during the Middle Ages (Avignon Papacy) and has protected it’s exceptional heritage for centuries, most of which is now classed UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as:

the Palais des Papes and le Pont d’Avignon, the Place du Palais, l’Hôtel des Monnaies’ baroque façade (ancient mint), the Petit Palais museum and the Cathedral, not forgetting the ramparts from the Jardin des Doms to the bridge.

Website: www.hotelpigonnet.com

Rooms: 45

Price: from 188 EUR per night