Where wine meets wellness in the French countryside

A forward-thinking French family are not only making exceptional wine around the country, but also exceptional memories in the form of luxe retreats driven by the vines and thermal waters that abound

Les Sources de Caudalie and Les Sources de Cheverny are exquisite country retreats that not only offer unique Vinotherapy spa facilities but also embody the very essence of the French art de vivre (‘art of living’). Two sisters, Alice Tourbier-Cathiard and Mathilde Thomas- Cathiard, and their husbands are the driving forces behind these exceptional spas and low-key luxe resorts in Bordeaux and Cheverny, respectively.

The sisters’ parents, former French Olympic skiers Florence and Daniel Cathiard, are the owners of the multi-award-winning, biodynamic wine estate Château Smith Haut Lafitte, south of the city of Bordeaux.

In the late 1990s – while Mathilde and her husband Bertrand Thomas were creating their trailblazing Caudalie spa and skincare range based on the antioxidant properties of grape-seed polyphenols – Alice and her husband Jérôme Tourbier were masterminding Les Sources de Caudalie luxury country retreat, across the road from the family’s esteemed chateau. In 2020, the Tourbiers opened their second country retreat, also with a Caudalie spa, tucked into the forests and farmland of the Loire Valley.

The retreats are imbued with an effortless sense of style and intuitive hospitality. In both, time seems to slow down so that you can savour moments of repose… in the spa, in the wildflower fields and forests, in the exquisite rooms and suites – each furnished with hand-crafted furniture and individual artworks – and in the atmospheric restaurants, where chefs craft magic from the produce of their kitchen gardens and local suppliers, to the accompaniment of exquisite wines.

Les Sources de Caudalie

While it may look similar in age to the 600-plus-year-old Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Les Sources de Caudalie is a hamlet of six structures, all crafted using materials from abandoned farm buildings, which evoke a range of architectural styles from across southwestern France.

There’s the grand La Bastide des Grands Crus with its gracious two-storey dovecote, a bleached half-timbered farmhouse from Les Landes; La Grange du Bateau, adorned with burnished wooden boats and a collection of pine fishermen’s cottages; plus a special suite on stilts overlooking the pond, inspired by the architecture of nearby Arcachon Bay. Each of the rooms and suites across buildings evokes a sense of whimsy. Some have cobalt walls and solid antique furniture, some are in neutral tones with hand-crafted rustic chairs and tables, others are bright with whitewashed wainscotting.

The wood-clad spa building, with shutters open to the country breezes, has a serene indoor pool inside a double-story cedar-lined tower that’s flooded with natural light, its thermal waters drawn from springs (‘les sources’) deep below. Choose a crushed cabernet scrub, a facial with premier-cru anti-aging creams, or soak in a barrel-shaped hot-tub bubbling with red wine exfoliating essential oils. There’s also a hammam, outdoor pool, and another indoor pool set inside a rustic converted barn replete with original beams.

The two-Michelin-starred La Grand’Vigne, set in a luminous orangerie greenhouse, offers delicate creations using the finest local tuna and langoustines, beef and ‘pre-salted’ lamb, and vegetables and herbs from the extensive kitchen gardens. La Table du Lavoir, crafted from an ancient washhouse, offers hearty bistro fare such as aged beef, duck breast and slow-cooked pork shoulder, which you can also enjoy on its shaded terrace. And the wine-bottle-lined Rouge bar offers all-day casual snacks such as local oysters, foie gras and jamon sliced-to-order alongside exceptional wines (you must savour a Château Smith Haut Lafitte) at the barrel-shaped central bar or at tables on the terrace.

Wellness treatments are a major draw for the well-heeled clientele, and the atmosphere is so chilled that guests are comfortable walking in their bath robes to and from the spa. Make time for a guided tour of the sculpture-dotted vineyards and a tasting at Château Smith Haut Lafitte, then take bikes to explore other vineyards at your leisure. Also ask for the key to explore the Forest of the Senses, with whimsical organic art installations tucked among the trees, and the Scented Garden where you’ll discover the flowers used in the Caudalie treatments.

Les Sources de Cheverny

The buildings at Les Sources de Cheverny are even more eclectic than its sister property, and offer a delicious architectural ramble and a wide variety of options for guests. On one side of the 45-hectare estate is the beautifully restored 19^th-century manor, Château de Breuil, with its grand fireplaces, wood panelling and circular staircase, its rooms and suites painted in shades of sage, mustard and khaki nodding to the forest outside.

Across a wildflower meadow are two stone long houses: La Maison des Fruits and La Maison des Fleurs. While dotted around a pond are sleek wooden structures that evoke the Loire Valley heritage, including the two-storey signature suite, Le Baron Perche, crafted in the style of a classic lodge with belvedere. There’s a gentle bohemian spirit throughout, with every room and suite adorned with carefully curated artworks, soft throw rugs and unusual objets d’art.

The opalescent and olive tones of a serene mural of misty lakes and forests greet guests in the spa where they can enjoy a wide range of vinotherapy treatments utilising the anti-aging properties of grape-seed extracts. The heated indoor pool sits under a soaring atrium crafted from warm-hued wood with windows overlooking the forest. There’s also a hammam and gym, outdoor pool and oak hot-tub.

“The one-Michelin-starred Le Favori restaurant is in a serene wood-and-glass pavilion that appears to float above the wildflower meadows. Savour whimsical, umami-rich dishes that showcase the exquisite produce grown in the kitchen garden, as well as the flowers, herbs and mushrooms of the nearby fields and forests, and the finest poultry and fish from Western France.”

The former wine cellar, with its ancient beams and stone walls, is now home to the wine bar and rustic Auberge restaurant, which offers hearty wood-fired dishes from its open-plan kitchen. In the cooler months, families and friends gather here to enjoy classic bistro fare, while in summer tables are set out on the flower-framed terrace under the shade of a pergola. Sample La Source de Cheverny’s own crisp floral white wine made with historic Romorantin grapes brought to the Loire by King Francis I.

The one-Michelin-starred Le Favori restaurant is in a serene wood-and-glass pavilion that appears to float above the wildflower meadows. Savour whimsical, umami-rich dishes that showcase the exquisite produce grown in the kitchen garden, as well as the flowers, herbs and mushrooms of the nearby fields and forests, and the finest poultry and fish from Western France.

The chateau’s ground-floor rooms offer all manner of games and a perfectly tuned grand piano, while kids will love visiting the chickens, goats, ponies and horses in the barnyard. Go for a walk in the forest (gumboots provided) and take bikes to explore the surrounding farmland of the Loire Valley, renowned as the garden of France. And if you can drag yourself away from this intimate interlude surrounded by nature, there are all those Loire chateaux to visit, too.

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Hotel Notes

Les Sources de Caudalie is in the Pessac Leognan wine region south of the city of Bordeaux. It is 20 minutes’ by car from Bordeaux Merignac airport or the TGV station of Bordeaux Saint-Jean. Rates start from € 390 (about $650) per night, including breakfast. sources-caudalie.com

Les Sources de Cheverny in the Loire is a little over two hours from Paris by car. It’s a 25-minute transfer from the Blois train station. Rates start from €330 (about AU$550) per night, including breakfast. sources-cheverny.com

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