In short… Lily of the Valley is a year-round soft-core wellness getaway on the Côte d’Azur, offering a serene escape for relaxation and rejuvenation
The vibe… The drive into the charming town of La Croix-Valmer, about 30 minutes south of St. Tropez, sets up the stay so effectively—no typical South of France giant oligarch houses, large hotels, or shopping streets with the usual-suspect luxury brands. Instead, you see modest-sized homes built into the pine-covered hillside with views to the sea. The Lily of the Valley, designed by Philippe Starck, follows suit, fitting into the landscape very discreetly.
The rooms… Surrounded by trees and many looking out towards the Med, there are 44 rooms spread across the property–nothing higher than two stories. It’s all contemporary design as you’d expect from Starck, with organic-shaped, earth-toned decor, and lots of vintage Provençal pots on the outdoor terrace.
The wellness… There are so many activities, from longe côte (group-led exercise in the sea in wetsuits), to “crazy stairs” (exactly as it sounds), and treatments (many of them innovative—lymphatic drainage cryotherapy, LED therapy for jet lag, Indiba (regenerative radio frequency treatment)) that are best in class. We loved the osteopath, who was such a healer.
Food and drink… Guests can choose between a program conceived by consulting nutritionist Jacques Fricker, which leans Mediterranean diet, or no program at all. Everyone eats in the same restaurant, so nothing feels restrictive. On the first day we indulged in the regular menu, so we got to experience an incredible beachside lunch with truffled pizza and magnums of rosé and gorgeous desserts (including ice cream sundaes). On the next day we moved to the restrictive program, and lunch was an incredible salad of steamed vegetables followed by sea bass. Regardless of what program you’re on, all the food is made from seasonal ingredients, and leans hearty and unfussy. The room was buzzing—a far cry from some of the more somber clinical dining rooms at many detox spas filled with solo diners. Here, you can be on the program while your spouse (or kids!) can be eating whatever they like. The food from the regular menu is so good–I dream about the whole roasted shoulder of lamb–I’d go out of my way to come here just for that!
Be sure to… Do the coastal hike on the Cap Lardier, where you see nothing but the turquoise sea and pine trees (and very few humans!).
Date of stay… November 2022
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