RIVIERA REVIVAL
At a relaxing French retreat overlooking the Mediterranean, Lucy Halfhead enjoys a truly rejuvenating experience
Lucy Halfhead channels a calmer karma in Provence
There is a perfect irony to starting a wellness holiday by missing your flight. Due to a diverted train and an agonisingly long wait for an Uber at a tiny station somewhere near East Grinstead, I finally arrived at Gatwick, only to be told that my plane had already left the tarmac. The next available seat was at six o’clock the following morning, departing from Luton, so you can imagine my mood when I finally landed in Nice later that day. Thankfully, a car was on hand to take me to La Réserve Ramatuelle, one of the leading spa hotels in the French Riviera, and the picturesque drive, past Château Minuty’s vineyards and sailboats bobbing in SaintTropez harbour, had an instantly calming effect.
Magnificent views of the Mediterranean Sea can be enjoyed from nearly every corner of this elegant hotel, which sits at the top of a drive flanked by ancient parasolpines, with 27 guestrooms set in pristine gardens and a gorgeous pool surrounded by teardropshaped loungers. Light flooded into the interiors through floortoceiling sliding windows as glamorous French couples drifted around in matching linen outfits; I found myself slowing down and sitting taller just observing them.
Soothing ochre, white and sandy tones decorated my spacious suite, as well as pretty posies of flowers, flickering candles and ergonomic furniture such as the twometrelong beanbags in my private garden and a highbacked rocking chair in front of the television. In the bathroom, there was a walkin monsoon shower, a bath with massage jets and scented products inspired by the fragrant fennel and lavender outside. It was easy to imagine never leaving the sanctuary of my room, but that would have meant missing out on the pampering delights in the 1000squaremetre spa.
The hotel’s newly launched Nescens Mind and Body retreat is a ‘betterageing’ programme which employs the latest scientific methods and the medical expertise that the Nescens brand has
developed at its clinic in Switzerland. On arrival, I met the spa osteopath and the yoga instructor for an individual evaluation to fine-tune my four-night plan (you can book a course of up to six nights for maximum benefits). This is not a place for people looking to maintain an unnatural state of youth, but for those hoping to grow older with grace. In a typical day I had one yoga class, one stretching or Pilates session, two spa treatments and a 90-minute trek. I particularly relished these guided walks through the nearby woodlands and down to explore the local bays and beaches, before we returned to the hotel for personal training on the roof terrace.
One morning, I found myself soaking in a bubbling balneotherapy bath, as lights under the water alternated between the colours of the rainbow. Afterwards, I felt so Zen that I practically floated to the relaxation-room where a glass of iced green tea with jasmine and a plate of moreish homemade madeleines were waiting. Because, mercifully, this was not one of those detoxes where you have to make do with sipping bone broth for days on end. Meals were served in either La Voile, a restaurant with immaculate white tablecloths and bowls of giant orchids, or on its breezy terrace overlooking the sea.
The chef, Eric Canino, has won the restaurant a Michelin star for his subtle interpretation of Mediterranean flavours and clever use of the fruits and vegetables that have been picked from the hotel’s sunny kitchen garden. At lunchtimes, I was served three delicious courses which, in total, miraculously came in at under 500 calories. Light and delicate dishes, such as three-bean salad garnished with edible flowers and vibrant watermelon soup, were presented beautifully on chic Pordamsa tableware, followed by satisfying plates of grilled steak, fillets of John Dory with diced courgette, and even puddings, including a raspberry clafoutis whose richness belied its wholesome ingredients. These well-balanced menus were aimed at eliminating toxins from the body but never left me feeling deprived.
At La Réserve Ramatuelle it’s easy to forget about the outside world, but all good things must come to an end and suddenly it was time to return home. I could see immediate results – my clothes were looser, my mind was freer – and, most importantly, I was equipped with the healthy-eating and exercise tools to help me maintain the benefits well beyond my stay.
La Réserve Ramatuelle, from about £730 a room a night (www.lareserve -ramatuelle.com). The Nescens Mind and Body three-day retreat starts from an additional £1,700 a person.
This is not a place for people looking
to maintain an unnatural state of youth, but for those hoping to grow older with grace