Chateau de Mazan

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My Week in Provence  by Dinah Stocken, May 2017

StockenBridge found a fabulous location: the small town of Mazan in the heart of the Luberon, overlooked by Mont Ventoux and within striking distance of everything that Provence stands for.

The Marquis de Sade had family connections with the Chateau de Mazan, he stayed regularly and organised the first theatre festival in Provence there. The fin de siècle posters, portraits and art deco gave the house great charm and character and no doubt the walls could tell a whole lot more!

May is a lovely time to go: not too many tourists and warm weather, not too hot. Most days lunch was outside on the terrace: the food was excellent: fresh and Provencal. The friendly service from all of the staff could not have been better: who will forget the lovable Max!

As is customary now, the group consisted of a core of faithful returning guests and a number completely new to StockenBridge. With the aid of Zeb’s dinner seating plan it was not long before everyone knew everyone and new bridge partnerships and friendships were forged.

There were trips to Avignon and into the Luberon including the iconic bastide village of Gordes; to Orange and Carpentras with Chateauneuf du Pape tasting on the way and some made their own way to Arles and Venasque. Others found an excellent coiffeuse in the town.

We must not forget the bridge: Zeb prepared some interesting and challenging topics – something for everyone delivered with great humour and panache and at other times the supervised bridge gave answers to most of the tricky questions.

All in all another great holiday.