French hotel brand Airelles has unveiled a number of enhancements and new experiences at its properties in Saint Tropez and Provence ahead of the summer season. 

The brand has launched a new French road trip experience featuring stops at three of its properties in the South of France, including the exclusive Le Grand Contrôle within the grounds of the Palace of Versailles; La Bastide in the hilltop village of Gordes; and Château de la Messardière in Saint Tropez. 

The seven-night, all-inclusive road trip package will include full-board basis stays, a picnic basket upon every departure containing local delights, valet parking and a car wash service.

The offer is valid for stays between May 5 – June 30 and September 1 – October 16. Prices start from £10,070.

Château de le Messardière (pictured), which underwent a two-year renovation and reopened as an Airelles property in 2021, will also offer a range of new guest experiences until October 16, 2022.

The nineteenth-century property has expanded its Summer Camp for children, with new activities including a children’s Circus Academy, team games Archery Tag and Bubble Football, an educational gardening session and guided horse-riding around the 25-acre grounds.

The Summer Camp is housed in a newly built villa with its own cinema, tree house, climbing frame, arcade and video games room with virtual reality chair.

There is a large area for arts and crafts including calligraphy, origami, postcard-making, lava lamp creation and pottery, while a dedicated children’s pool will play host to water polo and aquatic basketball. There is also ping pong, volleyball, badminton and basketball. 

The Summer Camp is available to all of Airelles’ Saint-Tropez guests, including families staying at sister hotel Pan Deï Palais in the village centre. 

This year, it will also be open to external guests on a membership basis. Children aged four and above can choose from full-day, weekend or full week passes, with membership including a lunch and dinner menu, afternoon tea, soft drinks and a range of outdoor and indoor activities.

In addition to its expanded children’s facilities, Château de le Messardière has launched a new personalised private-dining experience within the hotel’s vegetable garden. The al-fresco Chef’s Table experience will be led by Airelles’ executive chef Marco Garfagnini, who will create a bespoke menu for up to 12 guests using home-grown produce from the surrounding area.

Airelles Gordes, La Bastide, which reopens for the summer season on April 28, will also expand is culinary offering with the launch of a new Ladurée café. The Provencal-style café will be located in the village centre, adjacent to the hotel’s trattoria-style La Bastide de Pierres, featuring a shop, bar area, seated indoor dining area and an outdoor terrace with views over the Castle of Gordes.

Lastly, exclusive rental property Château d’Estoublon has unveiled a new landscape garden design alongside an enlarged terrace for alfresco dinners and parties and a new poolside yoga platform where private classes can be arranged.

The Airelles collection also includes Les Airelles in Courchevel, Airelles Val d’Isère and Château d’Estoublon in Les Baux-de-Provence. Projects in the pipeline include a property in Venice which is scheduled to launch in 2023 and will mark the brand’s first property outside of France.