Wining, dining and unwinding at a French spa

What is it?

As the south of France had the same unusually hot and sunny April as we did in the UK, our spa weekend at Domaine de Verchant felt like a summer holiday. With graceful gardens, and vineyards surrounding this beautifully restored mansion, we felt as if we were in a countryside hideaway, despite being just a 10-minute taxi ride from Montpellier station, in Castelnau Le Lez.

Modern but welcoming

The building dates from the 14th-century – but has been turned by Raymond Morel into a luxury retreat with cutting edge design and technology in the rooms, for total comfort. Rest assured that while rooms look sleek and stylish, they don’t feel cold or forbidding – in our suite, the bed is huge and incredibly comfortable, we have views of vines on one side, and landscaped gardens on the other, a walk-in wardrobe, and a white leather sofa to curl up on in front of a hi-spec TV and DVD player (we’d brought along series one of Mad Men to try and catch up with all the hoohah).

Spoil yourself for a special occasion with the Neige d’Avril honeymoon suite’s round bed with sheer white curtains, enormous hydro-massage tub, and private terrace, or the Nur Mahal Room with access to the garden from its own terrace . La Forge apartment is great for a special family occasion, with lots of space and an upstairs lounge with views over the vineyards .

Alongside the euro-chic couples, and relaxed tourists here to enjoy the spa, the outdoor pool, and the restaurant, there are also business people using the hotel for a conference, but the organisation manages to make it unobtrusive enough not to jar with the relaxation vibe.

Pampering little touches

And it’s the relaxation vibe we’re after! The spa spa is open until 9pm, the beautifully designed building (with gym, heated pool, sauna and steam room, sun terrace and treatment rooms) is full of little touches designed to help you relax and unwind. Plates of dried fruits, bowls of crisp apples, chilled bottles of water, fluffy white towels, and fragrant lemon verbena Anne Semonin toiletries in the changing rooms all help you glide around feeling cosseted. There’s a 20 euro charge for using the facilities, which is waived if you book a treatment.

Swim and gym

On our first evening we decide on a gym/swim and sun terrace sojourn before dinner. My partner chooses a workout on the treadmill, and I choose to swim in the luxurious, if fairly small, pool, in a room where light streams in through floor to ceiling windows. To add to the delight, there are heated loungers, a Jacuzzi, and an ‘experience’ shower. I’ll be honest, Cool Fog is not for people who enjoy showers warm, but Atlantic Ocean brings a puff of mildly sweet and minty scent as well as the sound of seagulls, and African Storm combines a green light with tropical birdsong. Workout enjoyed, we shower and sit with our books in the early evening sun on the terrace, looking up at the blue sky, enjoying the white glazed sculptures, the tender new leaves on the vines, and sighing with contentment.

(Very) local wine

Dinner also brings contentment – a view of the freeform landscaped pool, curtains undulating in the gentle breeze, candlelight on crisp white linen, and delicious wines from the hotel’s own vines. The grape varieties grown are Syrah and Grenache, Merlot and Cabernet France, and 10% of the wine produced is white. This white and the rose are perfect aperitifs – either in the bright hotel bar, with mosaic flooring and egg-shaped swivel chairs in olive-green leather, or on the terrace overlooking the gardens (just be aware that the terrace is covered in gravel that makes walking in heels rather tricky!).

Imaginative food

On our first evening, fat al dente asparagus, local cheeses, more-ish bread, and a tasty salad of high quality cured ham, rocket, pear and parmesan are followed by densely rich chocolate fondant and peppermint tea. But if you want richer, more complex gourmet dishes, they are there for the taking – grilled red mullet with tomato and aubergine crumble; beef fillet with morel fricassee and potato blini; roasted duckling fillet in spicy honey with aubergine marmalade and foie gras. And melty dark chocolate biscuit with apple and passion fruit marmalade and whipped cream or rose cream éclair, raspberries and coulis, and lemon sorbet for those with a sweet tooth. (If you’re a vegetarian, or have special dietary needs, give advance warning). The room service menu is also delicious – fresh pasta with tomato and basil sauce, and a crisp, chunky, flavoursome seasonal salad are great lighter bites after a late spa treatment.

The treatments

The next day, we hurry along to the spa once more, this time to indulge in treatments following a swim and steam. Be prepared to brush up on a few French beauty treatment phrases to make the most of the spa menu on offer (as there’s a fabulous choice, with massages ranging from Thai to Ayurvedic, Balinese to Shiatsu, alongside signature Verchant massage with plant oils, or a specially created Verchant massage using Anne Semonin products. Facials include anti-ageing treatments using the Swiss Valmont range favoured by Brad Pitt. Prices range from around 110 euros for 60minutes, although you can have 30 minutes for 65 euros.

I had the amazing signature body scrub (Gommage Signature Verchant Aux Sels et Huiles essentielles de Lavande, Mandarine et Basilic Anne Semonin) – a brisk and invigorating all over scrub with sea salt, that really stripped away dead cells, to prime the skin for deep moisturising with botanical oils. (A note for those of a demure disposition – the scrub extends to the breast area).

I was genuinely surprised at how soft and smooth my skin felt afterwards – and I took the advice to keep moisturising well after any showers or bathing on subsequent days and found my skin stayed silky for another week. Chris enjoyed the signature Verchant massage which he said was fantastic – not so deep that it felt therapeutic and painful, but deep enough that it loosened his limbs and relaxed the neck and shoulder tension that he carries around. Both of us could barely function for a while afterwards, sitting in our fluffy white robes on the sun terrace to really soak up the blissful after-effects.

Insider tips for exploring

If you can tear yourself away from the hotel and spa, these are the things to do:

* Explore the museums, theatres and restaurants of Montpellier’s old town, a 10-minute taxi ride away

* There are several golf courses in the region, including Golf de Massane and Golf Grande Motte – great places to indulge your passion, or to send him off for the day as you indulge in the spa!

* If you do like to be beside the seaside, there are public and private beaches less than 15 minutes away, where you can soak up the seagull cries, sunshine and practice your sailing skills.

* If you love a bit of Roman history, hop on the train for 30minutes to Nimes where you can visit one of the world’s most complete Roman amphitheatres - still used as a concert venue.

Essential details:

Prices from 230 euros per night, with breakfast at 25 euros per person, via chicretreats.com. Spa break packages are also available; 2 nights, including breakfast, four treatments and unlimited spa access, from 660 euros per person; 5 nights, including breakfast and 10 treatments, for 1640 euros per person.

Getting there: Montpellier is just an hour by train from Avignon – you can travel on Eurostar to Avignon from £109 via Eurostar, in around five and a half hours – train travel cuts your carbon emissions by 90% compared to air travel. Or fly to Montpellier (a 10-minute drive), with carriers including Easyjet from London from around £60 return, and Ryanair from Birmingham (from around £21 for the flight, excluding any additional charges.