In this edition of Behind the Stay, Graham Porter takes us beyond bricks and mortar to share the emotional journey behind reviving Lou Calen, a long-abandoned hotel in Cotignac, Provence. What began as a personal return to a beloved village became a mission to restore its soul and create a space where true connection, creativity, and slow living could thrive.
I first visited Provence in Easter 1991 while I was a university exchange student in Denmark. My Danish host family had just purchased a house in the village of Cotignac and invited me to visit.
It was a magical place, one that left a lasting imprint on my memory.
Then life happened. Thirteen years passed before I returned. I had become fully absorbed in building my business, constantly traveling for work and splitting my time between London and the west coast of Canada, where I was born.
But something about Cotignac lingered. The French have an expression, “coup de cลur,” which means a sudden, deep, emotional connection. Iโm still not sure if it was the beauty of the village, the slower pace of life, or the sense of quiet adventure that drew me back.
But I do know I was craving something more grounded. Something that would restore my perspective, reconnect me with nature and remind me what life can feel like when youโre not always rushing through it.
I found it on the ancient terraced slopes just outside the village. A small patch of paradise where I could spend the day soaking in the sounds, smells, and colours of la Provence Verte.
Cotignac still felt untouched. A place where neighbors still greet each other in the street, where the cliffs whisper a thousand-year history, and where time hasnโt so much stood still as slowed down – in all the best ways.
I didnโt intend to buy Lou Calen. In fact, I donโt think anyone really sets out to buy a long-abandoned hotel at the foot of a cliff. Especially not if theyโve ever read Peter Mayleโs Hotel Pastis.
But this wasnโt just any building. It was part of the villageโs soul. Once a haven for artists, musicians, and local legends, Lou Calen had sadly sat dormant for years.
And the village felt its absence. The locals missed it. And, eventually, so did I. It left a hole that couldnโt be ignored.
What began as a personal project to restore a piece of local history became something much larger. Over the past several years, Iโve worked with a passionate team, both local and international, to bring Lou Calen back to life.
Not just as a hotel but a living, breathing place of creativity, connection, and culture. Weโve invested a small fortune, well beyond my original estimates, not to make it flashy, but to carefully and respectfully revive a property that means something to this region.
To me, luxury in hospitality isnโt about opulence. Itโs not gold taps or 24-hour butler service. Itโs about letting go of your daily pressures.
Itโs about decompressing, connecting with your surroundings, and rediscovering what brings you joy.
At Lou Calen, that shows up in the details: nearly four hectares of gardens and open space, rooms without televisions so you can hear birdsong instead of breaking news, fresh food delivered by nearby farmers, beer brewed on-site using mimosa flowers hand-picked by the village, and pastis sipped slowly under the shade of a fig tree.
Here, luxury means freedom. The freedom to slow down. To reconnect with yourself. To be present again.
I donโt think the world needs more hotels that look like airports
I donโt think the world needs more hotels that look like airports. We need spaces that feel real. Thatโs why weโve preserved the original layout in Le Jardin Secret, our Michelin Green Star restaurant.
Itโs why we have one of the only dedicated pastis bars in France. Itโs why our reception space feels more like a cozy bookstore than a sterile lobby.
And itโs why we offer hands-on workshops, like basket weaving, wild plant foraging, and wood sculpture. Not as novelty experiences, but as meaningful ways to re-engage with creativity and nature.
Australians, in particular, seem to immediately understand what weโre trying to offer. Their culture values movement, fresh air, and authenticity. Theyโre early risers, adventurous eaters, and often happiest outdoors.
Lou Calen gives them the chance to have a French holiday without compromising their lifestyle. Itโs not a health retreat, itโs a holiday, first and foremost, but one where your wellness and priorities are respected, not disrupted.
You can enjoy world-class wine and cheese, but also take a botanical walk, eat nutrient-preserving meals, or join a mindfulness workshop using materials from the land. Itโs balance without compromise.
Iโm not a hotelier by trade. Iโm a traveler who fell in love with a village and wanted to give something back.
I didnโt want to just build rooms. I wanted to build a place that adds something valuable to peopleโs lives. For our guests, yes, but also for the people of Cotignac.
Through our ever-evolving program of workshops, each rooted in the local culture and designed to create unforgettable memories, weโre sharing something more than hospitality.
Weโre sharing the deep soul of Provence.
And if Lou Calen can help someone reconnect with themselves, with nature, or with the people they loveโฆ then Iโd say itโs all been worth it.
Every stone.
Every risk.
Every choice to do things a little differently.
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