4/6/2007
Alain Ducasse Country Inns Celebrate L'Art de Vivre

From their exceptional kitchens to their charming accommodations, all of the five country inns of master chef Alain Ducasse offer authentic local travel experiences that celebrate the culture of their idyllic settings – from Provence to the French Basque country to Tuscany. And all are a natural fit for Elite Luxury Travel’s growing portfolio of distinctive hotels and resorts.

Renowned worldwide for his ground-breaking restaurants in Paris, Monaco and New York, Ducasse opened his first country inn in the quaint village of Moustier, in the Alps of High-Provence. Once the country house of a master potter, La Bastide de Moustier has been restored and renovated to perfection under Ducasse’s direction and today offers 11 individually designed rooms and one luxury suite.

Since opening La Bastide, Ducasse has acquired two more country houses in Provence: the charming Hostellerie de L’Abbaye de la Celle on the site of a 12th-century royal abbey, and Domaine des Andéols, a vibrant, modern inn with a refreshingly artistic spirit. A childhood love for the Basque country of Southwestern France led the legendary chef to open Ostapé in the foothills of the Pyrenees, and he ventured west to Italy for L’Andana, a refined 16th-century estate that formerly served as a summer retreat for the Duke of Tuscany.

While each inn is entirely unique in its charms, all feature Ducasse-trained chefs whose kitchens showcase the finest local flavors. Guests are welcomed into the kitchen as if it is their own, where they can enjoy a cooking lesson by a member of the skilled culinary team. Recreational pastimes focus on traditional local pursuits, from horseback riding to lawn bowling to picnics in the countryside, and pampering spa treatments are available at several inns.