Chateau Lacoste, Le Puy Sainte Reparade, France 

Chateau Lacoste in Le Puy Sainte Reparade, France is about 25 miles north of Aix en Provence. The vineyard is like no other in my memory. My friend Claudine from Aix suggested we go there for lunch. Its located not far from her house outside Aix en Provence. 

The Art Center and Restaurant

What I saw when we drove up was completely different from what I had in my mind. It’s modern, concrete, exciting and seems to fit perfectly into the topography. Other than the rows and rows of dormant vines (its March) – it doesn’t resemble a French vineyard at all.  

The first thing you see as you drive in is the large pool, and suspended above it is the spider by Artist and Sculptor Louise Bourgeois

Claudine had been to the vineyard several times and was a wealth of information. We had lunch while she told me some of the background.  

Owner of Chateau Lacoste, Patrick McKillan

The owner of Chateau Lacoste is Patrick “Paddy” McKillan, an international real estate developer and art collector from Ireland with a fascinating background. When you read about the projects he’s involved in, you can understand the wealth that backs the Chateau Lacoste project. 

Architect Tadeo Ando, Art Center and Restaurant

McKillan chose TADEO ANDO as the architect for the main building, which is the art center and restaurant. Ando is another person with a fascinating background. The building is in itself art. 

The restaurant is glass and concrete with indoor and outdoor seating surrounded by the pebble filled pools. The food was exceptional, its pricey until you consider the surroundings and service.  

The property comprises of 600 acres of vineyards, rolling hills, valleys, and woods surrounded by views of the Luberon valley. Snow-covered mountains in the distance. Patrick McKillan invited artists from around the world and encouraged them to choose an area on the land. He gave them the freedom to create a piece of art that would remain. As you walk the property, you come across pieces of art in all sizes, styles, and materials.  Most are tucked away and it’s easy to miss them. 

We spent a couple of hours walking the land and still only saw a fraction of what’s there. By the way, walking the land is quite a workout with all the hills and valleys! Now looking at my pictures, I understand that the location drives the art – you have to be there to fully appreciate what the artist had in mind.   In this case I don’t feel pictures do the art justice. 

Alexander Calder “Small Crinkly”

Frank O Gehry‘s Music Pavillion 

Tadao Ando Chapel – this is a stone chapel built on the site of an original chapel, glass and metal are an outer shell.  

Kengo Kuma “Komorebi”

Tunga Brazilian Sculptor and Performance Artist

Sean Scully “Wall or Light Cubed” 

Wine, hotel and outbuildings must wait for another day…

I would love to return because I could spend hours more. We didn’t even touch on the biodynamic wine or the “‘cuverie’ (the building where they produce and store the wine) designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. The fields of vines, other related buildings, the 5-star hotel on the hill, gardens, orchards, the summer patio restaurant and bar, the wine store, etc.  

Tea room and kitchen gardens 

We did get a glimpse through the trees of a private tea room, library/study, and kitchen garden.