Crillon le Brave has announced an autumn and winter programme shaped around the produce, landscape and crafts of Provence, with experiences running from September to December 2026.
Set in the Vaucluse beneath Mont Ventoux, the five-star hotel occupies 12 historic stone houses linked by narrow lanes and passages. Its new programme gives guests direct access to winemakers, truffle farmers, chefs and artisans as the region moves from the grape harvest into truffle season.
The events follow a substantial spring reopening that brought three renovated houses, nine newly added rooms, a second swimming pool and an expanded spa. The hotel-village also gained Maison Tilleul, where cookery workshops, retreats and children’s activities take place.
Terre de Truffes weekends begin in November
The programme includes Terre de Truffes, a three-night stay focused on the black truffle of the Ventoux. Two editions are scheduled, from 13 to 16 November and from 3 to 6 December 2026.
Guests will join the Jaumard brothers, local truffle farmers from a family that has worked in the trade for generations. The programme begins with cavage, the traditional search for truffles among the oak groves, followed by a themed lunch with food-and-wine pairings.
The stay also includes a Ventoux wine masterclass and a cookery session. A three-course dinner with regional wine pairings concludes the main programme and places the truffle within the wider culinary context of Provence.
Accommodation for three nights, buffet breakfasts and selected meals are included, together with valet service and complimentary parking. Guests also receive access to the hotel’s pools, fitness room and Spa des Écuries.
Housed in the former stables’ vaulted cellars, the spa offers a hammam, sauna, jacuzzi and cold baths. Its three treatment rooms use products from Tata Harper, SeeMy Cosmetics and Maison Caulières. Both hotel pools are heated during autumn, while the newer adults-only pool provides the quieter option.
Thomas Lesage brings the Ventoux to the table
At La Table du Ventoux, Crillon le Brave’s restaurant and panoramic terrace facing the mountain, chef Thomas Lesage builds his menus around seasonal produce from local suppliers. His cooking interprets regional dishes with a contemporary approach, while retaining familiar Provençal ingredients and techniques.
“My philosophy of cooking is the one passed on to me by my family: the happiness of being gathered around the table,” Lesage said.
Dishes associated with his menus include Provençal panisses and grilled Ventoux pork. Petit Épeautre de Sault may be prepared as a saffron risotto with spinach coulis and artichoke shavings, while Sisteron lamb appears as kefta with herb condiments.
During the truffle weekends, Lesage will lead the cookery element and dinner. Maison Tilleul provides a domestic-style setting for these sessions, reflecting its wider role as a place where guests can prepare food, meet local producers and share meals.
Guests can join the Chêne Bleu harvest
The first dated event arrives on 26 September, when Crillon le Brave will take guests north to the Chêne Bleu wine estate for a morning in the vineyards. The vines stand at an altitude of 550 metres in the Dentelles de Montmirail, with views towards Mont Ventoux.
Participants will receive pruning shears and work alongside the harvest team. The session covers how to identify a suitable cluster and how altitude, soil, weather and light influence the grapes before vinification. Grenache and Syrah are among the varieties grown at the estate.
After the harvest, guests will visit the cellar and barrel room before tasting the wines. Lunch with the harvesters follows, and each participant will leave with a bottle of Chêne Bleu’s Astralabe cuvée bearing a personalised engraved label.
The single-morning format makes the experience easy to add to a longer stay, while still offering direct contact with the people responsible for the wine.
Halloween turns the village lanes into a family trail
Crillon le Brave’s Enchanted Autumn Escape will run for stays that include the night of 31 October. The hotel’s network of old houses and pathways will provide the setting for a night-time sweet hunt, followed by fireside storytelling.
Other activities include pumpkin carving and spooky face painting. A parent-and-child cookery workshop will focus on pumpkin gnocchi and costs €80 for one adult and one child.
The programme is designed to work for adults as well as younger guests, using the village layout for atmosphere while keeping the activities communal. Maison Tilleul will host parts of the family schedule.
Ceramics and floral design accompany winter brunches
Creative workshops continue as winter approaches, pairing Sunday brunch with practical sessions led by visiting makers. Emmanuelle Popelin, founder of POEM Ceramics, will introduce guests to ceramics as part of the seasonal series.
On 6 December, American florist Nicole Marcoe, founder of Nicole Renee Flowers, will lead a floral-design workshop alongside brunch. These sessions extend the programme beyond food and outdoor pursuits, with guests producing something of their own under the guidance of a working artisan.
Dates, availability and booking arrangements for the wider series are published through the hotel’s autumn and winter agenda.
Aigle equips guests for changing weather
Autumn around Mont Ventoux can shift quickly between warm sunshine, rain and cooler conditions at altitude. Crillon le Brave has partnered with French outdoor brand Aigle to create a seasonal wardrobe for hotel guests, including its rubber boots and a windbreaker.
The pieces will be available to borrow or purchase from Atelier du Tilleul. They are intended for truffle hunts, harvest mornings, cycling trips and walks around the mountain, so guests do not need to pack specialist outdoor equipment.
Travellers planning to explore the summit should still check road and weather conditions. The hotel’s guide to Mont Ventoux says the summit road is generally open from May until October, although strong winds or snow can lead to temporary closures.
The southern approach from Bédoin follows the route associated with the Tour de France, while the northern road from Malaucène passes through wooded terrain near Mont Serein. The gentler Sault route crosses lavender country and can be combined with the Gorges de la Nesque. Drivers should allow at least half a day rather than treating the journey as a direct ascent.
Crillon le Brave is around 40 kilometres north-east of Avignon and its TGV station. Carpentras is approximately 20 minutes away, while Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vaison-la-Romaine and Isle-sur-la-Sorgue can each be reached in about 30 minutes.
Bookings for the harvest, truffle stays and creative programme can be made through the hotel’s agenda, by emailing reservations@crillonlebrave.com or by calling +33 (0)4 87 85 09 34.
