Les Rosees

MINUTES FROM CANNES and nudging the ancient hilltop village of Mougins, Les Rosées – set in gardens strewn with honeysuckle, roses and lavender – makes the perfect hillside Riviera retreat.

Far from the crowds of the Cote d’Azur yet just a short drive from its cool cafes and beaches, this idyllically set, bijou B&B is just the place to revive and relax. Twinkling tealights form a glowing path through lavender-scented gardens up to the front door at night, adding to the magic.

An exquisitely renovated 18th century farmhouse, Les Rosées feels like an intimate and elegant private home where everything has been impeccably thought out. There’s a lounge with books and squashy sofas, a grand piano and candelabra, while über luxurious rooms come with lime-washed walls, beamed ceilings, silken drapes, eclectic antique pieces (a vintage trunk here, a violin there) and fresh flowers.

Rustic chic suites

Delectable decor is a palette of soft provencal pastels. There are rugged flagstone floors, big beds dressed in fine designer linen, crushed velvet and tasselled cushions, while bathrooms come with huge baths and (in Serguey) pampering double sinks. Rooms are sans TV – this is a sanctuary from the outside world.

We loved the airy, rustic-chic Isadora suite, with its huge bed, smoke-grey silken drapes and superlative views from its signature curved, glass walled lounge. Serguey on the top floor sports a glass roof and real wood burning fireplace with piles of logs and a glass back opening into the bathroom behind, so you can watch the flames flicker as you soak.

St Honorat has a retro-romantic look with distress-painted walls, antique wooden doors, enormous bath and French windows opening onto the garden. Sainte Marguerite opens onto a private terrace.

Les Rosées is the perfect place for indolent summer days – though it’s also cosy and candlelit at Christmas. You’ll probably want to laze away some afternoons stretched out on a lounger around the (small) pool, or disappear to your room for a siesta.

Starting the day with a delicious breakfast on the verandah is a must. Hilltop Mougins – full of artisan shops, galleries and trailing bougainvillea – is a steep but scenic 15 minute walk uphill. Head the other way, and you can drive to the beach in Antibes in 20 minutes.

A favourite with stars coming for the Cannes Film Festival, this is a peaceful oasis in which to hunker down, stretch out and switch off. Run by spoiling hosts Kilperick and Jenny (who have seemingly thought of everything), life feels pretty rosy at this rustic Riviera retreat.

© Room for Romance