8 experiences to enhance your stay in Aix-en-Provence
A stay at Villa Amara means plunging into the heart of the Provençal art of living and discovering all the secrets of Aix-en-Provence. Sample the culinary delights, stroll through the picturesque streets and soak up the region’s enchanting atmosphere.
But in addition to this immersion in local culture, we’ve selected 8 exclusive experiences to enhance your stay. Each of these prestigious moments has been carefully crafted by our first-class partners, to offer you a journey beyond the ordinary, where luxury and authenticity come together to create unforgettable memories.
1. Spa / Massages
Treat yourself to an exceptional moment in the Caudalie boutique and spa, a natural, eco-responsible French brand.
Caudalie offers you the luxury of a customized treatment for face and/or body, combining well-being, effectiveness and total disconnection.
Come and experience an exceptional moment by choosing your treatment:
- Skincare Rituals (face and/or body)
- Facials (anti-ageing, anti-wrinkle, anti-dark spots, hydrating or purifying)
- Body Treatments (scrub, massages)
- Deep skin cleansing
- Lifting & firming eye treatment
- Caudalift (muscle stimulation technology, plus original facial techniques, for immediate results)
- etc.
The Amara advantage : For a truly rejuvenating stay, Villa Amara is delighted to offer you a 10% discount on all Caudalie spa treatments (excluding Rituals).
2. Cooking Class
Villa Amara invites you to enjoy a gourmet cooking class in our own pedagogical kitchen.
Join chef Pascal Reynaud in the preparation of your private lunch or dinner using the authentic ingredients of contemporary Mediterranean cuisine.
Raised on the farm, chef Pascal links his cooking to his roots and uses only the freshest local produce to give expression to the multiple cultural influences that today define Provençale cuisine.
Trained at one of France’s finest “Grandes Ecoles de la gastronomie” FERRANDI-Paris, Pascal went on to test his wings with Chef Eric Sapet, in the La Petite Maison restaurant in Cucuron.
Placing fine cuisine at the heart of the celebration of life in the South of France, chef Pascal openly shares his joys and inspirations. Cooking with and for others, without being hidden behind the stove, out of sight, but rather out in the open, in a local’s home, or during private events, makes perfect sense for this talented, impassioned chef.
The little extra : Possible additional market tour for lunch sessions.
3. Private dining for 2-10 guests
To enhance your stay, imagine a leisurely brunch, festive lunch or romantic dinner for two in the serenity of the Villa Amara garden or elegant dining room, organized according to your tastes by our favorite professional chef.
Discover the refinement of chef Reynaud’s gastronomic cuisine
combining Provençal and Mediterranean accents.
Menu du marché
- Zucchini flowers stuffed with cod brandade / Squid Ink Aïoli.
- Confit of lamb shoulder / Seasonal vegetables / Savoury thyme drippings.
- Barbecue nectarines marinated with red fruits / Greek yogurt with vanilla / Hazelnut crumble.
Menu de saison
- Appetizers (2).
- Seabream crudo / Radishes carpaccio / Orange and brown butter marinade / Orange and peanuts.
- Filet mignon medallion of free-range pork / Seasonal vegetables / Walnuts, shallots and chives / Savoury drippings with truffle.
- Like a black forest: Soft cocoa cake / Vanilla whipped cream / chocolate ganache / Cherry ice cream.
4. Perfume Atelier
Guided by a master “nez” from the most prestigious perfumery in Provence, compose your own signature scent for home or body.
During a 90-minute atelier of your choice, you will discover the basics of perfume composition , your personal olfactory profile, and return home with your personalized French Eau de Parfum in the 75ml hand-blown refillable crystal bottle or specially decorated diffuser for the home.
The Amara advantage : a lovely personalized gift per person worth €28.50 : a lavender soap engraved with your name.
5. Urban Sketching
Villa Amara invites you to go a big step beyond the innumerable phone-photos of your journeys and learn how to make quick artistic sketches of the places that catch your eye and touch your heart.
Putting all perfectionism aside, learn to draw from life, looking,
understanding and transcribing in your own way what you have before your eyes, such is the invitation of urban sketching.
Confirmed local artist, Catherine Moullé will show you how to enhance your work with drawing techniques, skilled layout, and application of color.
*Basic equipment :
- A bound notebook (without rings) medium format watercolor paper
- A Staedler or Micron 0.1 style indelible marker
- A small box of watercolor
- A brush with water reservoir.
6. Regional Wine Tasting Tour
Villa Amara invites you to enjoy a custom-designed day visiting choice wineries in charming, expert company.
Our favorite wine expert has worked for top Michelin starred chef Alain Ducasse in Paris, Monaco and Las Vegas and was the sommelier at the highly regarded Christian Etienne restaurant in Avignon for six years.
Considered one of the leading experts in Rhone Valley wines, Kelly knows everyone in the business and trains other sommeliers and industry insiders.
Three regional-tour options, all coordinated and animated by your endlessly knowledgeable and enthusiastic host and driver:
- Bandol
- Coteaux d’Aix or
- Châteauneuf du Pape
The little extra : Getaway in a 4×4 Land Cruiser that holds up to 6 passengers comfortably.
7. Meditation
Villa Amara and the Amara Yoga association are happy to welcome you for a meditation class.
Learn simple, effective ways to integrate meditation into your life during a 90-minute workshop, on-site.
The benefits are so innumerable that there is no better way to prolong the relaxing effects of a Villa Amara stay.
As a host of studies have shown, regular meditation offers numerous health benefits :
- Manage stress
- Strengthen your immune system
- Reduce anxiety
- Improve your relationships
- Create inner peace
- Awaken your intuition
- Lower your blood pressure
- Become less critical
- Improve your quality of sleep
8. Yoga
Amara Yoga welcomes you for a Raja Yoga class.
Deeply relax, gain in strength and balance and get in touch with your body with a personalized 90-minute Raja Yoga class, on-site in the Villa Amara’s yoga studio.
Highly qualified professional instructor (e-RYT 500) trained by Deepak Chopra and a direct disciple of Swami Satyananda.
You define your objectives as well as the day and time of the class in dialogue with the instructor.
Popular themes:
- The spine: strength, alignment,pain-relief.
- Stress management and reduction.
- Digestive or sleep issues.
- Self-assurance, centeredness, and presence.
- Physical strength, balance, and well-being.
- Chakra balancing.
At Villa Amara, luxury takes on a new dimension, where every moment is an ode to elegance and refinement. Our 8 unique privileges invite you to discover Provence from a different angle, where well-being, gastronomy and culture blend harmoniously. Join us for an unforgettable experience, where every moment is a celebration of life.
