In Provence, the winery estate Les Davids combines a state-of-the-art winery with art, luxury holiday homes and a landscape trail by Bas Smets

Les Davids is a 320-hectare estate located in the south of France (in the commune of Viens, on the edge of the Luberon Regional Nature Park in the Vaucluse, on the border of the Alpes de Haute Provence). The estate is consciously run according to organic farming methods, which guarantee biodiversity and the presence of natural yeasts that ensure perfect fermentation. The altitude and these combined qualities, both human and natural, allow the estate to produce exceptional wines in reasonable quantities year after year.

On the estate, a number of hamlets have been transformed into luxury holiday residences with a total of more than 30 rooms: Les Hameaux des Davids.

There are eight holiday homes in total, spread over four hamlets and ranging from three to six bedrooms, which you can rent with or without catering. They are all traditional houses in the typical Provencal style. The interior is rustic charming, with coarse beamed ceilings, terracotta floor tiles and wooden furniture. They are quietly situated on large estates, with landscaped gardens overlooking the unspoilt rocky hills.

All of the Hameaux combine ancient charm and tradition with the most contemporary luxury and a service tailored to the needs of the guests. There is a catering service, domaine products, transport, truffle discovery walk, wine tastings, guides and excursions. Whatever the season, these are the ideal places for discovering the estate and immersing yourself in the region's warm wine-growing culture.

An ultramodern chai - winery - by French architect Marc Barani can be found on the estate. Completely in wood-framed concrete in the same ochre hue as the earth, the massive building becomes a kind of rock that merges into the hillside. The architect designed three floors, because Les Davids makes wine without pumps. Everything is done by natural gravity. Upstairs they collect the grape juice. This way less oxygen reaches the wine, so less sulphite has to be added and the aromas are better preserved. Moreover, they pick and sort twice the grapes by hand.

Belgian landscape architect Bas Smets designed a 2 km long walking route, opening up new paths to reveal the great diversity of natural and cultivated landscapes on the edge of Les Davids. The walking route consists of revealing these existing landscapes by means of a continuous route, interrupted by highlights. The region is known for its great diversity of ecosystems and rich flora and fauna. Wooded hills, rolling fields, arid plateaus, as well as landscaped vineyards and fruit trees follow one another.

The curator Anne Pontégnie is coordinating interventions of contemporary artists (such as David Nash, Marguerite Humeau and Gabriel Chaile) that will be integrated into the route.

While staying at the Hameaux, one can book a visit to the winery of the estate or a wine assembly workshop with the estate's oenologist, buy bread and products from the estate's own bakery and vegetable garden. On the terrace of the winery, one can enjoy a gastronomic five-course menu based on the wines or have a lunch or aperitif with local cheeses and products.