Le Mas Candille: Provençal Style and a Clarins Spa Above the Riviera

Nestled in Provence above the French Riviera, Le Mas Candille blends historic estate charm with a Clarins spa, Hugo Toro design, and Riviera seclusion.

Warmly colored lounge overlooking the gardens at Le Mas Candille — Credit: Matthieu Salvaing

By Nicole Trilivas

Why it works

Hotel Snapshot

A collaboration between Jean-Philippe Cartier, founder of the bijou, France-focused H8 Collection hotel group, and the Courtin-Clarins family (yes, that Clarins family), Mas Candille might date back to the 60s, but a recent rebrand led by designer de jour Hugo Toro has it looking completely au courant.

Sprawling 4.5 hectares down the garrigue-shrouded hillside just outside of the arty town of Mougins, this 46-room hotel—complete with Clarins spa and retro pool—is a siren call to aesthetes and jetsetters who crave an escape from the paparazzi flashes and look-at-me frenzy of the nearby Riviera.

Design & Character

‍Set across several buildings connected by landscaped pathways, Mas Candille was recently revitalized by Hugo Toro, the French-Mexican designer behind the venerated Orient Express La Minerva in Rome. With a knack for reinvention (the new Orient Express hotel also had another life as a historic hotel), Toro’s design sings with soulful tributes to the Provence of the past without leaning on pastiche. Pools look pulled from Slim Aarons' photographs, while nostalgic interiors invite relaxation. A dimmed-down color palette—all burnt oranges, clarets, and earthy greens—comes from the hotel’s 60s, past as well as the surrounding countryside, dotted with well-preserved hilltop towns and villas. Lastly, the landscaping of palms and oleanders adds a frisson of mid-century Californian glamour to the hotel.

Retro loungers and terracotta umbrellas beside the pool — Credit: Matthieu Salvaing

The Rooms

‍In ascending price order, rooms are divided into La Mas (19 rooms), La Bastide (21 rooms), and La Villa (6 rooms). Most feel bungalow-like with mod furniture and pops of sunshine yellows or tangerines, while flea market finds and worn Parisian paperbacks add a little French je ne sais quoi to the space. Norwegian marble bathrooms in raspberry and pink are bathed in an amber lamp-shaded glow and feature Clarins products.

Guest room with green patterned carpet and warm wood furnishings — Credit: Matthieu Salvaing

The Food & Drink Situation‍

You will eat well here at two main restaurants: The Pool restaurant is the spot for lunches of breezy summer salads and fruity cocktails, while nightfall transforms the same space into the Grill by the Pool, with sophisticated seared seafood and woodfire-licked meats. A newly introduced party spot with karaoke, live music, and trendy pan-Asian cuisine from California rolls to curries, Le Tigrr Candille is the spot for evening revelry. (It’s one of several Le Tigrr outposts in the region.)

Colorful bar with green tiles and curved seating — Credit: Matthieu Salvaing

The Amenities‍

A glass orangerie is used for everything from meetings to sports classes and kids’ activities, while a pétanque court is a Riviera signature. Two pools are another must in these parts (one’s heated for year-round use), and then of course, there’s the spa. There’s also a small library nook and a cigar area.

Outdoor pool and yellow umbrellas overlooking the Provençal hills — Credit: Matthieu Salvaing

Spa & Wellness Scoop

‍You can’t mention the name Clarins and not expect a superlative spa. Two years in the making and open for both hotel guests and day visitors, The Glow House by Clarins is set across two main terracotta buildings, also dressed by Toro. The first building houses the spa’s reception, changing rooms, a fitness room, and four treatment rooms—each with a private veranda (a rarity for spas, which are so often located below ground). A second building contains a hammam, sauna, Kneipp cold plunge, and an adults-only, indoor-outdoor 82-foot pool, lined with tasselled terracotta umbrellas.

Designed around Clarins’ Glow range, an extensive treatment menu ranges from the scientific (LED masks) to the standard (massages with plant extracts and fine essential oils).

Fitness room with cardio equipment and garden views — Credit: Matthieu Salvaing

Location & Neighborhood Recs‍

A ten-minute uphill walk away (or five minutes in the hotel’s branded golf cart), the postcard-pretty Mougins is famed for its galleries and former residents, which include Jean Cocteau, Fernand Léger, and Christian Dior. Check out the quaint cafes and the contemporary exhibits at the Photography Center, and don’t miss FAMM, a museum dedicated to women artists. For more excitement, Cannes is only a 20-minute drive away.

Terrace seating beneath pine trees above the Riviera — Credit: Matthieu Salvaing

Fast Facts

Location: Mougins, France

Vibe: A classic Côte d’Azur cocktail with a mid-century Californian twist

Rating: Five-star

Room Count: 46

Pricing: From $535 per night

Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The good looks, darling.

Dining: Poolside restaurant (Pool during the day and Grill by the Pool at night) and the modern-Asian TIGrr Candille

Amenities: Spa, gym, two pools, two restaurants, one bar

Nearby Attractions: Mougins, Cannes, Grasse

Airport: Approximately a half-hour from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE)

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