04 LA DIVINE COMÉDIE, FRANCE
WHAT: Opened just last year, La Divine Comédie is located in the heart of Avignon in south-eastern France. A stately, storied mansion – parts of which go back to the 18th-century – within the city’s medieval Historic Centre, La Divine Comédie offers refined urban seclusion as well as a gateway into Provence. WHY There are only five suites – referred to as suites de curiosités – in La Divine Comédie, all of similar sizes but each with its own personality and unique décor. Anatole boasts of two magnificent, antique model boats as well as a fine collection of orientalist paintings, and an 18th-century canopy over the bed. Aphrodite features a spectacular round bed, surrounded by soft, diaphanous draped voile, and opens out onto a private terrace with spectacular views on the garden. Consul is decorated in the style of the Napoleonic period, with a collection of lithographs of the Bosphorus in the antechamber alongside a superb collection of antique trunks. Naples is home to a stunning collection of gouache paintings of Moount Vesuvius erupting and three huge, south-facing windows looking out over the garden, while Venice features a collection of 18th– and 19th-century oil paintings of the Italian city, set against a backdrop of blue and grey tones.
EXTRAS: La Divine Comédie’s location in the city’s Historic Centre means that the Palais des Papes (Papal Palace), Avignon Cathedral and the Pont d’Avignon are all within walking distance. If history and architecture are not your cup of tea, you can always lounge in what is the city’s largest private garden, which features over 100 different species of plants and a 15m pool hidden from the public eye. The Folly Spa in the heart of the garden is a candlelit space perfect for private relaxation as you enjoy treatments while admiring the views of the Papal Palace.
