Château La Coste: Art & Wine Getaway Near Aix-en-Provence

Larry Neufeld’s Donegal bridge at Château La Coste

Château La Coste is a chic winery and modern sculpture park located just a 25 minute drive north of Aix-en-Provence. Set on 500 acres of vineyards and forest trails, you can spend the better part of a day on foot exploring the expansive park’s renowned art and architecture or experience something more luxurious at one of their upscale restaurants, bars, or 5-star rental villas.

At first glance, I was skeptical the experience would be stuffy, considering the website’s polished design, making the place appear more luxury wedding venue than quirky art park, but my partner insisted on visiting. As soon as we departed on the guided art walk, I could see from the diversity of the group, that this place attracted a fascinating array of art and wine lovers from all over the world. The beauty of the vineyard setting and well-placed art sculptures left me both excited and comfortable.

It turns out the Château La Coste is so large, and offers such an array of events, that the luxury villa crowd were outnumbered by a refreshing array of locals and adventurous tourists. As a side note, the tabby cat wandering loose by the welcome center is not as friendly as he seems; he bit me as I tried to pet him, which I had a good laugh over.

Michael Stipe’s Foxes. Yes, That Michael Stipe!

Louise Bourgeois’ Crouching Spider

As I mentioned, Château La Coste offers affordable, guided art walks, which you can book online or upon arrival. Check their website for times and availability. Be sure to bring sunscreen and comfortable shoes as the tour takes you through open trails in the bright Provencal sunshine, as well as up dusty paths into some gorgeous oak forests.

Inside Andy Goldsworthy’s tomb-like Oak Room

A Vineyard view from Tadao Ando’s La Chapelle

Many of the art sculptures are interactive. You can climb into Andy Goldsworthy’s underground Oak Room and stand in the dark, gradually appreciating the details of the woven oak branch structure as your eyes adjust. You can inspect the seven identical foxes by the R.E.M.’s famous lead vocalist Michael Stipe and appreciate how each appears different depending on how they are positioned on the forest floor. All in all, the art walk at Château La Coste is fun and extremely memorable, as experiential education tends to be.

Tom Shannon’s Drop at Château La Coste

As your art walk comes to an end, don’t forget to experience a taste of the local Château wines, such as a glass of their well-respected rosé, or dine at one of their gorgeous restaurants. For me, the experience was overwhelmingly joyous and educational; from walking the scenic grounds to sitting at their outdoor cafe and listening to local musicians. Spending an afternoon at Château La Coste is a unique way to see world-class art while getting close to nature, something many don’t take the chance to do as they bop around Europe’s main sites and city centers.

Richard Serra’s subtle Aix Scupture

Cooling Off with some Château La Coste wine