Camellas-Lloret is a picturesque hideaway in the village of Montréal, France. We first discovered this magical boutique stay from our friend Julie Pointer Adams who photographed this location in her book, Wabi-Sabi Welcome. We had seen a photo of the outdoor space and it was so beautiful, that it stopped us in our tracks. Lo-and-behold, a few months later, we found ourselves in Southern France.
This classic 18th century home was transformed into a four room boutique stay, each with a private bath to offer more of an upscale hotel feel, and cozy communal sitting and dining spaces that make you feel like you’re in a home. Through the garden just off the main house, there’s a fifth room, which is actually a two-story rustic-chic apartment with a seating area overlooking the garden. We saw every room for ourselves and fell in love with them all. It was obvious that nearly all of the original architecture was in tact — from the wooden plank floors to the marble fireplaces — the old world charm was one of those things you could really only truly experience in person. And it goes without saying that the design of this bed and breakfast alone was an obvious reason Camellas-Lloret was high on our list of places to visit. The lived-in French linen sheets, the charming details in the drapery, the lime wash painted walls, the patterned wallpaper, the claw foot tubs …. We could go on and on and on. Camellas-Lloret felt lived-in, yet immaculate. It’s old world charm was comfortable and the crackling fireplace and burning candles made it feel even more like we were home. The mix of vintage and modern pieces, which you all know is also part of Amber’s design philosophy, made this place so extraordinary.
A big part of the charm comes from the owners of Camellas-Lloret — Annie and Colin Moore. Annie and Colin met on a train in Paris 37 years ago. Yes, you read that correctly. If you ever get a chance to meet them, you definitely know this is a true story. Within the first few minutes of meeting them, we were sipping chilled white wine over fascinating conversation about how they came to create Camellas-Lloret — and we could instantly tell that they are filled with so much love and lightness. They created Camellas-Lloret for travelers to experience and share the slow and simple pleasures of French living. Not all heroes wear capes.
Just an hour jaunt from Toulouse and only a 3.5 hours drive from Barcelona and Marseille, this is a true, off the beaten path getaway. It’s tucked away in the rolling hills and the village is quiet. It’s a place you go to unwind, remove yourself from the city bustle, and drink a bottle of wine. Not to mention, Annie and Colin prepare a perfectly simple breakfast spread in the communal dining area every morning, with a very large French press, homemade granola, homemade breakfast biscuits, baguettes, cheese and fruit. It really is the stuff of dreams and we couldn’t recommend this lovely place enough. It’s as simple as that.