Saint-Paul-de-Vence: Orion, Treehouse B&B

The notion of a tree house hotel may sound like a Disney fantasy, but nothing could be further from the truth. At Orion, a four-tree-house B&B in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the ecologically minded owners are providing much more than a catchy Tarzan-and-Jane decor. While guests can fulfill childhood dreams of spending the night in a tree, the idea is to get closer to nature—without necessarily having to rough it.

The tree houses are actually sturdy red cedar structures supported by stilts, built between the branches. Each has its own particular shape and size, with a wooden staircase to climb up. They’re designed by Alain Laurens, a renowned French tree house architect based in Provence, the cabins all have lovely terraces for lounging and are furnished with luxury comforts.

Orion is hidden away at the end of a leafy road outside Saint-Paul-de-Vence. The stone village house with its palm-shaded lawn is the home of Belgian owner Diane Van den Berge and her family. But beyond the shimmering green pool—naturally filtered by plants—a path leads to a forest of towering oaks. The custom-made tree houses, discreetly set apart for privacy, are in perfect harmony with their surroundings.

Shere Khan is the most spacious of the four perched cabins, with its tree piercing right through its huge outdoor terrace and a hammock to swing in. Interiors are simple but impeccable, with queen size beds, beige linens, down quilts, oversize pillows and a writing desk. The bathroom, stocked with natural products scented with fig and olivewood, has a small wooden tub (plus a shower attachment) and double sinks.

Closest to the pool, the King Louie & Mowgli suite is ideal for families since there are two separate cabins with a connecting bridge. The main cabin has a lovely four-poster bed and a comfortable sitting area; the smaller cabin has bunk beds and adorable squirrel and rabbit cutouts on the wooden shutters and doors.

Bagheera has a lovely curved terrace with a terrific view of the perched village of Saint-Paul, plus a breezy sitting area below, at the foot of the tree, with a large swinging chair. The most recently built cabin, Colonel Hathi, is also the tallest—one master room with a smaller cabin on top with three beds.

The tree houses “tend to bring out the inner child in everyone,” says Diane Van den Berge. A former business consultant in Brussels, she moved here in 2004. She planned to open a small, classic B&B in the main house, a converted 19th-century sheepfold. The first step was the swimming pool, a unique “pond” surrounded by dozens of purifying plants that reproduce the ecological conditions of a mountain lake, right down to the flitting dragonflies; the chemical-free greenish water is like silk.

While pondering her next step, Van den Berge happened to see a magazine article about tree houses in India. Further research led her to Laurens, architect and author of several books on tree-house living, and much to her delight he agreed to take on her project.

Orion Impasse des Peupliers, 2436 chemin du Malvan, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, 04.93.24.87.51. website

Alain Laurens website

Originally published in the July/August 2010 issue of France Today