La Belle Cour
La Belle Cour was formerly an 18th century coaching inn, located at an equal distance (20 km) from Apt, Manosque and Forcalquier.
The former inn is made up of four houses joined together and can be found at the heart of the village opposite the partially ruined medieval castle.
The building looks out onto a paved courtyard with large covered areas that are shaded from the sun.
A Provençale fountain in the middle of the courtyard, formerly a drinking trough for horses, provides a refreshing feature in the summer.
17th century stone vaults on the ground floor open on to the main street, and house the Scaramouche ice-cream parlour, renowned in Provence-Luberon region.
La Belle Cour is steeped in history, making it a dream destination for travellers seeking history and romance.
The house played a major role in a number of fascinating episodes between the 17th century and the Second World War and its legend lives on today.
In former times, for example, its vaults provided sanctuary for English and American airmen, who were protected by resistance fighters, having parachuted in during World War II (1939-1945).
The village of Céreste played a central role in the underground network headed up by the famous poet and resistance fighter, René Char, also known as “Capitaine Alexandre”. He managed a “parachute landing” section, which was a key asset during the Allied invasion of Provence, code-named Operation Anvil/Dragoon.
La Belle Cour’s four suites and rooms have been decorated and furnished with authentic items illustrating original themes that bring the house’s four centuries of history back to life:
The Scaramouche room recalls 18th century commedia dell’arte
The Relais de Poste suite evokes the 18th century coaching inn
The Royaume de Patagonie suite is named after the fabled but very real saga of Antoine de Tounens who assumed the title of King of Araucanía and Patagonia in Argentina from 1860 to 1862
The René Char suite is steeped in surrealist poetry and the story of the World War II resistance movement
La Belle Cour is also available for private hire for family and professional events.
For many years, the children of Céreste came to the house while their parents worked in the fields, so La Belle Cour is part of many of the villagers’ childhood memories.
La Belle Cour has been a guesthouse for 15 years. Angela and Rodney, charmed by the village and the weather, came here from England and welcomed hundreds of guests.
Sandrine and Jean-Yves, two local history buffs from Lyon who renovated La Belle Cour in 2018, are keeping the tradition alive.
History of Céreste village
The village of Céreste can be divided into several areas.
The old town straddles the road linking Apt in the east to Forcalquier in the north-west and Manosque in the south-east, all situated within a radius of 20 km. It boasts all the typical features of a Provençal village: a medieval area around a castle, fortifications, fountains, stone houses, little winding streets, andrones* and so on.
The rue de la bourgade, or the high street, running parallel to the cours Aristide Briant, follows the route of the ancient Roman road, the Via Domitia, part of the “Pilgrims’ Way” to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, from northern Italy.
* In Provence, andrones are public paths, usually steps, often passing through or under houses, like Lyon’s traboules.