THE FACTS ABOUT EPI PLAGE

France Cote_d_Azur

Hidden in the sand dunes behind a white picket fence, Epi Plage is a restful retreat in the midst of the fashionable Ramatuelle beach scene. Shahla Mauch-Deyhim owns the hotel and manages it with her Argentine husband, Alejandro Diehl. It has 10 pale-yellow wooden beach cottages surrounded by a beautifully tended garden just a few metres from the sea. Facilities include two swimming pools, tennis courts, a golf-practice green and a miniature beauty centre with a sauna, hammam and gym. The atmosphere is a mix of boho chic and funky beach-shack charm. The bungalows are furnished with wooden and rattan furniture, Persian rugs, hand-stitched Provençal quilts and oil paintings from the owner's personal collection. They all have lovely bathrooms with open-plan marble showers. Above all, Epi Plage is quiet. Apart from some distant throbbing bass coming from Nikki Beach (the quintessential party hangout across the road) all is calm by sunset. In the evening, guests gather for drinks in the bar, which has a jumble of Indonesian furniture, a baby grand piano and multicoloured glass panels from the 1950s. The bungalows were built in the 1960s and Mauch-Deyhim bought the property in 1971. 'As time went on, we decided to create a place where people could get away from city rhythms and get in touch with essential things: well-being, nature, art,' says Mauch-Deyhim, who organises exhibitions in the garden. The beauty centre offers wonderful massages and herbal treatments with Maurice Mességué products. There are also classes in Pilates, yoga and t'ai chi. CONTACT Route de l'Epi, Ramatuelle (00 33 4 98 12 95 95; fax: 94 79 90 36; www.epi-plage.com). Doubles from 125 euros B&B; suites from 175 euros. Open all year.