Sunset Cocktails at Ambar at Domaine la Pierre Blanche

Smoke, blush or rosé? We are not debating the colour of the Provencal sky at sunset in the Alpilles but rather trying to choose between Blackbird and Vanilla Sky cocktails. And we haven’t even looked at the L’Ambar Sunset Lounge tapas menu. L’Ambar is an open-air cocktail lounge near Eygalières and the latest addition to the food and drinks offerings at boutique hotel Domaine la Pierre Blanche.

While the Domaine is a work environment for Ana-Luisa Negreiros, she says it feels like being on holiday when she’s there. She shared these thoughts about the new lounge bar.

“At L’Ambar you immediately feel at ease, thanks to a great view and comfortable seating. I designed this project to be a lounge that creates an outdoor cocoon. Life goes on a different pace there. The high-end quality of sound and ingredients makes everyone feel like a real bon vivant.”

L’Ambar Sunset Lounge

Whether staying at the hotel or visiting for a meal, Domaine la Pierre Blanche delivers pure escapism. Encompassing 2.5 hectares at the base of the Alpilles mountain range, the Domaine is secluded enough to make you forget the rest of the world. Your evening is heading in the right direction, with a panoramic view of the pastoral surroundings and the L’Ambar Sunset Lounge craft cocktail collection. Developing the drinks list was a tasting project that involved the owners Floris Van de Werf and Ana-Luisa Negreiros, the culinary team, and a Brazilian mixologist friend.

An expert behind the bar, bartender David Camara mixes cocktails, pops corks, and pours a selection of regional wines. The cocktail menu is fresh, fun, and drinkable, revisiting classic drinks with top-quality Provencal rosés as the base. Camara is fond of classical mixology, with Negronis and Manhattans made by the book with premium ingredients. However, on a hot day, order the Camaraja, a summery cocktail with lychee and passion fruit that plays on the bartender’s last name and the Brazilian word for passion fruit (Maracuja).

What are your favourite drinks at L’Ambar?

Ana-Luisa Negreiros: I can’t decide between You Make Me Blush, Opera, and Dama Rossa.

Floris Van de Werf: Rock n’ Rose, a revisitation of an Old Fashioned with the unique ice cube.

Bartender David Camara: Smoke My Pink is fun to make and a theatrical experience at the table!

Chef Patrick Pando: Is a wine lover who enjoys L’Ambar’s wine selection bringing light choices in every colour that are perfect for summertime.

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Since serving aperitifs in Provence with a savoury bite is customary, Chef Patrick Pando created a “Finger Licking” tapas menu highlighting regional ingredients. Saveurs de Provence (local tapenades) and Planche de Délices (a charcuterie selection) are great for sharing. However, you might not want to share Lobster Love – toasted brioche with lobster tail and claw topped with celery remoulade.

Gastronomic L’Opale

As tempting as the tapas selection is, make sure to leave room for the bistronomie menu at L’Opale, the hotel’s signature restaurant. Where L’Ambar invites you to enjoy the changing evening sky as you sip a cocktail, L’Opale takes you on a colourful and season-inspired gastronomic journey. Chef Patrick Pando leads the culinary team at Domaine la Pierre Blanche, drawing inspiration from Experiences in his parent’s restaurant, luxury hotels in the United Kingdom, and Michelin star restaurants in Provence.

@Regis Cintas Flores

Working only with seasonal ingredients and local producers Chef Pando and his team create dishes that are a work of art, almost too beautiful to eat. Although L’Opale’s menu features only a few choices for each course, that does not make choosing between the “Canelagneau” Catalan lamb shoulder and “La Spada” grilled swordfish in a pink curry easier. Master sommelier Joffrey Wiart hand-picked the wine list with features from the region and around the globe. Make sure to save room for dessert!

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The Hotel

Domaine La Pierre Blanche has 15 guest rooms, including suites, designed with relaxation in mind. Each room has a private entrance and a secluded terrace. Whether your room faces the pool, olive garden, or the lavender field, contemporary Provencal decor weaves throughout the furnishings. The guest rooms have refreshing colour palates echoing the regional vegetation – olives, lavender, almond blossoms, wild herbs, and sweet flowering roses. Open the door and enter a cocoon of comfortable silence complete with high-quality French linens and eco-friendly bath products from L’Occitane en Provence.

Domaine La Pierre Blanche is framed by nature, surrounded by mountains and vineyards. Drive through the front gate, and you enter the embrace of this exclusive boutique hotel where staff offer welcome smiles and a glass of local rosé. With tempting cocktails, delicious food, and comfortable surroundings, now is the time to visit this destination hotel in the Alpilles.

Booking Information

Domaine La Pierre Blanche (website)
2950 Route d’Orgon
Eygalières, Provence
Telephone: +33 (0)4 90 26 10 00
Email: accueil@domainelapierreblanche.com

L’Ambar Sunset Lounge
Open from Thursday through Monday from 17h to 22h.
Watch for news on musical evenings and special wine tastings through the season.

L’Opale Restaurant
April and November open for lunch only from Tuesday to Friday
May through October, open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday
Sunday brunch May through October
Reservations are highly recommended.

Room Details:

Seven (7) spacious guest rooms
 , eight (8) large suites
Each room has both a private entrance and a terrace.
Breakfast is included.
WIFI is available throughout the property.
Every room has easy access to the 26-metre pool with its spacious terrace and inviting sunbeds.

Image credits: All photos were provided by Domaine La Pierre Blanche and published with their permission.