International stars you can run into when visiting the French Provence

Far from the bling-bling of the Côte d'Azur, its hinterland, the Provence has an incomparable charm. The French region has a lovely sunny climate and dreamy landscapes. More and more celebrities are settling in the region, often attracted by the wine business. See why the French Provence is so popular and who's gone there!

Francophone and Francophile, John Malkovich fell in love with Provence during his first stay in France in 1983. The American actor owns a house in Bonnieux, one of the chicest villages in the Luberon, where he leads a very discreet.

But Malkovich is also the owner of a vineyard: Les Quelle de la Coste, near the village of Lacoste. He is not the only American star to have launched into wine in the south of France…

Indeed, the couple formed by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had been a precursor by investing 25 million euros in 2011 in the 70 hectares of the Miraval estate, near Correns, in the Var department.

But the separation of the most glamorous couple in Hollywood got the better of this family affair: according to 'La Dépêche', Angelina Jolie sold her shares to a spirits manufacturer controlled by a Russian oligarch.

This investment had in any case stimulated American interest in French wine. According to 'Capital', the turnover of the domain has increased from 3 million dollars in 2013 to more than 50 million in 2021.

A close friend of Brad Pitt, George Clooney also took the plunge by buying the 4 hectares of the Canadel estate, in Brignoles, with his wife Amal.

Owner of vineyards in California and Italy, the famous director of 'Star Wars' bought Château Margüi in Châteauvert. Of the hundred hectares of his estate, 15 are devoted to wine production.

Unlike Hollywood stars, Australian singer Kylie Minogue did not invest directly but launched a partnership with an already established domain. Château Sainte-Roseline now produces a Kylie Minogue cuvée, a rosé at 28 euros a bottle.

For Éric Lambert, the president of the Coteaux Varois, quoted by 'Le Parisien', "the celebrities are really involved" in their fields. "Beyond wine, they appreciate the French way of life. They all want to treat themselves to a piece of Provence," he adds.

Owner of the ASVEL basketball club, former NBA player Tony Parker joined forces with entrepreneur Michel Reybier in early 2022 to relaunch Château La Mascaronne, in Luc, in the Var.

The man who also has American nationality intends to exploit the 60 hectares of the estate dedicated to viticulture to conquer the US market, where the products of stars are particularly appreciated.

For his part, the French singer Patrick Bruel has invested in the Leos estate, on the heights of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, not far from Avignon. Discreet in the media, he learned the work of the vine there from professionals.

For years, Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp shared their lives between Los Angeles and their Plan-de-la-Tour property. But the American actor does not seem to have said goodbye to the magnificent Provence…

The Franco-American couple lived in a kind of village property, made up of ten houses, a bar restaurant, an artists' studio, a skate park, fields of olive trees, and vineyards.

Depp has always wanted to compete with Brad Pitt by launching his own vineyard, but without success so far. He put his estate up for sale for 45 million euros, a sum considered high by potential buyers. Will the project finally see the light of day again?

Closer to Marseille, the Alpilles are trendy and remain less frequented than the Luberon for the moment. French journalist Michel Drucker spends his summers in Eygalières, one of the most beautiful villages in this massif.

Drucker is not the only celebrity to come and recharge his batteries in Eygalières, since you can also occasionally come across Hugh Grant there.

In 2014, star French actor Omar Sy moved to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, north of the Alpilles natural park, towards Avignon.