A digital detox holiday involves putting screens aside for several days and finding other ways to spend the time they used to take up. The Château de Berne, a vineyard covering more than 500 hectares in Flayosc in the Var, offers an 800 m² spa, three restaurants, a wine-tasting cellar and around 100 kilometres of footpaths for this purpose. Three days are usually enough to feel the benefits.
What is a digital detox holiday?
It’s a screen-free break, or one where screen use is kept to a minimum. The principle is simple: to break a habit, you need to replace it with something more interesting. Simply putting your phone away isn’t enough — without a plan, the time you’ve freed up just turns into idle waiting.
That is why the programme is more important than the deprivation. The days are filled with activities that require the use of one’s hands, body or attention, and the urge to check one’s phone naturally becomes less frequent.
Let’s clarify one point: at the Château de Berne, Wi-Fi remains available and free throughout the hotel. There is no need to hand in your mobile phone on arrival, nor is there a contract to sign. Guests keep their own phones, particularly for practical and safety reasons when out and about on the estate; it is the experiences on offer here – rather than any restrictions – that mean your phone takes a back seat.
Why a vineyard is particularly well suited to this
A vineyard combines three qualities that few holiday destinations can offer.
First of all, the landscape. Over 500 hectares of farmland, woodland, riverbanks and vineyards, criss-crossed by around a hundred kilometres of footpaths: you can walk for several hours without ever retracing your steps.
Then there’s the pace. A vineyard follows an agricultural calendar — pruning, flowering, the grape harvest, winemaking — which unfolds at its own pace. Staying in the heart of a working farm, with its herds grazing on organic pastures and its vegetable gardens, gives you a very different sense of time from that of a day at the office.
The table, at last. Three restaurants, three vegetable gardens covering more than 3,000 m² and a tasting cellar Open every day from 10 am to 6 pm: mealtimes become leisurely occasions, when people take the time to savour their food and have a chat.
Three days at the estate, hour by hour
Day 1 — settling in. Check-in from 4 pm. First thing to do: switch off notifications and put your mobile in a bag rather than a pocket, so you only take it out when necessary. An hour’s walk along the estate’s signposted trails is a great way to shake off the journey, before a screen-free dinner at the table. The bar is open from midday until midnight and is happy to keep the evening going.
Day 2 — keeping your hands and body busy. In the morning, the spa : 800 m² of facilities, including an indoor counter-current swimming pool, two hot tubs, a sauna, a steam room, a solarium and a relaxation area with a herbal tea room. In the afternoon, an activity that requires coordination — tennis, padel, Mountain biking or pétanque. In the evening, a wine tasting at the winery, or a a sound journey with crystal bowls to round off the day on a gentle note.
Day 3 — getting into the swing of things. This is the day when the programme becomes a habit rather than a chore. On Thursdays, the cookery school offers a course at 10 am, for up to ten people, at €170 per person: two hours spent working with produce from the vegetable garden, followed by a tasting of the dishes paired with the estate’s wines. The afternoon is ideal for a longer walk, a circular route starting from the estate. Departure is before 11 am the following day, leaving time for one last walk.
Five things to do without your mobile phone at Bern Castle
- Cooking, on Thursday morning, using produce harvested from the vegetable patch that very day.
- Walking, along the 100 km of footpaths that wind through the vineyards, the forest and the farmland, either on your own or as part of a guided walk through the vineyards.
- Swimming, in one of the estate’s three swimming pools, one of which is an outdoor pool heated all year round.
- Play, on the two tennis courts, the padel court, the pétanque court, or on mountain bikes.
- Taste, at the tasting cellar, with a tour that explains how the estate operates whilst also offering a tasting.
Many customers have a fixed appointment every morning — a session of yoga or a trip to the gym — and vary their afternoons. This daily routine gives structure to the day, whilst the rest of the programme changes. All the suggestions well-being and relaxation The field is structured around this idea.
Where to stay, depending on how secluded a location you’re looking for
The Relais & Châteaux hotel has 34 rooms and suites, arranged around a central square and its fountain, which gives the estate the feel of a Provençal village. It’s the most convenient option: the spa, the restaurants and the wine cellar are all within walking distance.
For a more secluded stay, the estate offers six private villas with a swimming pool and butler service — restored country houses, sheepfolds and farmhouses, dotted around the estate. Maison San Bastian takes this concept to the extreme: a one-bedroom house, surrounded by woodland, with walking and cycling trails starting right on the doorstep.
To organise a holiday, Special offers from the estate combine accommodation, spa facilities and dining, depending on the length of stay chosen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Wi-Fi switched off during a digital detox stay at the Château de Berne?
No. Wi-Fi remains available free of charge throughout the hotel. The approach is based on the activities on offer, and guests keep their phones with them, particularly when going out on the estate.
How long does an effective digital detox last?
Three full nights’ sleep are a good guide: the first day is for settling in, the second for getting into the routine, and the third for making it a habit.
What wellness facilities does the estate offer?
An 800 m² spa, in partnership with Cinq Mondes and Vinésime, featuring an indoor counter-current swimming pool overlooking the vineyards and olive grove, two hot tubs, a sauna, a hammam, a solarium and a relaxation area with a herbal tea room.
What activities can be done instead of screen time?
Hiking along 100 km of trails, mountain biking, tennis, padel, pétanque, table tennis, yoga, a gym, three swimming pools, cookery classes and wine tastings at the winery.
Where should I stay to be as secluded as possible on the estate?
In one of the six private villas with a swimming pool and butler, or at Maison San Bastian, surrounded by woodland, at the start of the estate’s walking trails.
Where is the estate located?
Chemin des Imberts, 83780 Flayosc, in the Var, between Lorgues and Flayosc.
