The history of Le Domaine begins with Marianne Dumas, the great niece of Louis Echenard, an associate of Cesar Ritz. Her mother's family owned three restaurants; one in Switzerland, one in Marseille, and one in Les Baux de Provence. In 1935, Marianne Dumas married Donald Purslow, an American, who had been raised in Europe since the age of seven, and together, they took over the Hotel de la Reine Jeanne, Marianne's Family's restaurant in Les Baux.

During World War II, Marianne (Mano) and Donald were part of the French Resistance, offering the basement of their hotel as a hiding place for Jewish refugees on their way to Lisbon and the United States. In 1944, they learned through the French underground that their activities were known and that imprisonment was imminent. Mano, Donald, and their three children fled France, following the same route over the Pyrenees Mountains as had the refugees they helped. Their goal was Hancock, Maine, where Donald's mother and step-father, the conductor Pierre Monteux, owned a summer home.

Mano first opened a tearoom across the street from the present restaurant, which was constructed in 1946. The original Le Domaine contained a public dining room and a "students' room", the current main dining room with the large fireplace, where students of the Pierre Monteux School of conducting were served three meals a day. In 1947, Nicole Purslow was born in Hancock, Maine.

At age 13, Nicole began working with her mother in the kitchen of Le Domaine and at age 17 attended the Cordon Bleu School of cooking in Paris. She earned the Grande Diplome of the Cordon Bleu in 1968 after two years of study and spent subsequent winters working in France and Switzerland further developing her skills. At the age of 18, Nicole became owner/chef with her mother and, in 1977, on the death of her mother; Nicole assumed full responsibility for the restaurant.

During her years as owner/chef, Nicole made many improvements to Le Domaine, refining its cuisine and converting it to an Inn/Restaurant with today's high standards and authentic Provencale décor. Under Nicole, Le Domaine has been acclaimed by The New York Times, Gourmet Magazine, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Wine Spectator, Yankee Magazine, and many other publications.

In the fall of 2004, Nicole sold Le Domaine to Edith and F. Eugene Dixon Jr., longtime faithful clients of the restaurant. They are committed to maintaining Le Domaine's status as a premier dining spot. Nicole's valued staff continues the tradition of excellent cuisine and outstanding service that made Le Domaine the well known "authentic Provenale experience in Maine" that it is today.

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