Live your Provençal dream at this cosy villa in the village of Maussane-les-Alpilles. The farmhouse boasts the special benefit of a flora-filled private garden and convenient location only a five-minute walk from restaurants, boulangeries and elegant wine bars.
With lavender fields around you, rooms with exposed stone walls and beamed ceilings, and a private pool, you can live the authentic Gallic lifestyle in this villa but with all the comforts you're used to. The spacious country-style kitchen is the ideal place to try your hand at French cooking, too. But if you'd rather leave it to the professionals, your host will be happy to organize a private chef.
The local village boasts to a number of Michelin star eateries, as well as cheap pizzerias for those who prefer simple dining. It's also situated in the country's center of olive oil production, so you should stop by an olive press to watch the magic happen. If you travel by car, you'll be able to visit all of Provence's loveliest villages – start with Arles, just 20 minutes away, then explore Avignon and Aix-en-Provence.
Farmhouse accommodates max. 8 adults + 2 children under 10. Ground level features large entrance hall, open-plan living/dining room with fireplace and direct access to garden, chef’s kitchen (open plan to living/dining room), well equipped including double-oven industrial stove, dishwasher, coffee maker and toaster, reading room with fireplace, shower room and laundry with washer/dryer and double-door fridge-freezer.
First level houses all the bedrooms. Master bedroom offers desk and living area, small sofa-bed suitable for a small child and en-suite bathroom with large bath, double shower and WC. Twin bedroom 2 has en-suite shower room with WC and its own staircase leading to the main entrance. Twin/double bedroom 3 with en-suite shower room and WC features interconnecting door with guest apartment if needed and its own staircase leading to the reading room.
Guest apartment enjoys open-plan kitchen/dining and living area with sofa-bed (suitable for two small children) leading to twin/double bedroom (partitioned by a curtain). It also offers en-suite shower room and WC, interconnecting door with the bedroom 3 if needed and can be accessed via its own wrought iron staircase from the garden.
Outside amenities include: private heated swimming pool (10.5 x 5 m) with electric safety cover (open May to October), Weber charcoal BBQ, al-fresco dining area, fountain, courtyard parking for up to 3 cars, remote controlled gate.
This property is located on the edge of a lovely village right in the heart of the magnificent Les Alpilles, in the Vallée des Baux and surrounded by rolling vineyards and olive groves. The house is less than a 5-minute walk to the centre of the village with some amazing restaurants, from charming pizzerias and pretty bistros to Michelin starred establishments.
In the morning you can visit one of three bakeries for your morning croissants and bread, head to the deli for an exclusive choice of local products such as cheese and olives and purchase your meat and fish from the butchers and fish mongers (which is also a wine and oyster bar!). There are also two small grocery stores as well as a bank, pharmacy and some charming gift shops.
The village is famous for its delicious olive oil produced in the two remaining windmills. You will have the opportunity to taste olive oil at a local press, some of the best in the country, as well as some of the other fantastic gourmet produce from this region.
Just a short drive north is Les Baux de Provence (4km), an exclusive and amazing place classified as one of France’s Plus Beaux Villages. Visit the charming squares, narrow streets and little shops, then stroll around the fortified-château. Those who are more active can find some wonderful walking trails around the village and beyond or simply head to the surrounding vineyards and olive groves to taste yet more of the region’s fine foods.
You are of course in the heart of this adorable area of vineyards, idyllic villages, world-famous towns, and summer landscapes of sunflowers both in Les Alpilles National Park and beyond. Nearby St-Rémy (10km) is very popular with artists who display their works in the village’s art galleries and food lovers should visit the market on a Wednesday morning!
Eygalières (20km), one of the loveliest hilltop villages in Provence visited by a handful of A-list celebrities, and Van Gogh’s favorite Arles (22km) are also both within easy reach. Gordes (53km) is yet another one of the incredible villages worth visiting with fabulous architecture, set in the fantastic Luberon region, surrounded by lavender fields in the summer months.
Those looking for activity have so much on their doorstep. There is both horse-riding and golf within a short drive and both the immediate and wider area are a walkers and cyclists’ paradise with picturesque countryside and landscapes. Older children will like kayaking in the Sorgue and there are plenty of other family friendly activities throughout the region from model railways to the north, open castles to trekking across the tree tops and visiting a zoo.
Not mentioning the striking landscapes and natural beauty of the Camargue, which is just a short drive away. An amazing mix of land, lagoon and sea with pink flamingos, wild white horses, rice fields and endless wild countryside and beaches, this natural park covers 900 sq. km of land. Lots of activities can be enjoyed from horse-riding and trekking to quad biking and jeep tours across this incredible and one-of-a-kind area.
