Villa Rose

South-facing with pretty views across the Luberon and the Alpilles beyond, Villa Rose is furnished and equipped to the high levels more usually found in a permanent home, making it a very comfortable, three-bedroom base for a family or perhaps two couples. The floors are tiled and the ceilings are beamed, in keeping with an old Provençal mas, but the house has been given a 21st-century twist with bright colours and contemporary design.

Outside, the feel is more traditional, with a sunny pool terrace overlooking a timeless Luberon landscape of vineyards, farmland and distant hills. You’ll probably end up spending most of your time here as the fully equipped poolside kitchen has everything you need from bottle opener to barbecue, whilst the views provide ample nourishment for the soul. The gardens are laid out on several levels, with grassy spaces for children to play on and plenty of shady corners to curl up with a book. It’s easy to get out and about however; gorgeous Gordes is only eight kilometres away, while Coustellet, with its handful of shops, restaurants and a renowned museum documenting the history of lavender growing, is under ten minutes in the car.

The local area

Situated close to the heart of the Luberon lavender growing region and close to delightful Provençal towns including Bonnieux, Ménerbes, Roussillon and Lacoste, this region provides a feast for all the senses. Well-known highlights such as Gordes, the much photographed Abbaye Notre Dame de Sénanque and the charming town of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue are all within about 15-40 minutes’ drive. There are plenty of less well known gems too, such as hilltop Goult (5km), not to mention the numerous vineyards open for visits and tastings. You can play tennis on local courts nearby (5km), or tackle 18 holes at the Golf de Saumane (20km). For serious cyclists, the Mont Ventoux provides a memorable challenge, or you can cheat a little and take the car up for some superb views over the green and gold patchwork landscape.

Our choice of French properties is diverse, ranging from simple charm to genuine luxury and style. Much of our portfolio is privately owned, and price alone is therefore not a universal guide. We contract all our accommodation in person, and each property has its individual appeal.

To help you make the right choice based on your own priorities, we have devised a simple grading guide to be considered in conjunction with each individual property description, awarding up to a maximum of five stars for the below categories.