Rare Large & Luxurious 'Maison De Maître' in Provence

Property Description

This is ‘living the dream’ at a fraction of the cost as the property is for sale as a co-ownership of six parts. For a sixth of the purchase and maintenance cost each of the owners can enjoy the whole property on a regular basis.

Built in 1609 the house oozes history and character: vaulted ceilings, flagstone floors, ‘noble’ arches, exposed stone walls, huge original cherry-tree beams, voluminous sun-filled spaces and traditional deep red tomette on the floor.

The property was fully renovated in 2004 to bring it sensitively up to modern-day levels of luxury and comfort: six double bedrooms with walk-in (power) showers; a semi-professional kitchen of 25sqm with two stone sinks, oak bespoke units and a LaCanche gas 'piano' cooker; a Salon of 80sqm with huge beams, a 3.20 meter high ceiling and an open wood-burning fire; an always-cool basement of 70sqm ideal for a games room. The 20 room property is part air-conditioned and has gas central heating throughout with 27 radiators. The Energy Performance Certificates have not yet been organised.

At the back of the house is a secluded walled garden of 363 sqm with fruit trees, vines, lawn, courtyard, terrace and cement-built chlorine-cleaned swimming pool of 7x3m.

At the front is the main pedestrian precinct ‘Place ‘ of the village with fountain, bar tables and chairs. Varages is a working-all-year-round village with a butcher, baker, general store, restaurant, post office, and pharmacy.

Opposite the house is the village museum, a park, tennis, boules courts and a children’s play area.

Because of it's location in the village the lock-up-and-leave security of the property is exceptional.

The property has been run for 14 years as a very successful Gite. Clients revel in the possibility to be in the midst of an authentic Provencial village, appreciate the lack of overwhelming tourism and love the gorgeous surrounding countryside ... olive groves, vineyards and in season the fields of poppies, sunflowers and lavender.

The famous Gorges du Verdon is 25 minutes away. 'Europe's Grand Canyon' has 25 kilometres of rivers and lakes and at points is 700 meters deep. It so easily lends itself to all manor of water sports but also hiking, cycling, horse riding, bird watching, etc.

The local economy is still very dependent on it's street market culture
supplying the locals with all the essentials ... fruit, veg, cheese, home-made honey, jam, pâté ... there are even little chics and ducks sold in the 'Place' in front of the house.

For the once-a-week ‘big’ shop there are two medium sized supermarkets just 10 minutes away and at a slightly further distance in the town of Saint Maximin St Baume a huge ‘Hyper U’ supermarket.

The area is peppered with enchanting medieval hill-top villages ideal for an evening stroll and a leisurely drink. Not an hour away to the west is the fabulous Roman Spar city of Aix-en-Provence (the most beautiful city in Europe?) and going south there’s all the sophistication of the Mediterranean Cote D'Azur.

Though ‘lost’ in the hills, getting to and from the village is quick and easy by car. The A8 motorway, which basically runs the length of southern France from Italy to Spain, is joined in 20 minutes. Marseille and Toulon airports and the TGV station are an hour away with Nice airport taking a little longer – about an hour and three quarters.

The tourist office boasts that the area enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year. But it's not true, it's more than that.

To see a three minute photo montage of the house, garden and pool and 12 interviews with a collection of international holiday makers talking about the house and the surrounding area, go to our YouTube channel ‘LaMaisonduFaiencier’.