Provence luxury villa rentals- Spring 2014

Emotional Escapes prides itself in constantly seeking new luxury rentals to introduce to our discerning clientele. We insist on regularly visiting the villas we promote to ensure they maintain their high standards and we keep our presentations up to date with new photography. To this effect, the Emotional Escapes Provence team has revisited some of their most popular villas and took the opportunity of this early Spring’s splendid weather to update their property descriptions.

Mas des Florettes

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This luxury villa rental sits just outside the perched village of Bonnieux and benefits from a high level of comfort, with air conditioning, a heated pool, spacious grounds and seven en-suite bedrooms.
Mas de Florettes was visited in late April and we were able to photograph the newly refurbished living areas and bedrooms of this exceptional property.

Beaumanière

[portfolio column=”1″ cat=”exclusive-holiday-rental” current=”exclusive-holiday-rental” ids=”2137″ title=”false” desc=”false” more=”false” moreButton=”false”]This luxurious rental property is just a ten minutes’ drive from the centre of the city of Aix-en-Provence. Beaumanière offers Air-conditioned bedrooms, tennis court, heated infinity pool, gym / fitness room, 10 hectares of manicured grounds.

The villa is located right next to a brand new 18-hole course. There are shops for all your needs just 5 minutes away and the delightful beaches of Cassis are at just half an hour’s drive. Aix TGV station is only 15 minutes away and can get you to Paris in under 3 hours, while Marseilles airport is just 15 minutes further.

Having refurbished the pool house and swimming pool, the owners of this luxury rental villa are delighted to offer a special summer rate of 14,995€/wk for all weeks from early July to the end of August, instead of the previously advertised rate of 18,360€.

Le Mas Volets Bleus

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Le Mas Volets Bleus is a short drive from Chateaurenard with its local commerce, and just a 15 minutes drive from the stunning St-Rémy-de-Provence with all that market town has to offer.

This traditional provençal holiday home has been part of the Just Provence portfolio since the launch of the site, in early of May 2014 Mas Volets Bleus benefited from a new visit from Tim, owner of Just Provence, resulting in a complete new set of photographs showcasing this peaceful family-friendly rental.

La Maison à Caromb

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La Maison à Caromb is an 18th-century village house situated  in the foothills of the Mont Ventoux. Everything has been prepared to ensure that its guests enjoy a short stay that will remain in the memory for many years to come. The owners live in the village and are always on hand should they be required. This traditional Provence rental is ideal for visitors seeking a truely authentic experience in the centre of an active village in the south of France.

Thanks to a photoshoot in late April, La Maison à Caromb’s description now benefits from updated interior photographs which better representes the variety of  spacious rooms the house has to offer.

Clos Paradou

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Clos Paradou is a traditional and very comfortable stone-built rental Mas  enclosed in its own  private grounds right in the centre of the charming village of Le Paradou  in the heart of Les Alpilles.  Setting this vacation rental just a few minutes walk to butchers, bakers, grocery store and restaurants.

Clos Paradou benefited from a new photo shoot in early May and you will surely agree that the new photos do justice to the luxurious interiors as well as the in beautifully manicured gardens.

Cet article Provence luxury villa rentals- Spring 2014 est apparu en premier sur Provence Emotional Escapes Blog.

New Provence luxury properties to Just Provence – July 2013

This month’s new additions to the Just Provence portfolio offer a wide choice of properties from the quaint and  romantic Dovecote near Gordes sleeping two to La Pinède a modern villa suitable for a family of ten, within walking distance of Eygalières. We hope you will enjoy looking through this new selection of exclusive rentals in Provence.

The Dovecote, a romantic “cabanon” near Gordes.

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A landmark of the world-renowned perched village of Gordes, The Dovecote is a delightful romantic getaway just for two, set in gorgeous tailored grounds within walking distance of the village. An old “pigeonnier provençal” that was recently restored and refurbished, this unique vacation rental property enjoys splendid views over the Luberon from its exceptional location.

The Dovecote is a perfect place to spend your honeymoon, surrounded by the natural beauty of the olive groves, lavender and rose gardens all around.

Villa Bijou, a colourful family home in Vaucluse.

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Villa Bijou is a recently built villa which offers a large pool and grounds as well as stylish accommodation with air conditioning and brand new furnishings for a family or a small group of friends, in a quiet area of Beaumes-de-Venise, officially one of France’s most beautiful villages.

With 100 m² in the house and another 80 m² in the pool house, there is more than enough room for up to 7 people to live comfortably here. There is even a large two-door garage made available by the owner.  The property is not at all overlooked sits in the midst of  2.6 hectares of olive trees not only ensuring total privacy but surrounding it in an authentic Provençal setting.

La Pinède, a recently built luxury villa for rent in Eygalières.

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A recently constructed villa with underfloor cooling, a heated overflow pool and a spacious, tailored garden, La Pinède is a luxurious retreat within walking distance of the charming village of Eygalières.
Located in a quiet residential area, La Pinède has been carefully  designed and decorated by its owners, with a tasteful blend of traditional Provençal mas  and a recent fully equipped luxury home.
Eygalières is a delightful retreat for relaxing away from the busy world. Located at the foot of the dramatic Alpilles mountains, the village is a perfect pied-à-terre for exploring Provence – just twenty minutes’ drive from the market town of St-Rémy-de-Provence, half an hour from Avignon and Arles, 45 minutes from Aix-en-Provence and an hour from Marseilles and Orange.

La Valentine, a provençal villa with private tennis court overlooking Luberon.

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Just a quick drive away from the delightful village of Lourmarin, this lovely Provençal villa benefits from a very exclusive location that only adds to its charm. The views and the tranquillity of the surroundings contribute to making La Valentine a true haven of peace and serenity.

With its heated 10 x 5m swimming pool and astroturf tennis court, you’ll love being outdoors at any time of year at La Valentine. This exclusive property also offers multiple sitting rooms allowing for relaxation indoors for those long evenings or to avoid the height of the summer’s heat.

Domaine de Sénanque, a recently restored mas for rent near Gordes.

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A singularly beautiful Provençal mas that once belonged to the 12th-century Abbaye de Sénanque, this is a high-standard luxury rental villa enclosed in 30 hectares of private grounds within 5 minutes of Gordes, in a highly exceptional location. The village of Murs, a charming small village and a well-kept secret in the Luberon, is also 5 minutes away.

Enjoying stunning views along the entire valley it dominates, past the Petit Luberon mountain and as far as the Alpilles, this incredible property is an ideal retreat for a group of up to 16 people, which it can comfortably accommodate in its 600 square metres of living area and 8 bedrooms, 6 of which are en-suite, the other 2 sharing a bathroom.

The privacy and the calm surroundings genuinely contribute to the atmosphere of peace and tranquillity, making this property one of our ideal luxury retreats for getting away from it all. Chill out by the beautiful pool or just sit back and relax in the serenity of the indoor spaces.

Cet article New Provence luxury properties to Just Provence – July 2013 est apparu en premier sur Provence Emotional Escapes Blog.

Finding the perfect location for your luxury vacation rental in Provence.

People looking for accomodations on the Just Provence site search through our portfolio of exclusive rental properties and get attracted by the high quality photos, as they pick through the list for the perfect setting for their family’s vacation in Provence. After this process,  questions we are often asked are: where is this property located, how far is it from the nearest village, Avignon or a famous landmark and, will this vacation rental be a good base camp for excursions? In this article we’ll look at how you can determine if a location will fit your needs.

There are few straight roads in Provence.

One important factor to take into account when planning your visits in Provence is that Provence itself is delimited by the River Rhône and mountain ranges, the Alpilles, Mont Ventoux and Luberon to name the most prominent. This means that travelling around the region will enable you to discover wonderful natural sites but also a lot of winding roads and curves. The region around Avignon is very well served in dual carriageways and motorways. But quaint medieval Provençal villages, that the area is famous for, have kept their character by being off those main roads. These are the places you might want to visit.

This factor of time spent travelling between points of interest will weigh heavilly on your choice of holiday rental destination.

Your time is precious.

The average stay in Provence in peak season is 2 weeks. In those 14 days you will want to see it all and enjoy the  “Must See” places that you have pin-pointed while planning your stay. Places you could associate with a holiday in Provence could be daily colourful markets, visiting a village you have seen in “A Good Year” with Russell Crowe, the magnificent millenia old Pont du Gard or touring the Côtes du Rhône villages for that wine experience you have anticipated for years. You will have to consider if they fit in your tight schedule and if they require a day trip, an afternoon or just a quick visit as you cycle by.

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You can use the search function on the  Just Provence website to sort properties by location. This also allows you to enter detailed requirements as for example chosing between a country home or a vacation villa near a village.

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In order to help you pick the ideal location for your stay in Provence, I have made this very simple map (thank you Google!). It highlights 4 important cultural centres of Provence, Uzés, Avignon, Saint Rémy de Provence and Apt.  Avignon being the gravitation point since it benefits from a fast train station, two motorway exists and an airport.

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Chances are Avignon will be your point of arrival in Provence whether you come in from Paris, London or Marseille. As you can see, all four centres are within a 30 minute to an hour radius of each other. Which means, for example, that when you pick any location in the red circle you will be able to plan, at least, a day out in these areas with ample time for visiting, enjoying restaurants and then getting home safely with time to spare.

During your stay it is a good idea to book a private tour, so an English-speaking driver guides you around the places of interest you choose without the hassle of driving around with your eyes focussed on the GPS instead of enjoying your visit of Provence.

Picking the ideal location saves you time and money.

As I mentioned in a previous post on planning your stay in Provence in advance, it is essential to make a short list of things you would definitely want to see and do during your visit so as to plan a memorable emotional escape in the South of France. By giving the location careful thought when choosing an exclusive rental properties you will ensure your stay goes as smoothly as possible.

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Do you have a favourite destination in Provence? Have you already considered a list of things to do and visit on your next trip? We’d like to hear from you.

If you have any questions or comments do not hesitate to leave a message or contact me at: [email protected].

Cet article Finding the perfect location for your luxury vacation rental in Provence. est apparu en premier sur Provence Emotional Escapes Blog.

3 things you should look for in an exclusive Provence vacation rental.

Just Provence prides itself in having a portfolio of luxury rental properties built up over a number of years with ever higher expectations. To this effect we have agents in Provence always looking to add properties of the standards we have set for our discerning clientèle.  One might wonder what are these standards? What differentiates an exclusive rental property from your run of the mill villa with pool in sunny southern France?

These standards at first seemed very subjective, what can make a property stand out to be deemed worthy of the “exclusive” title ? I asked myself that question not being quite sure  I could answer it precisely. Until Romuald, owner of L’Oliveraie, brought us his guest-book. His reviews answered the question for me and self-defined the “X-factor”. Yes, X stands  for exclusive…

August 2012

Thank you for  a wonderful, relaxing week – fabulous spot + everyone should have a massage ! I loved the massage.

(In child’s writing) I really enjoyed all the sports.

There are lots of good restaurants near the villa and lots of activities to do at the villa. Rom, thank you for a great week. Regards.
The Goods, UK

L’Oliveraie will be our case study so to speak, this review by the Good family (it is their real name) clearly states three factors that made the property stand out for the whole family. First thing mentioned is the great location, second come the activities at the house and third are the services provided by a friendly owner, affectionately called “Rom” by this family. It seems to me this simple review sums up “Rom’s” recipe for success. And this same recipe will ensure our portfolio only includes such properties and applying these principles in your choice of a holiday rental will ensure you pick exactly the right property for you and your loved ones.

Location, Location, Location !

Where is L’Oliveraie? The villa is situated near the beautiful perched village of Le Barroux. The village itself has a good selection of restaurants, nearby towns of Malaucène and Caromb ( 5 minutes away) both complete this selection with more shops, cafés and restaurants. The area has plenty to see within a 15 minutes drive radius, with two monasteries, a castle, the natural sites of Dentelles de Montmiral and Mont Ventoux and the  various perched villages (Lafare, Suzette, La Roc Alric…) hidden  behind the hills that dot the area. But don’t just take my word for it another review was all about the location :

13 – 27th Aug 2011

Dear Romuald, thank you so much for letting us stay in L’Oliveraie. We had a wonderful holiday, enjoyed Le Barroux and many of the Provence villages. We leave with many happy memories. All good wishes.

The Hobbs family (Michael,  Ingrid, Tom and Adam)

Services available “sur place”*

But as you and I know Provence is full of such jewels and travellers nowadays need more to entice them into venturing into this location rather than the hundreds at hand. I asked Romuald what were those massages the guest were mentioning and the answer I got was very detailed.

” My wife offers oriental massages  for our guests’ well being.”

These massages include the use of essential oils: argan, jasmine, orange flower, rose, ylang ylang and frangipani.

The lady of the house also offers beauty treatments on demand ( pedicure, facial care, manicure…).

And while you are relaxing from your day discovering the area your children and/or friends can relax in the pool, playing table tennis  and other activities made available on the premises.

I sit in the stone house considering fans of lavender and the small basket of blushing apricots given to us by Romuald. Cicadas sing still, morning to night. The “sanglier” maybe will visit, the clear moon will keep us awake. (…) What delightful memories.

Oleander, black blood cherries. The tick tock of our ping pong game. Maybe the dog’s instant ownership- a blessing and a curse for poor Romuald.

I’m looking forward to finding out. Merci à la prochaine fois.

A truly bespoke service.

Finally, what really makes a luxury holiday rental stand out is the little services at your disposal that aren’t really  customary but will make your life so much easier. Romuald and his wife truly understood that. They offer a welcoming dinner to their travelling guests who can just pick from a menu he sends them once they have booked their week online. He even goes that step further by offering to do their grocery shopping  prior to their arrival so the only thing they have to worry about the next day is whether to bask in the sun or go sightseeing. The couple also has a listing of babysitters, chauffeurs and even a yoga teacher should the need arise.

 Do all Just Provence properties fit exactly in this mould? The answer  is yes but in their own ways. But do all visitors to Provence wish these exact services or types of locations? The answer is no.

That is why it is important you define what you need and want for your vacation in the South of France. You can look for destinations you’ll enjoy more, a village like Le Barroux might not be the right choice for you if you enjoy going to the theatre/concert every night. If you’re more the autonomous type who likes to handcraft this vacations from start to finish then you should look into a more “independent” property. But you will benefit from Just Provence’s services along the way to making your choice.

So what truly makes a vacation rental exclusive? As mentioned above a great location that will suit your tastes, services that match your needs and a bespoke service that will answer any question.

As always you can contact me at [email protected] with any questions or requests concerning the blog, our services or Provence in general. All comments are welcome.

Dylan

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* sur place means on site in French

Cet article 3 things you should look for in an exclusive Provence vacation rental. est apparu en premier sur Provence Emotional Escapes Blog.