New South of France luxury holiday rentals April 2013

This Spring, Just Provence has managed to secure a brand new selection of luxury rentals all around the region. From 18th century farmhouses to modern architectural projects, which are found in as diverse locations as the perched village of Ménerbes or the classy countryside surrounding Aix-en-Provence. These stunning properties offer a wide spectrum of experiences and décor but all have in common the owners’ high expectations in delivering a luxury holiday to visitors.

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La Maison Chandon, an 18th century family holiday country home.

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This 18th century house sits  just a few minutes walk from the perched village of Ménerbes in the Luberon, where Peter Mayle set the action for his books. It has been lovingly restored by its French owner who guided us through the property at the end of March. This rental property was refurbished with holiday rentals in mind, thus offering all the amenities visitors coming to Provence would expect, such as its huge 10 x 7m private pool and pétanque court for the warm summer evenings. Services such as Ipod docking stations, WiFi access and many other commodities are available to our guests. La Maison Chandon is the ideal vacation home for a large family;  it succeeds in offering privacy, splendid views whilst being close to a lovely village in one of the most beautiful parts of Provence.

Villa Domino, an exceptional contemporary rental villa.

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We visited Villa Domino with the property manager in early April, she told us how this exceptional contemporary rental villa was the personal project of a Portuguese and French couple living in the USA who entrusted a local architect to design a light filled structure which would maximise the splendid views and sunshine that this location is blessed with. Situated on the edge of the village of Cadenet which offers a choice of stores and cafés, it is also just minutes from the famously charming village of Lourmarin.  This exceptional villa, sleeping 8, is the ideal choice for a family looking for a stylish modern experience in the heart of Provence neighbouring major cultural centres like Aix-en-Provence or Avignon just 40 minutes drive away.

Le Belvédère, an architect’s hidden gem in Provence.

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This luxury rental is situated in the midst of a oak forest. The French owners of this atypical villa were inspired by the Tour de Pinet; a 12th century square tower guarding the entrance to Venasque which is the nearby perched village overlooking the “Vallée de la Nesque“.  Le Belvédère offers splendid views, luxurious comforts – air conditioning, 2x 2m beds, heated pool- and total privacy in an underrated part of Provence.

Mas de l’Arc: luxury, comfort and splendid views.

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Mas de l’Arc is the first property near the trendy city of Aix-en-Provence to be promoted by Just Provence. This traditional Provençal mas was tastefully restored and entirely refurbished by the owners with the help of local interior designer Nathalie Vingot Mei. It can accommodate up to 14 people and not only boasts a 12 x 6m infinity pool but also fantastic views over the surrounding vineyards and the Mountain Sainte Victoire. Staying at this holiday rental ensures you will experience all the sights and pleasures of a region which inspired some of the greatest artists of their time such as Picasso, Cézanne or Van Gogh.

Cet article New South of France luxury holiday rentals properties to Just Provence – March/April 2013 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.