Domaine des Chevaliers
2120 Route de Draguignan (on the D557), Quartier St Jean, 83690 Villecroze, Var
Sleeps 8, 10 or 12
Please click here to view the 2012 rental rates, or see below for further information
"Domaine des Chevaliers".
The Location
This most attractive and secluded Villa stands in 6.5 hectares (15 acres) of secluded garden and parkland, with a stream and a small waterfall at the far end of the property, and fine views over the surrounding wooded countryside.
2 kms from the attractive Provençal village of Villecroze with some small shops including a bakery and a newsagent selling same-day English-language newspapers, as well as some family restaurants. There are two large supermarkets on the road to Salernes, 3 kms away.
Two outstanding nearby villages, both with good restaurants, are Tour Tour (known as the "village in the sky") and Cotignac. 15 kms to the small medieval town of Lorgues with its huge, colourful weekly market, and its Michelin-starred restaurant, Bruno's, where truffles are the speciality. Less than a hour's drive are the majestic Gorges du Verdon with its river beaches, picnic-spots, wonderful scenic walks, and water sports of all kinds.
The Sitting Room. With the Dining Area and Kitchen in the background,
and above them, the open-plan Study.
"Domaine des Chevaliers" is 75 kms from elegant Aix-en-Provence which, apart from its numerous museums and art galleries, hosts each summer one of the most important music festivals in France.
It's 45 minutes' drive from Toulon (Hyères) international airport, and 90 minutes from Nice and Marseilles (Marignane) international airports. It's also 30 minutes from an entrance to the A8 autoroute, whilst the nearest TGV station (the super-fast train) is at Les Arcs, also 30 minutes' drive.
The Property
This sophisticated property has been renovated, equipped and furnished to the highest standards. A 250 metre drive leads from the electronically-controlled entrance gates, past the Gatehouse, and up to the very private Main House with ample parking space on its western side.
The Main House
The front door opens into the HALL.
To the right is:
- The very comfortable, 12 metre-long SITTING ROOM. With a number of sofas and armchairs, a massive wood-burning fireplace, a large SKY HD satellite TV (with all the channels), and a CD and DVD player. There are music speakers throughout the Ground and First Floors, and an iPod dock. Extensive French windows on 2 sides plus a high ceiling make this a very light and airy room.
The Dining Area. With the Kitchen in the background.
Ahead is:
- The DINING AREA. With a table seating 10, and French windows opening onto:
- The south-facing TERRACE. With a table seating 14, and a comfortable seating area. Nearby is a state-of-the-art Weber gas-fired barbecue/oven
- The open-plan KITCHEN. With 4 electric hobs with a pop-up extractor fan. Oven, steam oven, warming drawer, microwave, 2 dishwashers, fridge/deep freeze/ice-maker, electric kettle, toaster, blender etc.
The Kitchen.
Beside the Kitchen are stairs to the BASEMENT which comprises:
- The UTILITY ROOM. Equipped with a clothes-washer and separate dryer, an iron and ironing board.
- A second KITCHEN (used when entertaining on a large scale!). With 4 hobs, an oven, a dishwasher, and a roomy fridge.
Bedroom 1.
Off the Hall is a W.C., whilst a short passage leads to:
- BEDROOM 1. With a 6' bed. French windows open onto its own south-facing Terrace, equipped with a table and chairs.
- En suite BATHROOM 1. With a bath, a power-shower, a basin and a W.C.
- BEDROOM 2. With two 3' single beds, and a window looking east.
- Ensuite SHOWER ROOM. With a power-shower, a basin and a W.C.
Bathroom 1.
- BEDROOM 3. With a 5' double bed, and a window overlooking the north Terrace.
- Ensuite BATHROOM 2. With a bath, a basin and a W.C.
Stairs ascend from the Hall to:
- An open-plan STUDY (overlooking the Sitting Room) with WiFi/Broadband internet access.
On the left is:
- BEDROOM 4 (The Master Bedroom). With a 6' bed, a roomy sofa and a 40" flat-screen satellite TV. French windows open onto a large and totally private south-facing TERRACE with a huge sunbed and excellent views.
- Extensive en suite BATHROOM 3. With a free-standing bath, a power-shower, twin washbasins, and a W.C.
The Gatehouse.
The Gatehouse
Just inside (and to the right of) the entrance gates. It comprises:
On the Ground Floor:
Open-plan APARTMENT 1. Which is accessed via a covered, south-facing Terrace with a dining table seating 8.
It comprises:
- A SITTING AREA. With a sofa and an armchair, and a wide-screen satellite TV.
- KITCHEN AREA. With 4 electric hobs, an oven, a microwave, a fridge/freezer, a dishwasher, a washing machine and a dryer, a kettle, an iron and an ironing board etc.
Behind a part-wall is:
- The BEDROOM AREA. With a 5' double bed.
Leading through to:
- A BATHROOM. With a walk-in bath, a shower, a basin and a W.C.
The Sitting Room in Apartment 1 in the Gatehouse.
A second entrance to the Gatehouse opens into a HALL which leads to:
Apartment 2
Comprising:
- A SITTING ROOM/DINING AREA. With a round table seating 4, and a small satellite TV. French windows open onto its own south-facing Terrace - equipped with a table and chairs.
- A KITCHENETTE. With 2 hobs, an oven, a fridge/freezer, a dishwasher, a kettle etc.
- An adjoining BEDROOM. With two 3' single beds, and French windows opening onto the south-facing Terrace.
- A SHOWER ROOM with a power-shower, a basin and a W.C.
Stairs ascend from the Hall to:
- A third APARTMENT which is seldom let. With a single bed (a second can be added), and a flat-screen satellite TV. French windows open onto a south-facing Balcony.
- In one corner of the Bedroom is a KITCHENETTE. With 2 electric hobs, a microwave, a kettle and a sink.
- En suite BATHROOM. With a bath, and a W.C.
Looking south from Gatehouse's first floor Blacony.
The Main House is behind the trees on the far right.
The Garden
To the north of the MAIN HOUSE is a large, stone terrace.
Beyond this is the heated, filtered, floodlit SWIMMING POOL with an electric cover which should be closed at night and when not in use, both for safety's sake and in order to retain the water temperature.
N.B. All pool 'toys' must be removed from the water before closing the cover.
The Pool has a saline content (similar in strength of human tears) which helps to keep the water crystal-clear and to prevent eye infections. 11 x 5 metres in size, with Roman steps running the width of the shallow end (1 metre), descending to 2.5 metres at the deep end.
There are 6 sunbeds and 3 parasols.
On the far side of the Pool is the 'BOULES PITCH'. (The 'boules' are kept in the Main House).
The attractive garden with its colourful flower beds and its trees and shrubs, hedges and spacious lawns descends gradually to a line of oak trees in the middle distance, through which runs a stream with a small waterfall. There are several excellent picnic spots, both in the garden and beside the stream.
The Swimming Pool. With the Main House in the background.
Other Facilities and Information
- The Main House sleeps 8 in 4 double Bedrooms, and is ideal for a wheelchair as the entire Ground Floor and its Terraces are on the same level.
The Gatehouse (250 metres from the Main House) has a Ground Floor Apartment with a double bed, and a second Ground Floor Apartment with 2 single beds. The owner sometimes uses the third Apartment (on the First Floor), and it's therefore not generally available.
The Master Bedroom (Bedroom 4) with its Terrace.
- The Main House can be rented on its own, or the rental can include either or both the Apartments on the Ground Floor of the Gatehouse, the property therefore sleeping 8, 10 or 12.
None of the Gatehouse Apartments can be rented separately. - Bed linen, bath and pool towels are provided free of charge, and will be changed each Saturday.
- Tenants should advise Anglo French Properties Ltd at the end of each rental of any losses, breakages or damages. This is in lieu of an inventory.
- Tenants will be met on arrival, and will be shown round the property. A cleaner is employed for 3 hours on each Wednesday, her hours of work on Wednesdays and Saturdays being paid for by the owner. Any additional hours should be arranged with the agent (if possible in advance), and paid direct to the cleaner @ Euros 15 per hour.
- Garden and pool maintenance are paid by the owner.
The Master Bedroom's en suite Bathroom.
- As long as sufficient notice is given, a babysitter and/or a part-time cook can probably be found. His/her/their wage will be the tenants' responsibility and, if requested, will be ascertained prior to the commencement of the tenancy. Airport collections can also be arranged.
- There are telephones in both the Main House and the Gatehouse. Local calls are free of charge
- There is Broadband/WiFi internet access throughout the Main House and the Gatehouse.
- There is a cot and a cradle (both with bedding), a high chair, and lots of pool 'toys'.
- This is a very much a year-round property. All Bedrooms in the Main House and the Gatehouse are air-conditioned, and there is underfloor heating throughout both houses.
The south-facing Terrace. The dining table is at the far end.
- A fire can be lit in the fireplace in the Sitting Room. Logs will be provided if required.
- The owner's insurance policy requires that all windows are closed, and that all outside doors and blinds are locked whenever tenants are away from the property.
- The House Manual is most detailed, and as well as describing how everything works (both inside and outside), it lists a doctor, a dentist, an electrician and a plumber, plus other emergency and useful numbers. It also contains details of the local markets (and the day/s of the week on which each is held), local shops and their specialties (pottery and Provençal fabrics spring immediately to mind), recommended restaurants in various price ranges, and the many cultural and sporting events taking place in the surrounding area.
The dining table on the south-facing Terrace.
- Mountain bikes can be hired in Salernes.
- There are board games and packs of playing cards in the Main House.
- There are a number of reasonable-to-outstanding 18-hole golf courses within 30 kms. Arguably the best are St Endréol and Barbaroux. Details of both of these and of several others are in the House Manual.
- There are also details in the Manual of nearby riding stables, offering everything from lessons to dressage, and to trekking in the superb surrounding countryside.
- A number of local vineyards offer tastings and on-the-spot purchases.
- There are wonderful walks in all directions.
- There is swimming, sailing and windsurfing on the Lac de Ste Croix, whilst the spectacular Gorges du Verdon offer gentle-to-testing rafting, canyoning, kayaking and canoeing (both 50 kms).
- There are 2 tennis courts in Villecroze (2 kms) for which there is a small charge. Tennis lessons can be arranged. Details are in the House Manual.
- There are a number of children's adventure playgrounds in the area, including one near Vidauban which provides a range of activities for all ages between 3 and the early 20s. Details of these (as well as of quad-biking opportunities for older children are in the House Manual).
- There's a local lavender farm making and selling lavender essences and related products. There are also nougat and honey producers in the vicinity.
Bedroom 2.
The Rents In 2012
| 8 guests | 10 guests | 12 guests | |
| June and September | £4,270 per week | £4,930 per week | £5,530 per week |
| July and August | £4,950 per week | £5,550 per week | £6,150 per week |
Rents for all other weeks/months/weekend breaks are negotiable, including Christmas/ New Year 2012/13.
Except by prior arrangement, all tenancies will be for a minimum of 1 week, and will begin and end on a Saturday.
Tenants should arrive as soon as possible after 4pm on the commencement day, and must leave before 10am on the agreed day of departure. They will be met on arrival.
If so, please click the flags to go to our Enquiry/Booking Form
The Deposit
A deposit of 25% of the rent will be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing the Rental Agreement, with the balance to be paid 6 weeks prior to the commencement of the tenancy.
The Booking And Security Deposit
A Booking and Security Deposit of £500 will also be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing this Rental Agreement. This will secure the booking, and will cover the cost of: (a) telephone calls (other than local ones) made during the tenancy, (b) replacing/making good any losses, breakages and/or damages incurred during the rental, and (c) any exceptional cleaning work which may be required at the end of the tenancy. This Deposit will be refunded (less any deductions as outlined above) within 8 weeks of the tenancy's conclusion.
Bedroom 3.
