La Madeleine
Chemin de St. Marc, Route des Mines,
Quartier les Crottes,
83310 Cogolin, Var.
SLEEPS 8
Please click here to view the 2010 rental rates, or see below for further information
"La Madeleine"
The Location And Setting
"La Madeleine" is an enchanting, south-facing, converted Provençal stone Farmhouse which, whilst only 4 kms north of the centre of the bustling small town of Cogolin and 16kms from St. Tropez, is set in utter peace and tranquility in 20 hectares (50 acres).
The House is surrounded by, first, flower beds and shady lawns, and then by its own 10 hectare vineyard, its grapes being vinified by the local wine co-operative into very drinkable Provençal reds, whites, and rosés, all marketed under the label "Cabestan". Beyond the vines, the property is screened by woods, thus providing complete privacy.
There are distant views of the medieval hill-top castle of Grimaud (foodlit at night), as well as of the forested hills all around.
The Sitting Room
Cogolin boasts a twice-weekly open-air market, as well as a state-of-the-art supermarket (E.Leclerc) with marvellous fish and cheese counters, and a first-class delicatessen selling cold and ready-to-heat dishes. There is an even larger supermarket (called "Géant Casino") on the road between Cogolin and St Tropez.
Whilst by far the best-known local beaches are those of St Tropez (called Tahiti and Pampelonne), they are both crowded and difficult to get to in the summer months, and the owners therefore prefer the string of beaches between Port Grimaud and Ste Maxime (the nearest is 12 kms), or perhaps better still, the beaches of the nature reserve at l'Escalet (15 kms south east of Ramatuelle).
Junction no. 36 is the nearest exit/entrance to the A8 autoroute, usually 45 minutes' drive from "La Madeleine", but rather longer at peak times in the summer months. Nice airport is then 45 minutes from this junction.
The airport of Toulon/Hyères (with some international flights) is an hour away, whilst there is a private airfield at La Môle, 8 kms south west of Cogolin (on the N98). The super-fast train, the TGV, stops at Les Arcs (1½ hours' drive).
The Swimming Pool with the tented "Pavilion" at its far end
THE HOUSE
A 500 metre drive leads off a very minor road, heading towards to ample parking space on the east of the House. Half-way up the drive are electronically-operated gates - tenants will be given the code to open and close them.
- The front door (also on the east side) opens into a Passage, at the far end of which is:
- The spacious, beamed SITTING ROOM with comfortable sofas and armchairs, and a working fireplace.
There is a satellite T.V., and a fax/photocopier - 3 French windows open from the Sitting Room onto the South Terrace which runs along the garden-side of the House.
At one end of this Terrace is a dining table seating 8, shaded by a pergola of roses, wisteria and vines. Nearby is the gas-fired barbecue.
N.B. Please be very careful when using this barbecue - fires are a constant threat in the south of France in the hotter months, and in some years the local authorities ban summer barbecues altogether.
The Kitchen
- The light and airy, well-equipped KITCHEN With a table seating 8, a 4-hob electric cooker, an oven, a microwave, a plate-warmer, a fridge/freezer, a dishwasher, coffee-maker, toaster, kettle etc. French windows open onto a Breakfast Terrace on the north side.
- BATHROOM with a bath, and a W.C.
- BEDROOM 1 with twin 3 ft beds, and French windows leading to the South Terrace.
- SHOWER ROOM 1 with a walk-in shower, and a W.C.
- BEDROOM 2 with twin 3 ft beds, and a small Dressing Room with a concealed wash basin.
- UTILITY ROOM with a washing machine, a dryer, an ironing board and an iron.
- BEDROOM 3 with twin 3 ft beds, and French windows looking west. There is a safe in this Bedroom which can be used by tenants.
- En-suite SHOWER ROOM 2 with a walk-in shower, and a W.C.
- BEDROOM 4 with twin 3 ft beds, and French windows looking south.
Bedroom 1, looking south
Bathroom 1
The Breakfast Terrace outside the Kitchen. With a glimpse of the vineyard in the background
THE GARDEN
The colourful and attractive garden lies all around the house. The lawns are studded with flower beds, shrubs, and trees of many varieties, and are bordered by vineyards. An automatic sprinkler system comes on at night.
- On one side of the garden is the splendid 15 × 6 metre, fenced-and-gated, heated, floodlit, filtered Swimming Pool. Wide, Roman steps descend into the shallow end (1metre), shelving to a depth of 2.5 metres. A fresh-water shower stands near the shallow end of the Pool.
The Pool can be heated at a cost of £120 per week (see "THE BOOKING AND SECURITY DEPOSIT" below).This shouldn't be necessary in July or August, nor in some of the other warmer months.
There are a number of comfortable sunbeds around the Pool (as well as on the Terraces surrounding the house) and, at the far end of the Pool, a tented 'Pavilion' provides lots of shade, and is equipped with a table and chairs.
The Dining Terrace, looking east
Other Facilities And Information
- There should not be more than 8 people staying at "La Madeleine" at any time.
- No pets are allowed.
- Tenants will be met on arrival by the caretaker, Mme Albert, and will be shown around the house and garden, as well as being advised how the alarm works. They will also be lent a remote control to operate the gates half-way up the drive.
Mme Albert is responsible for Swimming Pool maintenance, while her husband is the general handyman. Both are paid by the owners, as is the gardener. - Tenants should advise Anglo French Properties Ltd at the end of each rental of any breakages, losses or damages. This is in lieu of an inventory.
- A Cleaner is employed by the owner for 3 hours per day on Tuesdays and Saturdays each week. She should be paid direct by tenants for any additional hours of work agreed with her.
- There is a telephone system, and Broadband/Wireless Internet access.
- Tenants should advise Anglo French Properties Ltd at the end of each rental of any breakages, losses or damages. This is in lieu of an inventory.
- Bed linen, bath and pool towels are provided free of charge, and will be changed on a weekly basis.
- As long as sufficient notice is given, a part-time cook and/or a baby sitter can probably be found. His/her/their wages will be the tenants’ responsibility and, if requested, would be ascertained prior to the start of the tenancy.
- The house is heated throughout by electric radiators. There are also fans in all the Bedrooms.
- The owners' insurance policy requires that all windows and outside doors are closed when leaving the property for any reason. The house alarm should also be set, and the entrance gates half-way up the drive should be closed.
- There are 2 cots (with mattresses and bedding), and a high chair.
- There are English-language books throughout the house (plus board games and playing cards in a cupboard in the Sitting Room). There are also some children's toys.
- There are "boules", plus a badminton net, racquets and shuttlecocks. Mme Albert knows where all these are kept.
- The house has a most useful Information Folder containing the telephone numbers of a doctor, a dentist, the emergency services etc.
- This Folder also gives details of the local markets (and the day/s of the week on which each is held), local shops and supermarkets, plus recommended restaurants in various price ranges. Nearby is a basket holding a variety of helpful brochures and leaflets.
- The Tourist Office in Cogolin provides a further wealth of information - what to do, where to go and what to see, very much including activities of all kinds for adults and children alike.
- The nearest golf course is Golf de Beauvallon (9 holes) en route to Ste Maxime. There are 18-hole courses at Ste Maxime and Roquebrune-sur-Argens, and a fine 18-hole championship course at Brignoles (Golf de Barbaroux).
- There is a tennis club in Cogolin with 6 courts, 4 of which are floodlit. Lessons can also be arranged. Booking and other details are in the Information Folder.
- Bicycles can be hired in Cogolin.
- There are wonderful walks near the house in all directions.
- A visit to St Tropez is a virtual 'must', especially on Tuesday and/or Saturday morning when it holds its outdoor market - one of the best in the region. There is also an outstanding museum (L'Annonciade) in the town's old port, featuring paintings by most of the major Impressionists.
- There are many other highly photogenic villages and small towns in the area. Bormes-les-Mimosas, Gassin, Ramatuelle and Grimaud to name just a few.
- A visit to elegant, sophisticated Aix-en-Provence (1½ hours' drive) is thoroughly recommended. It's a university city, alive with outdoor cafés, restaurants and art galleries, as well as with museums, concert halls and opera houses.
- The Cisterian Abbaye du Thoronet is well worth a visit, as are the Roman town of Hyères, and the gardens at Rayol Canadel.
- There are ferry services from Le Lavandou to the Mediterranean Isles d'Hyères (Porquerolles is the largest of the islands).
- There are masses of excellent local vineyards, many of which encourage tastings and on-the-spot purchases.
- There are riding stables on the road between Cogolin and Grimaud, and a Go-Kart circuit on the road to Port Grimaud.
Bedroom 3
The House can be seen beyond the trees on the left
N.B. Leave for St Tropez early in the morning in order to avoid crowded roads.
A Sun Terrace, with part of the vineyard in the distance
The Rents In 2010
| Month | Price |
|---|---|
| May, June and September | £2,860 per week |
| July and August | £3,680 per week |
Unless otherwise agreed, all rentals will begin and end on a Saturday and will be for a minimum of one week. Tenants are required to arrive between 4pm and 5pm on the commencement day, and to leave no later than 10am on the agreed day of departure. They will be met on arrival by Mme Albert.
If so, please click the flags to go to our Enquiry/Booking Form
The Dining Terrace. The Pool is on the far side of the lawn
The Deposit
A deposit of 25% of the rent will be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing the rental agreement, with the 75% 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 and fax calls made during the tenancy, (b) replacing/making good any losses, breakages and/or damages incurred during the rental, (c) pool heating if required (see above), and (d) any exceptional cleaning work which may be required at the end of the tenancy. It will be refunded (less any deductions as outlined above) within 8 weeks of the tenancy's conclusion.
Bedroom 2
