Les Hauts Saints
709 Chemin des Hauts Saints, 83510 St. Antonin-du-Var, Var, France
Sleeps 10
The Location
"Les Hauts Saints", which is also the name of the immediate area, hints at connections with the great 12th century Cistercian Abbey du Thoronet (about 7 kms from the house) - indeed, there is an unlikely tale of an as yet undiscovered tunnel linking the two!
The village of St. Antonin-du-Var, which is less than a kilometre away, features a surprisingly sophisticated small shop (it has on sale by as early as 8am the day's Times, Telegraph and Daily Mail, all of which are printed in Marseilles), a family-run hotel with a reasonably good restaurant, as well as an outstanding baker and a hairdresser. The medieval town of Lorgues is 7 kms, and is known for its colourful weekly market and its Michelin-starred restaurant.
"Les Hauts Saints" is 75 kms from Aix-en-Provence which, quite apart from its numerous museums and art galleries, hosts some of the most important musical events in France. It is 100 kms from Nice international airport, and the same distance from Toulon (Hyères) airport which has some international flights. Marseilles international airport (called Marignane) is 130 kms. The super-fast train, the TGV, stops at Aix-en-Provence TGV station (between Aix and Marseilles), although some trains continue, rather more slowly, to Draguignan/Les Arcs, about 15 kms from the house.
The Setting
"Les Hauts Saints" is a much enlarged stone "mas" (farmhouse), restored and decorated to the highest standards with enormous taste and charm.
It stands in 1 hectare on a hill-top, faces east, and has panoramic views over the pine forests that are so typical of this part of Provence. This is the vibrant but tranquil land of the cicada, and redolent with the scent of pine forests, lavender, rosemary and thyme.
The house is built on a slope so that the Ground Floor on its west side (as described in these particulars) is the First Floor on its eastern side.
The Sitting Room and Library
The House
The entrance gates are electronically operated, the short gravelled drive leading past the "gardien's" (caretaker's) cottage, and then under a stone arch to the west-facing front door - the main parking area is to one side.
"Les Hauts Saints" comprises:
Ground Floor
- The hall, with French windows on its eastern side, and a staircase leading both to the First Floor and to the Lower Ground Floor. There are terracotta tiled floors throughout the house.
- To the left is a cloakroom with a lavatory.
- To the right is the high-ceilinged, spacious and elegant sitting room with a fine wood-burning fireplace, comfortable sofas and armchairs, and a stone archway opening into the library with its shelves of English-language reference books, a vast collection of CD's, and a magnificent stereo system. French windows face east.
- Double doors lead to the dining terrace which overlooks the garden, and is shaded by a huge sun umbrella.
The Sitting Room. Beyond the left-hand door is the Dining Terrace, whilst the door on the right leads to the Dining Area and the Kitchen
The Dining Terrace off the Sitting Room and Dining Area
Also off the Sitting Room is:
- The kitchen and dining area - The Kitchen has a 5-ring gas hob; an electric eye-level oven; a large fridge with a deep-freeze/ice dispenser/water cooler; a microwave, a dishwasher, and a TV receiving satellite programmes only. As in the Sitting Room, the large wood-burning fireplace creates a cosy atmosphere in the colder months.
- The dining area has a table seating 12, whilst a door at its eastern end opens onto the Dining Terrace as described above. Stone steps descend to the garden from this Terrace.
To the left of the hall is:
- Bedroom 1 with a king-size bed which can be split into 2 singles, and French doors and opening onto an east-facing Terrace from which another set of steps descends to the garden. Ensuite bathroom with a shower and a lavatory.
The Dining Area with the Kitchen in the background
- Bedroom 2 (entered via bedroom 1 or through the French windows opening onto the east-facing Terrace). With a king-size bed which can be split into 2 singles, and a window on its west side. Ensuite bathroom with a shower and a lavatory.
First Floor
Stairs ascend from the hall to:
- The open-plan study with a telephone, a fax, and a P.C. with a Broadband connection.
Off the study is:
- The master bedroom (bedroom 3), air-conditioned, and with a king-size 4-poster bed, a TV which receives both terrestrial and satellite programmes and also has a built-in DVD player. Windows on its western side with, opposite, French windows opening onto a balcony.
- An adjoining dressing room connects with bathroom 3, with a bath, a walk-in shower and a lavatory.
The Master Bedroom (Bedroom 3)
The TV Room
Lower Ground Floor
- Stairs descend from the hall to the TV ROOM with a large LCD wall-mounted stereo TV (receiving satellite programmes only), an extensive library of DVD's plus some videos, a DVD and a video machine, and a considerable collection of both English and French-language books. French windows open onto the garden.
- Off the TV Room is bedroom 4, with a king-size bed which can be split into 2 singles. Ensuite bathroom with a bath and a lavatory.
A door from Bedroom 4 opens onto a small covered Patio, off which is:
- Bedroom 5. With a king-size bed which can be split into 2 singles. Ensuite bathroom with a bath and a lavatory.
Also off this covered Patio is:
- A utility room with a shower and a lavatory, a washing machine, a tumble drier, an iron and an ironing board.
- Steps from this Patio descend to the Swimming Pool.
Bedroom 4
The Grounds
The terraced garden is planted with a mass of colourful Mediterranean flowers (including a small field of lavender), as well as with shrubs and trees of many varieties. The automatic watering system operates only at night.
The beautiful, filtered, floodlit Swimming Pool measures 12 x 6 metres. It is 2.3 metres at the deep end and 1.3 metres at the other, with shallow Roman steps. It can be heated at an additional cost of £120 per week should tenants so request - see the booking and security deposit as below. The electrically operated cover should be closed at night both for safety's sake and to retain the water temperature.
The floodlit Pool and the Pool House
At the far end is the shady Pool House with comfortable banquette seating, a wood-burning fireplace and, at the rear, a summer kitchen with a fridge/freezer and a sink.
There are numerous comfortable sun beds, and 2 sun umbrellas.
Overlooking the Pool is a Terrace shaded by a pergola, with a dining table seating 14. Nearby is the gas-fired barbecue.
Other Facilities And Information
- Unless otherwise agreed, there should not be more than 10 people (including children and babies) staying in the house at any one time.
- Bed linen, bath and pool towels are provided free of charge, and will be changed on a weekly basis.
- 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.
- Mme Maggi Favard is the cleaner, and is employed by the owner for 3 hours per day on 2 days per week during which time she will concentrate on general house cleaning, including the kitchen and the bathrooms. She should be paid direct by the tenants at the rate of Euros 15 per hour for any agreed additional hours of work.
- The "gardien" (caretaker), Daniel Raveaux, is paid by the owner. He lives in the cottage beside the main gate, and is responsible for the garden. Magdalena, Daniel’s wife, can help with washing up and serving dinner, and her rate is also Euro 15 per hour. The Pool is maintained by an outside contractor.
The west side of "Les Hauts Saints"
- Tenants will be met on arrival. They will be shown how everything works, (including the alarm system), and will be given the codes both for this system and to open and close the entrance gates.
- As long as sufficient notice is given, a babysitter and/or a part-time cook can be booked. His/her/their wage will be the tenants' responsibility and, if requested, will be ascertained prior to the commencement of the tenancy. Airport collections (by an English-speaking driver with a 7-seater vehicle) can also be arranged.
- There are telephones throughout the house, and fans in all the bedrooms.
- There is a cot (with its own bedding), and a high chair.
- This is very much an "all-year-round" house, and is therefore centrally heated throughout, whilst wood fires can be lit in both the Sitting Room and the Kitchen/Dining Area. The "gardien" will replenish the logs as required.
- The owner's insurance policy requires that all exterior doors are locked, that all windows and shutters are closed, and that the alarm is set whenever tenants are away from the property.
- The House Manual is most detailed, and as well as describing how everything works (both inside and out), it lists a doctor, a dentist, an electrician and a plumber, plus other emergency and useful numbers.
- There are 2 mountain bikes in the "bergerie" opposite the front door. Please put them away at night.
- There are any number of restaurants in the vicinity, ranging quite considerably both in price and quality. (Truffles are a local speciality). Details and descriptions of just a few of them are given in the House Manual.
Looking east from the Master Bedroom's balcony
The Dining Terrace overlooking the Swimming Pool
- Markets abound in the surrounding towns and villages, opening on different days of the week. Arguably the largest and best is in Lorgues.
- Local fairs and festivals including concerts at the Abbaye du Thoronet take place throughout the summer. As with markets, details are to be found in the House Manual.
- There is an excellent all-weather tennis court at the hotel on the near side of St Antonin-du-Var (10 minutes' walk) which can be booked by telephoning the hotel.
- 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 to trekking in the superb surrounding countryside.
- 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 many stunning towns and villages in the vicinity - Entrecasteaux with its marvellous Chateau and its gardens designed by Le Notre in the 17th century (he also laid out those at Versailles), Tourtour (known as "the village in the sky"), Aups (gateway to the Haut Var and the truffle capital of France), Salernes with its numerous pottery shops and its excellent Sunday market, and many more.
- Although the Mediterranean beaches of Cavalaire, St Tropez and Cannes are about an hour's drive in the off-season, be warned that getting to them can take considerably longer in summer.
- Vineyards surround "Les Hauts Saints", producing red, white and rosé wines (rosé is a Provençal speciality). Many offer tastings and on-the-spot purchases.
- A nearby lavender farm makes and sells lavender essence and related products.
- There are a number of children's adventure playgrounds and zoos in the area. Details of these (as well as quad-biking opportunities for older children) are in the House Manual.
- There is a house cat (fed by the "gardien") which can be boarded in a cattery if tenants so wish.
The Master Bedroom's ensuite Bathroom
The Rents In 2008
| Month | Price |
|---|---|
| Easter & Christmas | £3,570 per week |
| June & September | £3,700 per week |
| July & August | £4,460 per week |
| All other available months | £2,630 per week |
An additional £120 per week will be charged to heat the Pool should tenants so wish, although this should not be necessary in summer. Any such charge will be deducted from the Booking and Security Deposit (see below).
Unless otherwise agreed, all lets will be for a minimum of 1 week, and will begin and end on a Saturday.
Tenants should arrive between 5 pm and 6 pm on the commencement day, and should leave before 10 am on the agreed day of departure. They will be met on arrival at "Les Hauts Saints".
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 (a) the cost of telephone calls made during the tenancy, (b) Pool heating if required (see above), (c) the cost of replacing/making good any losses, breakages and/or damages incurred during the rental, 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.
