Les Vignes
83510 St Antonin-du-Var, Var
Sleeps 6
Whilst babies up to the age of 18 months are permitted,there should not be more than one child between the age of 18 months and 12 years.
Please click here to view the 2012 rental rates, or see below for further information
"Les Vignes"
The Location
Built in the 1950s, and totally refurbished to the highest standard in recent years, "Les Vignes" is an extremely comfortable and well-appointed Villa. It is located in the heart of the Var, one of the best-loved 'départements' of Provence.
"Les Vignes" is 1 km from the village of St Antonin-du-Var, with its well-stocked small shop, selling, for instance, as early as 8 am, the day's "Times", "Telegraph" and "Daily Mail". The village also has a family-run hotel with a very reasonable restaurant and a good tennis court (which can be used by tenants). St Antonin also boasts an outstanding baker as well as a hairdresser, and an excellent shop selling both the local wines and olive oil.
The medieval town of Lorgues is 7 kms, and is known for its huge, colourful, weekly outdoor market, and for several reasonable-to-excellent restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Bruno's.
The Villa is 75 kms from Aix-en-Provence which, apart from its numerous museums and art galleries, hosts some of the most important musical events in France. It's 100 kms from Nice international airport, and the same distance from Toulon airport (Hyères) which has some international flights. Marseilles international airport (called Marignane) is 130 kms, whilst the nearest entry to the autoroute system is 30 minutes' drive. 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 Villa.
The Sitting Room.
The Setting
"Les Vignes" stands in grounds of a hectare (2½ acres), comprising a number of stunning, terraced gardens which descend to a large grassed field.
Electronically-operated front gates give access to the longish, semi-circular drive which climbs gently from a little-used road (ending in a cul-de-sac) to the ample, partly-shaded parking area at the side of the Villa, near the front door. Tenants will be lent the remote control to open these front gates.
The Villa has fine views over the valley and its vineyards at its foot, with hardly a building to be seen - it enjoys an atmosphere of extraordinary peace and quiet.
The Dining Room.
The Villa
The entrance door opens into:
- The SITTING ROOM. With its comfortable sofa and chairs and its antique French furniture,
south and west-facing windows, a satellite TV,
a DVD player, and a Bose iPod dock music player.
French windows doors open onto the Terrace overlooking the valley, with chairs and a sofa, and a table seating 6 to 8.
To the left of the Sitting Room is:
- A CLOAKROOM with a W.C.
- The Kitchen. Very well-equipped, with 5 gas hobs, an electric oven, a microwave, a large fridge with a built-in deep-freeze and a cold water provider, a dishwasher, a toaster, a kettle, a Magimix, a radio etc.
The Kitchen.
Through to:
- The DINING ROOM. Seating 8. French doors open onto a small, partly sunken, (breakfast) Terrace with terracotta pots planted with shrubs and herbs, and shaded by a vine. The table seats 6.
At the opposite end of the Sitting Room is:
- BEDROOM 1 (The Master Bedroom). With a 5 ft bed (150 cms), and French doors leading to a Terrace with a fountain at its centre.
- Large en-suite BATHROOM 1. With a bath, a walk-in shower, and a W.C.
Bedroom 1 (The Master Bedroom).
Because the Villa is south-facing and is built on a slope, its south side is on two floors. Stairs therefore descend from the Sitting Room to:
- A HALL, off which is:
- The UTILITY ROOM/AIRING CUPBOARD. With a washing machine and a separate dryer, an iron and an ironing board.
- SHOWER ROOM 1. With a walk-in shower, and a W.C.
Bathroom 1.
At the end of the Hall are 2 south-facing Bedrooms:
- BEDROOM 2. With a 6' 6" bed (190 cms), which can be split into 2 single beds.
- En-suite SHOWER ROOM 2. With a walk-in shower, a W.C., and French doors leading to a Terrace.
- BEDROOM 3. With a 6 ft bed (180 cms), which can be split into 2 single beds. French doors open onto the same Terrace.
Bedroom 2.
THE GARDEN
The lovely terraced Garden has a wide variety of shrubs and Mediterranean flowers and trees (pines, oaks, cypresses etc.), as well as a large lavender bed framed by a clipped box hedge, an olive grove, and an extensive grassed field, carpeted with wild flowers in spring.
There is a 'Boules' Pitch. (The 'boules' are kept in the Villa).
A dining table on a Terrace below the swimming Pool seats 10, has a portable, gas-fired barbecue, and is shaded by a wisteria pergola.
The Pool House is at the near end of the Pool.
The enclosed and gated Swimming Pool area has 6 comfortable sunbeds, 8 folding chairs, and 2 sun umbrellas.
The POOL HOUSE is at the far end of the Pool. It has a table seating 10, a small fridge and a sink, and a CD player/radio.
The Pool itself is filtered, heated, alarmed and floodlit. It measures 7.5 metres in length (24' 6"), 3.8 metres in width (12' 6"), and 1.4 metres in depth (4.6"). Its salt content approximates the strength of human tears, helps to keep the water crystal-clear, and is also effective in preventing possible eye and ear problems.
NB 1. Pool heating (if required) will be charged @ £120 per week. (See "The Booking and Security Deposit" below).
NB 2. Because the Pool is relatively shallow, no diving is permitted.
The Pool House, with the Pool in the background.
Other Facilities And Information
- Unless otherwise agreed, and excluding babies up to the age of 18 months, there should not be more than 6 people staying at "Les Vignes" at any one time. Only one child between the age of 18 months and 12 years will be permitted.
- Bed linen, bath and pool towels are provided free of charge, and will be changed on a weekly basis.
- Yolande Zedder is the cleaner and caretaker, and is employed by the owner for 2 hours per day on 2 days per week during which time she will concentrate on general house cleaning, including the Kitchen and the Bath and Shower Rooms. Provided that it's arranged in advance, she's willing to work on extra days and/or hours should tenants so wish, her charge (to be paid to her by tenants) being Euros 15 per hour for any such additional work.
- Provided sufficient notice is given, a part-time cook and/or a babysitter can probably be provided. His/her/their wages will be the tenants' responsibility, and can be ascertained in advance should tenants so wish. If notified in advance, airport collections/deliveries etc. can also probably be arranged, at a cost of, for instance, approximately Euros 100 to or from Nice airport.
Bedroom 3.
- Tenants should advise Anglo French Properties Ltd at the end of each rental of any breakages, losses and/or damages. This is in lieu of an inventory.
- Garden and Pool maintenance are the responsibility of the owners, and will be carried out by an outside contractor.
- Tenants will be met on arrival by the cleaner/caretaker, Yolande Zedder. They will be shown how everything works, including the house alarm system and the electronic entrance gates for both of which they will be lent the remote controls.
- This is very much an "all-year-round" Villa. There are fans in all 3 Bedrooms, and in addition to central heating throughout, fires can be lit in the Sitting Room fireplace in colder weather. Central heating, if required, will be charged at £100 per week. (See "The Booking and Security Deposit" below).
The Breakfast Area outside the Kitchen is accessed via the Dining Room.
- There is a telephone system, and WiFi/Broadband internet access.
- The owners' insurance policy requires that all windows and all exterior doors/French doors are closed, and that the alarm is set whenever tenants are away from the property.
- The House Manual describes how everything works (both inside and out). It lists a doctor, a dentist, and other emergency and useful numbers. A PDF version of this Manual can be e-mailed to applicants/tenants should they so request.
- Markets abound in the surrounding towns and villages, opening on different days of the week. Arguably the largest and best is in nearby Lorgues. The local pottery and Provençal fabrics are much in demand.
- Local fairs and festivals (including concerts at the nearby Abbaye du Thoronet) take place throughout the summer. As with markets, details are to be found in the House Manual. A visit to the Tourist Office in Lorgues is also thoroughly recommended.
- There are English-language books and DVDs in the Villa, as well as a backgammon board.
- There is a good all-weather tennis court at the small hotel on the near side of the neighbouring village of St Antonin-du-Var (5 minutes' drive) which can be booked by telephoning the hotel whose no. is in the House Manual.
- There are some reasonable-to-outstanding 18-hole golf courses within 30 kms. Arguably the best are St Endréol and Barbaroux, details of which are in the House Manual.
- There is swimming, sailing and windsurfing on the Lac de St Croix, whilst the spectacular Gorges du Verdon offer gentle-to-testing rafting, canyoning, kayaking and canoeing. (Both are about 50 kms from the Villa).
The Dining Terrace (facing south east).
- Nearby are riding stables, providing everything from lessons to dressage, and to trekking in the surrounding countryside.
- The beautiful, hilly countryside offers fascinating sightseeing as well as walks in several directions.
- There are many stunning towns and villages in the vicinity - Entrecasteaux with its marvellous Château and its gardens designed by Le Nôtre 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 said to be the truffle capital of France), and Salernes with its numerous pottery shops and its excellent (but small) Sunday market. These are just a few of what this immensely interesting region has to offer.
- There are a number of restaurants in the vicinity, ranging quite markedly in both price and sophistication. (Truffles are the local specialty.) Details and descriptions are in the House Manual.
- 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 and from them can take considerably longer in summer.
- As its name suggests, vineyards surround "Les Vignes", providing red, white and rosé wines (rosé is a Provençal speciality). Many offer tastings and on-the-spot purchases, whilst the excellent Maison des Vins at Les Arcs sells a comprehensive selection of the region's finest wines.
- There are a number of children's adventure playgrounds and zoos in the area, including one near Vidauban which provides a range of activities for all ages between 3 and the early 20's. Details of these (as well as quad-biking opportunities for older children) are in the House Manual.
- A nearby lavender farm makes and sells essences and related products. There are also nougat and honey producers in the vicinity.
Another Terrace, looking south west.
The Rents In 2012
| May | £2,310 per week |
| June and September | £2,830 per week |
| July and August | £3,350 per week |
| Saturday 29th September to Saturday 27th April 2013 | £1,600 per week |
| Easter and Christmas 2012 | £1,580 |
All other months are negotiable.
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 Yolande Zedder.
The Dining Terrace below the Pool.
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 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 £1,000 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 on the house telephone during the tenancy on the house telephone, (b) replacing/making good any losses, breakages and/or damages incurred during the rental, (c) pool heating if required @ £120 per week, and (d) house central heating if required @ £100 per week, and (e) 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.
