Longo Mai
83510 Lorgues, Var
Sleeps 8
Please click here to view the 2012 rental rates, or see below for further information
The Courtyard of "Longo Mai" at night (looking towards the Sitting Room).
The Location
"Longo Mai" means, in the ancient Provençal language, "a long and contented life".
Standing in one hectare (2½ acres) on an east-facing hill, and overlooking a wooded landscape, "Longo Mai" is a very special property.
It was a virtual ruin, roofless and overgrown, when purchased by its owner, an interior designer. It has since been transformed into a magical property - reminiscent, perhaps, of a Roman villa or a Moroccan town house - extremely comfortable and equipped to the very highest standards.
It epitomises utter peace and tranquility whilst being, most surprisingly, only 5 to 10 minutes' drive from the pretty, medieval town of Lorgues with its exceptional weekly market, and its good shopping and outdoor bars and cafés. The area also boasts a number of restaurants in various price ranges, including the Michelin-starred, truffle-focused, Bruno's.
The Courtyard of "Longo Mai" (looking in the opposite direction).
"Longo Mai" is 75 minutes from stunning 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 50 minutes from Toulon (Hyères) airport which has some international flights, whilst Nice and Marseilles international airports (the latter called 'Marignane') are one hour's drive. The super-fast train, the TGV, stops at Aix TGV station (between Aix-en-Provence and Marseilles), although some trains continue, rather more slowly, to Draguignan/Les Arcs (about 30 minutes from the Villa). Eurostar trains stop at Avignon (90 minutes' drive), whilst the nearest entry to the autoroute system is 30 minutes' drive.
The Courtyard. Bedrooms 1, 2 & 3 are on the left, and the
Sitting Room/Dining Area is at the far end.
The Villa
A drive ascends to the large parking area on the west side of the Villa.
A spectacular, gated arch opens into the Courtyard, at the centre of which is an alarmed, filtered, heated, floodlit Pool with wide, Roman steps at one end, and measuring 4.1 metres in length (13' 6"), 3.8 metres in width (12' 6"), and 1.35 metres in depth (4' 5"). A nearby dining table seats 6.
An olive tree stands sentinel inside the arch, whilst a covered walk-way runs round 3 sides of the Courtyard.
The Villa boasts an underfloor heating and cooling system, an effective and entirely non-obtrusive form of temperature control.
From the courtyard, sliding doors on the right open into:
- The state-of-the art KITCHEN. With gas hobs, an electric Japanese grill, a steam oven and an electric oven, a huge fridge and a separate deep freeze, a hot-plate drawer, a dishwasher, a waste disposal unit, two sinks, a "Quooker" (providing boiling water at the turn of a tap), and a CD Player. There are CD players and portable radios throughout the Villa.
The Kitchen (facing west).
- French doors at one end of the Kitchen open onto a covered, sheltered DINING TERRACE. With a table seating 10, and a gas-fired portable barbecue.
Opening off the other end of Kitchen is:
- The UTILITY ROOM. With a washing machine, a dryer, an iron and an ironing board.
- BEDROOM 4. With the option of either a 5 ft (150 cms) sofa bed or two 3 ft (90 cms) single beds. Satellite T.V., plus a DVD Player. French doors open onto the Terrace.
- En-suite SHOWER ROOM 2. With a wash basin, and a W.C.
The Sitting Room. The Dining Area is at the the far end.
At the far end of the Courtyard, and stretching across most of the width of the Villa:
- The SITTING ROOM/DINING AREA. With sofas and armchairs, a wood-burning fireplace, a wide-screen satellite TV, a DVD Player, and Wi-Fi/Broadband internet access. French doors open onto the Terraces on the east and north sides.
The dining table at one end of the Sitting Room seats 10.
At the other end of the Sitting Room is:
- The Hall and front door.
Accessed from the Hall, and via sliding doors on the left side of the Courtyard, is:
- BEDROOM 1. (The Master Bedroom). With a 6 ft bed (180 cms), and windows on one side. Satellite TV.
- En-suite BATHROOM 1. With a bath, a walk-in shower, 2 wash basins, a bidet and a W.C. Window on one side, and sliding doors opening onto the Courtyard.
The Master Bedroom (Bedroom 1).
Accessed via Bathroom 1 (the connecting door can be locked), as well as via sliding doors from the Courtyard:
- BEDROOM 2. With a 5 ft bed (150 cms), and a window on one side.
- En-suite BATHROOM 2. With a bath, a walk-in shower, a W.C, and windows on one side.
Accessed via sliding doors from the Courtyard:
- BEDROOM 3. With a 6 ft bed (180 cms), and a TV (not satellite). Windows on one side.
- En-suite SHOWER ROOM 1. With a walk-in shower, a W.C, and windows on one side.
Bathroom 1.
The Garden
- On the south-facing Terrace, and shaded by mulberry trees, is a round table seating 6.
- Beyond this Terrace, (and surrounded by a lawn) is the alarmed, filtered, floodlit Swimming Pool, measuring 15 metres in length (49 ft), 4.5 metres in width (15 ft), and 1.3 metres in depth (4 ft). There are 8 sun beds and 2 sun umbrellas.
NB.1 The water has a saline content (equivalent in strength to human tears). This helps to keep the water crystal-clear as well as preventing possible eye and ear infections.
NB.2 As neither Pool exceeds 4 ft in depth, DIVING IS FORBIDDEN IN BOTH POOLS.
- A tented "Pavilion" stands on the far side of the Swimming Pool.
- There is a Boules Pitch, the 'boules' being kept in the Villa.
- There is a table tennis table which can be set up on any Terrace, plus bats and balls.
- The terraced Garden is in the course of being planted with a wide variety of trees and shrubs.
The Boules Pitch.
Other Facilities And Information
- Unless otherwise agreed, there should not be more than 8 people, including children and babies, staying at "Longo Mai" at any one time.
- Bed linen, bath and pool towels are provided free of charge, and will be changed on a weekly basis.
- Jocelyn de Mongeot 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. She is prepared to work extra hours and/or days should tenants so wish, her charge 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 charge will be the tenants' responsibility, and can be ascertained in advance should tenants so wish.
- 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 owner, and will be carried out by an outside contractor.
- Tenants will be met on arrival. They will be shown how everything works (including the house alarm system for which they will be given the code).
- There are telephones throughout the house, and WiFi/Broadband internet access.
- This is very much an "all-year-round" house, and is both heated and cooled by an underfloor system. A wood fire can be lit in the Sitting Room fireplace, and logs will be replenished as required.
- There is a cot with its own bedding, and a high chair.
- The owner's insurance policy requires that all exterior doors are locked, that all windows and sliding/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, a plumber, an electrician, the pool maintenance man/service, plus other emergency and useful numbers.
- 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 throughout the Villa, as well as board games and playing cards.
- The Tennis Club in Lorgues has 4 outdoor and 2 indoor courts. Booking information is in the House Manual.
- There are a number of good-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 50 kms from the Villa). Electric motor boats can be hired to visit some of the gorges.
- There are also details in the Manual of nearby riding stables, providing everything from lessons to dressage, and to trekking in the surrounding countryside.
- There are marvellous walks in several directions - see the House Manual.
- There are many stunning towns and villages in the vicinity - Entrecasteaux with its beautiful 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), Salernes with its numerous pottery shops and its excellent (but small) Sunday market, and any number of others.
- There is a wide selection of restaurants in the area, ranging both in price and sophistication. (Truffles are the local speciality). Details and descriptions are in the House Manual.
- Although the beaches of St Maxime are 40 minutes' drive and those of St Tropez, Cavalaire and Cannes are about an hour in the off-season, be warned that getting to them can take considerably longer in summer.
- Vineyards surround "Longo Mai", providing red, white and rosé wines (rosé is a Provençal speciality). Most 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.
- The neighbouring "Château de Berne" is noted for its wines, as well as for its restaurants, its adventure playground, its art exhibitions, and its jazz concerts.
- There are a number of other 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 of 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.
A Dining Terrace (looking east).
The Kitchen (facing east).
The view of the Pool from the tented "Pavilion", with the Villa in the background.
Bedroom 2.
The tented "Pavilion" stands on the right of the Pool.
The Rents In 2012
| June and September | £3,800 per week |
| July and August | £4,740 per week |
Availability and rents for 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 the owner or her representative.
The Dining Area in the evening.
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 £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 on the house telephone, (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.
