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Villa Voile Blanche

Villa Voile Blanche, situated in Mougins within easy walking distance of the village's many shops, galleries and world-famous restaurants, is a charmingly appointed five-bedroom house with five beautifully finished bathrooms, lovely gardens and long-range sea views toward the Bay of Cannes and Iles de Lérins. Furnished in a traditional style that blends antiques and contemporary pieces, the villa comprises 340m2 (3,660 sq. ft.) over four levels. With its many amenities, including an all-modern kitchen, heatable pool and a well-equipped summer kitchen for preparing poolside meals, the property offers maximum comfort along with an ideal environment in which to take full advantage of the Mediterranean climate of warm days and clear skies. Villa Voile Blanche is an exceptional opportunity for a family seeking a luxury property with two features that are often elusive even in some of the best properties on the Côte d'Azur - a sea view, albeit a distant one, and the convenience of being within easy walking distance of shops and restaurants.

The property, which despite its village location is largely shielded from the views of passersby, is entered from a road that descends from the crest of the hill on which the medieval village of Mougins is located. There is a garage for one car, as well as an outside parking space. Because it is built into a steep hillside Villa Voile Blanche has several levels connected by stone steps, and for this reason the owners decline to accept small children.

Main level

The main entrance opens into a large flowing space that is divided by arches into three principal areas - the entry foyer, living and dining room area, and the kitchen. In the living room are a comfortable sofa and two armchairs, and French doors that open onto a balcony. The dining room table can be expanded to accommodate up to 10 guests, and in the foyer there is a baby grand piano that is kept tuned. The floors are of white stone cut in wide blocks, and the walls are painted a soft off-white.

The Provencal-style kitchen is equipped with top-quality appliances, including a five-burner stove with oven, a dishwasher, American-style side-by-side refrigerator with an in-door icemaker, and a variety of countertop devices. The custom-made wood cabinets are white, and the granite counters provide generous workspace.

First level below the main level

The level just below the ground floor is reached by stairs from the kitchen. To the left of the stairs is a cozy and attractively appointed family room with sofas and armchairs, a pleasant place for guests to read, play one of the several board games in the shelves or watch TV (full satellite reception, including CNN and BBC) or watch a movie on DVD.

Glass doors open from the family room onto a lovely terrace with a wrought-iron railing and a huge white parasol that provides shade for a wood table suitable for up to 10 guests. This is the ideal place for evening meals while watching night fall over the Bay of Cannes.

To the right of the stairs are two tastefully decorated bedrooms. One bedroom has a queen-sized bed in a brass frame and, just outside in the hallway, a tiled bath with stall shower and WC. Further down the corridor is a second bedroom with a queen-sized bed that can be divided into twin beds, and an ensuite bathroom with stall shower and WC. Both bedrooms have views over the rooftops of Mougins toward the sea.

Also on this level is a laundry room with an American-style Miele washing machine and separate tumble dryer.

A door near the second bedroom leads to the pool, garden and summer kitchen levels, all linked by stone steps and gravel pathways that are illuminated at night.

Pool and summer kitchen levels

Just above the pool is a grassy area that has been beautifully landscaped with flowerbeds and shrubs. Stone steps lead down to the 5.5 m X 11.5 m (18' X 36') rectangular pool, which is surrounded by a flagstone deck and lounge chairs, parasols and benches. As the entire property is encircled by walls or high shrubs, the pool and garden and summer kitchen area are almost completely shielded from the view of neighbors.

Five steps down from the pool is what for summer visitors will be one of the most charming aspects of Villa Voile Blanche - a weather-beaten wood table and chairs where guests may enjoy lunch under the shade of a mimosa tree. Just beyond is a garden sitting area with cushioned armchairs, the perfect place to gather in the evening before dinner.

A path flanked by lemon trees leads to the summer kitchen. Rather than the typical open structure, the kitchen is in a small stone house, sunny and cheerful with a simple but well-equipped kitchen that has a four-burner gas stove, two-door refrigerator and hot-and-cold-water sink, and a rustic wooden table large enough for six. If there are teenagers in the group they may well prefer to congregate here for a pizza dinner while the grownups dine in more elegant surroundings on the terrace off the family room.

Lower bedroom level

Just above the pool level, reached by a charming little garden path, is a simple but pleasingly decorated bedroom with a 140 cm (55" across) double bed, ensuite bath with shower and WC. This is the smallest of the five bedrooms, and is most appropriate for staff, single adult or a young couple who prefer a separate entrance and privacy.

Upper level

On the top level of the villa, reached from the main floor by a broad staircase with a graceful wrought-iron railing, are the master bedroom suite and a guest bedroom.

The guest bedroom, charmingly decorated with soft colors in a traditional style, has an antique bentwood rocking chair, king-sized bed and tiled ensuite bath with bathtub, wall-mounted overhead shower and WC. As this is the only one of the five bedrooms at Villa Voile Blanche that overlooks the street, there is some road noise when the windows are open.

The impressive master bedroom suite - commodious, filled with light and freshened by breezes that flow in through Palladian glass doors that open onto a balcony with sea views - occupies the balance of the upper level.

The master suite is comprised of a sitting room and, on the far side of an archway, a large bedroom with an oversized (200 cm, 78" across) king bed in a four-poster frame. For storage there is a large antique armoire, and for entertainment a television with full cable reception and DVD player. The spacious ensuite bathroom has a tub with hand-held shower, separate tile stall shower, and a long mirror that runs the length of the long granite counters with twin basins.

With its huge wooden antique desk, fax machine and superb views, the sitting room is an ideal place to set up a temporary office, or to relax with a book in the overstuffed armchair. For inspiration one can stroll along the balcony, which runs along two sides of the suite, and from this high perch survey the rooftops of Mougins and, just below, the swimming pool and lush gardens of Villa Voile Blanche.

Villa Voile Blanche is available for rental for two weeks or longer in July and August, and may be available for similar periods in June or September. Please inquire about the possibility of shorter-term rentals at other times of the year.