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LA MIRANDOLE

La Mirandole, in the little coastal town of Golfe Juan 7 km east of Cannes, is a luminous and sumptuously appointed three-bedroom penthouse apartment on the seventh and eighth floors of a luxury residence with a small private beach on the Mediterranean. The building is situated in an enclosed compound landscaped with wide and meticulously barbered lawns, palm and tall shade trees, and flowerbeds brimming with color. With the exception of the kitchen, the entire apartment is air-conditioned.

Integrated into this park-like environment are an enormous swimming pool and a tennis court that are at guests' disposal. For a dip in the Mediterranean, one need only take the underground walkway that leads from the compound under a road to a palm-lined beach that is private to the residence. For other diversions there are the restaurants, shops and beaches of Golfe-Juan. Dozens of other beaches are a short drive away in Juan-les-Pins and the cosmopolitan city of Cannes.

The compound, situated on the coastal road that skirts the Mediterranean between Cannes and Nice, is entered through a wrought-iron gate controlled by a digicode. There is plentiful parking around the two buildings of the residence. Taking an elevator to the seventh floor and entering the apartment, a visitor is struck by how bright and spacious it is. Light streams in from a terrace that spans the entire facade of the apartment. From practically every vantage point there is a view of the sea.

La Mirandole is decorated in a tasteful modern style often found in chic apartments on the Côte d'Azur. Ceiling moldings, sparkling marble floors, expanses of glass to maximize the flow of light from the southern exposure, and furnishings that blend contemporary pieces with fine antiques all lend a sunny, cheerful atmosphere to the apartment.

A glass door separates the foyer, kitchen and two bedrooms from the living and dining areas, permitting guests to dine late into the night without disturbing those who turn in early. In the dining area are an oval table that can be expanded to accommodate up to six persons, and a carved antique buffet well stocked with quality china, glassware and tablecloths. The sitting area in the living room includes four black leather club chairs and an ottoman around a modern coffee table, and an ultra-modern television with cable reception and high-speed Internet access.

The compact but bright and well-equipped kitchen is adjacent to the dining area. Appliances include a four-burner electric stove, large two-door refrigerator, dishwasher, a wall oven that can also function as a microwave, a combination washing machine-dryer, and a variety of countertop appliances, among them a deep-fat fryer, vegetable steamer and espresso maker. On a small terrace outside the kitchen there is an icemaker.

The terrace of La Mirandole, reached by sliding glass doors from the living-dining room area, reflects two sentiments devoutly held by residents and habitués of the Côte d'Azur. One is that their seaside paradise is to be enjoyed in all seasons, and the other that meals are best when taken in nature's own air. To that end, there are heaters affixed to the terrace roof to supply balmy temperatures on the coolest January day. For meal preparation the terrace has a fully equipped stainless steel kitchen with two sinks, a small dishwasher, and a Japanese-style flat grill with a sliding butcher block. From the terrace there are breathtaking views across the Mediterranean, with Antibes to the east, the Iles de Hyères in the foreground and the Esterel mountains to the west.

Two guest bedroom suites lie at the end of a hall that leads from the foyer. Like the master bedroom on the upstairs level, each of the suites is air-conditioned, equipped with a television and a small noise-free refrigerator, and has twin beds that can be clipped together to form a king-sized bed. All bedrooms have good-sized in-wall closets.

One guest suite overlooks the compound, while the second has a small terrace and sea views. Both bathrooms are brilliantly illuminated and have a glass stall shower with side jets, a wide vanity with mirror, and a WC.

The master suite, which occupies the entire upper level, is comprised of a large bedroom with a TV and VCR, a dressing room and a lovely ensuite bath tiled in blue and white. The signal feature of the master suite is an enormous terrace with panoramic views of the Mediterranean and all the necessaries for a leisured life in the lap of luxury. For cocktails there is a sitting area with a table and four teak chairs with yellow-and-white striped cushions. For sunbathing these chairs can be collapsed to form loungers to supplement three existing chaises longues. For shade there are two large parasols. And finally, for la vie californienne, there is the whirlpool hot tub that can warm up to three people to a temperature of 100º Fahrenheit (38º Celsius).

La Mirandole, with its central heating system, two superb terraces and proximity to the beaches and the great towns and cities of the France's eastern Mediterranean coast, is the ideal residence for visitors to the Côte d'Azur in any season. The apartment is available year-round except August.