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LA PROVENÇALE SUR LOUP

La Provençale sur Loup is a pleasant Provençal-style house situated in the pine-forested mountains that rise from the Mediterranean above Nice. It is ideal for a family that seeks a house with a swimming pool, good amenities and a pretty, quiet setting with long-range views.

Thanks to a separate guest house, called La Petite Maison, La Provençale sur Loup is especially appealing to couples with children who would prefer some privacy between the two families. And with its location a brief drive from Le Bar-sur-Loup, a charming little village perched high above the Loup River, it also offers the opportunity to be well away from the busy coastline, yet within a 40-minute drive of some of the finest beaches of the Côte d'Azur.

The main house and La Petite Maison, both stone structures with terra cotta tile roofs and other features common to traditional Provençal architecture, are set on a 6,000 m2 (1.5-acre) terrain that is terraced into the hillside at different levels. The two houses are modestly but comfortably furnished in a style that combines country antiques with contemporary pieces. The gardens are planted with grass, beds of lavender, and fruit, olive and cypress trees.

Main house

The main house has a living room with two sofas and two matching armchairs arranged before a large white stone fireplace. For entertainment there are a full stereo system and a television with VCR and satellite reception, including CNN and BBC. Part of the living room is devoted to a dining area, where there is a farm table for up to 10 guests. The floors are of polished marble, and the ceilings are beamed. A guest lavatory opens from the foyer.

There are two bedrooms in the main house, plus a separate one-bedroom studio called Le Pigeonnier. Each bedroom has an ensuite bath. Two additional beds are available upon request, bringing the sleeping capacity of the main house to eight.

The master bedroom and a guest bedroom both have king-sized beds that can be divided into twin beds. The master bedroom bath has a tub and overhead shower, and a WC. The ensuite bath in the guest bedroom is identically equipped, except that the bathtub is half-size. Le Pigeonnier has a separate entrance from the garden and is most appropriate for a teenager or staff person. The studio has a small bedroom with a 140 cm (55" across) double bed, its own private terrace, and a bathroom with a stall shower and WC.

The kitchen in the main house, which opens directly onto a pleasant little terrace with a wrought-iron table for four, is well equipped and has plenty of counter and cabinet space. Appliances include a four-burner electric cooktop, dishwasher, wall oven, medium-sized single-door refrigerator and microwave oven.

La Petite Maison, a spacious two-level structure that is above the pool some 30 meters (a meter is about a yard) from the main house, offers separate and equally comfortable accommodations for a couple and up to two children. On the ground floor are a large living room-dining area with a huge fireplace, two big armchairs that convert into single beds, a dining table for four, and a full stereo system. The pretty kitchen is as well equipped as that in the main house, except that it does not have a dishwasher.

The upper floor of La Petite Maison is comprised of a commodious bedroom with a larger-than-king-sized bed, separate dressing area, and a tiled ensuite bath with twin basins, tub and overhead shower, and a WC. The bedroom overlooks the swimming pool and has magnificent views of the mountains that rise from the valley of the Loup River.

While La Provençale sur Loup is a comfortable home for all seasons, its crowning feature is the lovely 4.5 m X 11 m (14.5' X 36') pool, which is built into the hillside between the main house and La Petite Maison, and is equally accessible from both. The wide flagstone deck is bordered by growths of lavender and stone walls covered with vines. Near the pool, and accessible directly from the kitchen, is a terrace with a wrought-iron table for up to 10 guests, and a charcoal barbecue.

Other amenities at La Provençale sur Loup include a two-car garage, a pétanque (boules) court, and a laundry area with an American-style washing machine and separate tumble dryer. The friendly English-speaking property manager can help arrange for a cook or babysitter, and for additional cleaning beyond the once-weekly housecleaning included in the rental price.

La Provençale sur Loup is ideally situated for exploring the villages of the arrière-pays of the Côte d'Azur. Le Bar-sur-Loup, a three-minute drive or a 15-minute walk, is a tidy little village with a post office, café, a few shops and flowers brimming everywhere from windowsills along its narrow streets. Nearby Gourdon, an ancient village some 430 m (1,200') above sea level, offers an unforgettable view of the Alpes-Maritime region. The town of Grasse and the villages of Tourrettes-sur-Loup and Vence all lie within a brief drive, as does the best-known village of the region - St.-Paul-de-Vence, which is famous for its ramparts, charming medieval streets and for its Fondation Maeght, one of France's leading museums of 20th-century art. The seacoast and its many beaches from Cannes to Monaco are easily accessible, and Nice Airport - with frequent flights to Paris, London and New York - is a drive of less than 40 minutes. And of course the entire region is a culinary treasure trove, with restaurants ranging from Michelin-starred establishments to family-run bistros offering excellent regional cuisine with the freshest of seafood and ingredients.