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SAN PEYRE

Notwithstanding its technological conveniences, air-conditioned master bedroom and sparkling new kitchen, San Peyre is most of all a reminder of the leisured life that the rich and well-born led on the Côte d'Azur in the late 19th century, when many of the magnificent houses along the coast were built.

San Peyre was constructed during that era, and has many of the features typical of a grand coastal property. There is an ensuite bathroom for each of the six charmingly decorated bedrooms. A graceful terrace with a balustrade and colorful flowers in ceramic urns spans the entire front facade. Stone steps descend through sculpted gardens to a swimming pool surrounded by gardens and palm trees, and a forest path that leads to a wave-swept beach. And finally there is the most essential element of any fine coastal property - dazzling sea views from virtually every perspective.

At different stages San Peyre has belonged to an American firearms mogul, a botanist and a modern-day financial expert. It has taken on character from each of its owners. The classic features and grandeur of the structure, a three-story bastide typical of 19th-century architecture in the region near Aix-en-Provence, reflects the wealth and desire for prestige of its early owner. The grounds, a 3.8-hectare (more than 9 acres) enclosed terrain luxuriantly planted with exotic shrubs, pinion pines and palm, chestnut, olive and fruit trees, bear the mark of a botanist. And the automatic irrigation system, high-speed DSL Internet access, fax machine, telephone intercom system and satellite TV (with CNN and BBC) reveal an owner who appreciates old-world grandeur, provided it is supplemented by 21st-century amenities.

A property with direct access to a beach is rare on the Mediterranean; one with direct access to a wide, sandy beach (the smaller part of which is for nudists) is virtually unheard of. The path that leads from the house down the hill to Plage de Monaco, a public beach, passes by an olive grove and a vineyard and centuries-old stands of hardwood and pine trees. A locked gate opens from the property directly onto the beach. The walk on the sun-dappled path takes about 10 minutes down, and 15 back. From the beach there are magnificent views across the Mediterranean to Cap de Carqueiranne on the east, and to Presqu'île de St.-Mandrier on the west.

San Peyre is easily accessible from the U.S. and from many points in Europe. Toulon-Hyères Airport, 14 km away, has direct flights from Paris, London, Geneva and Amsterdam. The trip from Paris to Toulon takes four hours and three minutes by TGV. St.-Tropez is an hour's drive via the coastal road, and less than a quarter-hour away there is an entrance to the Autoroute, which spans the South of France from Monaco to the Spanish border.

Even with its seaside location on the Côte Varoise between Toulon and Hyères, guests at San Peyre enjoy total privacy untroubled by noise from traffic or neighbors While opportunities for dining out locally are not as varied as St.-Tropez and other coastal resorts, there are a number of good restaurants in the immediate area, several of which serve excellent fresh seafood. Among these are Chanterelle at Les Oursinières, and the delightfiul Les Pins Penchés at Cap Brun, both a drive of less than a quarter-hour. Guests can also walk into the little town of Le Pradet, which has cafés and basic shops, including a video rental store.

San Peyre is a classic bastide with pale-rose stucco walls, sea-blue shutters and a terra cotta tile roof. There are two principal entrances. One is across the front terrace, which faces south, into the living room; the other, on the north side, opens into a large, luminous foyer with a skylight and doors that lead to the various common rooms. Near the foyer is a guest lavatory, as well as a sunny room with a desk, telephone and DSL line that is ideal for setting up a laptop computer.

The living room, furnished with a long sofa and large wicker and wrought-iron armchairs, is a pleasant place to relax and listen to music on the stereo system, or pick out a tune on the upright piano. The adjacent dining room has a table for eight, an antique buffet and a white stone fireplace.

French doors open from the living and dining rooms onto the front terrace, which looks toward the sea. Here there is a teak table for 12 shaded by a vine-covered arbor. The terrace has a terra cotta tile surface, and is bordered by a lawn and beds of rosemary.

Next to the dining room is a comfortable family room with bookshelves, a leather sofa and armchairs. Discreetly positioned in the shelves is a wide-screen television with satellite reception (including CNN) and VCR and DVD players. A whimsical decorative item will bring back memories for some guests - an elaborately thatched straw model of a Harley-Davidson, complete with saddlebags. The library opens onto a wide terrace, also accessible from the kitchen, that runs along the east side of the house.

The spacious kitchen offers modernity combined with a distinctly Provençal ambiance, derived from soft yellow colors, pale-blue antique tile counters and a long farm table, which seats eight. The flagship appliance is a 150 cm-wide (5') professional-level Meurice stove with four gas and two electric burners, and two ovens. The refrigerator is an American-style side-by-side model with an in-door ice dispenser. Other conveniences include a dishwasher, microwave oven and various countertop appliances. The kitchen opens onto the east terrace, where there is a breakfast table.

On the second level are the spacious master bedroom suite, and four guest bedrooms that open from a central corridor. The master bedroom is air-conditioned, and three of the guest bedrooms have ceiling fans.

The bedrooms, most with marble fireplaces and terra cotta tile floors, are decorated with colorful printed fabrics and 19th-century antiques in a pleasing but not overly opulent style that harmonizes well with the stately ambiance of the bastide. The bedding is firm and of excellent quality. The commodious bathrooms, all ensuite, are tiled and have modern fixtures, and each has a WC.

The master bedroom, which receives ocean breezes from windows on two sides of the room, has an oversized king bed, a huge mahogany armoire and a small balcony with glorious views over the Mediterranean. The large and elaborately appointed bathroom has twin basins, a stall shower, a deep bathtub and a WC.

One guest bedroom has twin beds and an ensuite bath with a tub and hand-held shower. Another has a 140 cm (55" across) bed, and the third a queen-sized bed. The ensuite bathroom for each of these bedrooms has a tub with overhead shower.

The fourth bedroom is reached by crossing a terrace on the north side of the house. This bedroom, which has a queen-sized bed and a balcony with sea views, has an especially romantic quality about it, and will appeal to guests that want extra privacy. The bathroom, with a bathtub and hand-held shower, has an enclosed WC but is otherwise open to the bedroom.

While each of the bedrooms at San Peyre has a chest of drawers, the guest bedrooms have little or no closet space. For this purpose there is a large closet for hanging clothes on the central corridor. There is also plentiful closet space in the master bedroom suite.

Also on the middle level is a laundry area with a Miele washing machine and separate tumble dryer.

On the upper level is another guest bedroom that is simply furnished with two queen beds in wood frames. The ensuite bathroom has a bathtub and hand-held shower, and WC. This bedroom is most appropriate for occasional guests or teenage children who do not mind soft mattresses.

For all of its many features, the real jewel in the San Peyre crown is the glorious 7 m X 15 m (23' X 49') swimming pool. Surrounded by a wide stone deck, which in turn is flanked by palm trees and banks of flowering shrubs, the pool and its surrounding foliage lend the ultimate visual touch to the property. At the shallow end are Roman steps, and spread around the deck are good-quality parasols and teak loungers. From the pool there are unobstructed views to the Mediterranean.

Guests at San Peyre have a variety of diversions at their doorstop or within a short drive. There is an 18-hole golf course at Valcros, 35 minutes away. Closer to home are tennis courts (two minutes), deep-sea diving, horseback riding and sailing (catamaran, windsurfing and sailboats), all within 15 minutes. For cyclists there is an official bike path nearby.

The cottage for the resident guardians (a pleasant middle-aged French couple) is situated some 50 meters (a meter is about a yard) from the remote-controlled wrought-iron gate that is the entrance to San Peyre. The husband performs grounds maintenance and takes care of the pool. The wife provides housecleaning, and can shop and prepare meals at extra cost.

San Peyre is a good choice for the family that rates comfort, a superb pool and proximity to a sandy beach above Michelin-starred restaurants, nightlife and smart boutiques. While it is not a luxury property in all respects, its amenities, beautifully landscaped grounds and gorgeous pool are superior to some more sumptuously furnished properties that are far more expensive. Guests who enjoy the sun and pool and clear waters of the Mediterranean at San Peyre will find it hard to imagine being anywhere else.