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MAS DES MEJEANS

Mas des Mejeans, set on a sprawling, 17-acre private terrain near the Château de Roussan just west of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, is a large and exceptionally well appointed property that is redolent with the ambiance of Provence. With its high ceilings and massive wood beams, terra cotta tile floors with richly colored area rugs, bright fabrics and pleasing mix of Provençal colors, it offers a supremely comfortable experience where the feeling of being in a substantial country home goes hand-in-hand with the pleasure of having modern amenities - including screens on all windows, a rarity in France. The property is especially appropriate for a large family with children, or for three couples who wish to have equally commodious accommodations. There is a beautiful pool, and a stone poolhouse with shower, changing room and WC., and with its orientation south toward the Alpilles the interior rooms receive abundant natural light.

Mas des Mejeans is comprised of two structures: the main house, which has four bedrooms, and the annex, a separate living unit with two bedrooms. The mas and annex generally rent together, but the annex may be available separately for rental in the off-season.

The property has an impressive entrance, with a remote-controlled wrought-iron portal opening to a long driveway that leads some 100m (110 yards) to the main house. The expansive grounds are irrigated by an automatic sprinkling system. As they are entirely enclosed, the wide grassy fields surrounding the mas offer a huge playground for children, while parents relax and keep and eye on them from the arbored terrace.

The main house

The main house is entered through a colorful courtyard with flowers in ceramic pots, a built-in barbecue and a table for outside dining. At one end of the courtyard is a fountain, and there are sloping terra cotta tile roofs for shade. These Spanish motifs are appropriate for southern Provence, where toreadors still take on bulls from the Camargue at Roman arenas in nearby Arles and Nîmes. From the courtyard a massive wooden door opens into the foyer of the main house. One is immediately struck by the coolness of the interior, and by the rich colors evident in the salon and sunny dining room.

Although the salon is open with the dining room, and the dining room in turn becomes part of the kitchen, the subtle use of walls and placement of furniture also creates the impression of three separate areas, all with a warm Provençal character.

The salon is an especially inviting room, with a comfortable sofa and two loveseats ranged in front of an impressive stone fireplace, tall wood shelves filled with interesting books, and a large TV (satellite reception) and VCR concealed in a cabinet. As in other rooms in the mas, the furnishings are substantial pieces in a country antique style - armoires, buffets, tables and cabinets of beautiful hardwoods brought to a high polish. The wall decorations and objets d'art throughout the mas are also tastefully chosen to complement the feeling of refined country living that dominates the décor.

The dining room, large and sunny, centers around a chimney with a waist-level fireplace that can also be used for grilling. Logs are stacked below. Family-style dining takes place at a long, heavy farm table for up to 10 guests.

The kitchen at Mas des Mejeans will delight any serious cook who dreams of shopping for fresh products in open-air markets and then returning home to prepare elaborate meals in a spacious, beautifully decorated and superbly equipped country kitchen with all modern appliances. The light blue cabinets with yellow trim, combined with other wood surfaces, hanging pots and a central work island with tile counter, bring the idea of a "Provençal kitchen" to its fullest expression.

Appliances in the kitchen include a professional gas stove with four large burners, grill and two ovens, as well as a huge two-door refrigerator, dishwasher and countertop appliances. Overhead lighting and a wall of windows overlooking the terrrace and grassy fields make this always a bright and cheerful room, and the kind of place where the family tends to gather in the evening.

Also on the ground floor, opening off the salon, is a commodious bedroom that has walk-in closets and is furnished with attractive country-style pieces, including a full-sized sleigh bed and a single bed. The ensuite bath has a large stone stall shower, and, as with other baths in the mas, is decorated with tiles that have hand-painted designs and other artistic touches.

All of the ground-floor rooms, including the bedroom, open through large glass doors onto a broad terrace that borders the lawn and expanse of grassy fields behind the mas. The terrace, which has a table for up to 10 and is covered with an arbor of young vines, provides another opportunity for outside dining in addition to the Spanish-style courtyard.

A wide, curving staircase with a wrought-iron rail leads to the upper level and a landing with a cozy sitting area. There are three additional bedrooms on this level.

The first bedroom, which is quite large and comprises the master suite, has a king-sized bed, huge antique armoire in polished walnut, and a sitting area. A tall window looks south onto the fields. The spacious and especially pretty ensuite bath is tiled in a soft green, and has a tub, a deep, stone stall shower, and a double vanity.

The second upstairs bedroom, done in a pale blue, has a single bed (an additional single bed can be installed) and yet another impressive armoire. The third bedroom, which is pale green and is simply but attractively decorated as a child's room, has twin beds that can be combined to form a queen-sized bed. Both bedrooms are bright, with views of the fields or into the courtyard. These two bedrooms share a full bath with tub, stone stall shower and double vanity.

Completing the upper level is the laundry room, which has a modern washing machine, separate tumble dryer and other laundry equipment.

The annex (Click here for more information and photos of the annex)

Adjacent to the mas, with its rear stone wall comprising one side of the courtyard, is the annex. The annex is an entirely independent living unit with a kitchen, two nicely appointed bedrooms, full bath, telephone and TV with satellite reception. It is ideal for a small family or two couples who don't mind sharing a bath. With the main house and annex combined Mas des Mejeans can comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests.

What a pretty little house this is! The structure is done in Provençal fashion, with stucco walls and terra cotta tile roof, and at the entrance is a pleasant little terrace for relaxing or dining outside. A large room includes a sitting and dining are as and open-plan kitchen. The sitting area is done with simple but attractive pine furniture that includes a coffee table, small sofa and two armchairs, all arranged in front of a large stone fireplace. In the dining area is a wood farm table for eight. A large antique brass chandelier is suspended from the high, beamed ceiling.

The kitchen is fully appointed, and - in keeping with the country theme at Mas des Mejeans - has pale green tile counters and a display of polished copper pots that add to the Provençal ambiance. Modern appliances include a stove with two electric and two gas burners, oven, dishwasher, good-sized two-door refrigerator, and washing machine but no dryer. The kitchen also has a small table where four can have breakfast.

The main bedroom in the annex has a full-sized double bed in an antique frame, an armoire and chest of drawers. The second bedroom is more simply decorated, and has twin beds and a huge armoire. Across the main room is an especially large full bath, beautifully tiled and well illuminated, with a tub and hand-held shower.

In addition to being the perfect environment for a relaxed vacation in Provence, one of Mas des Mejeans' great advantages is its proximity to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a busy and thoroughly charming Provençal town. Not only does Saint-Rémy have a wide variety of good cafés and restaurants, most of them on the inexpensive side, but there is also almost every kind of shop for daily living necessities, including two pharmacies and a presse where the Wall Street Journal and International Herald Tribune are on sale daily. There is also a supermarket just outside the town, no more than a 10-minute drive from Mas des Mejeans. Cyclists will appreciate the generally flat terrain around Saint-Rémy, where bikes can be rented. Mas des Mejeans is also well situated for exploring Provence by car, with the Lubéron and its constellation of lovely little villages being 30 minutes to the east, and the historic towns of Arles, Nîmes and Tarascon, all famed for their Roman past, an easy drive to the west. Near Saint-Rémy are a number of interesting villages, all of which have weekly open-air markets and at least one excellent restaurant, the most stellar among them being the Bistro du Paradou at Paradou and, now with Michelin one-star designations, the elegant Auberge de Noves at Noves, the intimate Bistrot d'Eygalières at Eygalières, and the absolutely wonderful La Petite France at Maussane-les-Alpilles. Of course the two-star L'Ousteau de Beaumanière is still going strong at Les Baux-de-Provence. Despite the plentiful restaurant opportunities, with the right cook it will be hard to beat any dinner prepared in the superb kitchen at Mas des Mejeans and served in the cool of the evening on its pretty arbored terrace.