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LES CHAMPS DE SAINT REMY

Note: Les Champs de Saint-Rémy may not be appropriate for persons who are particularly allergic to cats. The owner's cat comes and goes in the house when the owners are in residence during the year. The cat is not on the property during rentals.

The setting of Les Champs de Saint-Rémy, a lushly landscaped five-hectare (12.3-acre) estate in the foothills of the Alpilles, is perhaps the most stunning we have seen anywhere in Provence. Outside of transferring the entire property to a high cliff overlooking the Mediterranean, it is impossible to imagine a more beautiful place anywhere in the South of France. The allure of this property is further enhanced by the fact it enjoys total privacy, is completely untroubled by traffic noise, and is within a long walk (1.5 km, about 9/10 of a mile) from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a town replete with restaurants and boutiques that for many veteran travelers is the most desirable spot in the region.

The impression of genteel country living begins the moment one passes through the noble wrought-iron gate on the north side of the property. Ahead, straight as an arrow, lies an elegant gravel lane, lined with shrubs on one side and plantings of lavender on the other. To one side is a carefully tended swath of grass the size of a football field. Bordering the field is a three-story 18th-century stone mas.

With its stone walls, blue shutters and terra cotta tile roof framed by greenery and blue sky, the mas resembles a photo from a glossy magazine, an enduring image of France. On the interior, its 380 m2 (almost 4,100 sq. ft.) of living space, which includes six sunny and simply furnished bedrooms, offers a plethora of charm along with every convenience needed for a relaxed Provençal vacation.

The rolling greenery continues on the south side of the mas. An immense lawn, irrigated by an automatic sprinkling system and punctuated by pencil-thin cypress trees and copses of tall evergreens, stretches from the gravel terrace on the south facade of the mas. Bursts of color - beds of purple iris, ceramic pots brimming with geraniums, plantings of flowering shrubs and groves of young olive and fruit trees - are interspersed among the pervasive greenery.

A circular line of tall trees, well in the distance, defines the western and southern edges of the property, which is entirely enclosed. Beyond the trees, so close it seems one could reach out and touch them, are the rugged flanks of the Alpilles.

Tastefully integrated into this enormous park on the west side of the mas is the rectangular 7 m X 12 (23' X 39.5') pool, which has wide Roman steps at one end. Mosaic tiles on the bottom sparkle in the bright sunlight. A deck on the north side, shaded by a wrought-iron pergola and tall trees, has a generous assortment of quality deck furniture. Here and there in the grass surrounding the pool are clumps of olive trees. Steps away from the pool there is a small poolhouse with a WC and outside shower (the water is not heated).

There are two outside dining areas from which to enjoy this splendid display of natural beauty, which in the evening is made especially magical by an extensive outdoor lighting system. Along the south facade of the mas is a two-meter gravel section where a stone table for up to eight guests is strategically situated under an enormous plane tree. For larger groups, on the west side of the house there is a covered terrace with a wood table that can seat up to 14. Both dining areas are easily accessible from the kitchen, and have views toward the pool.

The terrace along the south facade is accessible by multiple sets of French doors that open from the living and dining rooms, which comprise two distinct parts of a large flowing space. In the living room two leather sofas and a daybed comprise a seating area (there is a stereo system here) in front of an impressive limestone fireplace. In the dining area there is another fireplace, lined with tiles in a blue-and-white Provençal design, and before it a lovely wood dining table, illuminated by a chandelier, for up to eight guests. An abundant inventory of serving dishes, glassware and table is available for guests' use in an antique cabinet along one wall. Off the foyer there is a guest lavatory.

With their traditional decor and distinct architectural features - exposed beams, polished wide-block terra cotta tile floors and exposed stone walls - the public rooms of Les Champs de Saint-Rémy have a clean and uncluttered yet distinctly French country allure that will please any guest hoping to find a distinctly Provencal ambiance in their vacation home.

This ambiance of sophisticated simplicity continues into the kitchen, which opens directly onto both the front and west terraces. Appliances include a semi-professional cast-iron stove with four gas burners and oven, a Miele dishwasher and a side-by-side American-style refrigerator with ice dispenser. For breakfast there is a mosaic-top table for up to six. The kitchen opens onto both terraces, and large windows overlook the park toward the Alpilles. In the adjacent utility room there are an additional gas oven, a washing machine, dryer and complete ironing facilities.

A wide curving staircase with railing leads to the middle level of the mas. Here there are five bedrooms: the spacious master bedroom, a medium-sized guest bedroom, and three bedrooms that are most appropriate for children. Each of the bedrooms has firm mattresses, adequate closet space and a pleasant view, and each is furnished in a manner that is comfortable and correct yet unpretentious. Except in the guest bedroom, where the striking original tile floor with is fleur de lys pattern was retained, the floors on the middle and upper levels are terra cotta tile.

The master bedroom suite has an especially sunny and open feeling thanks to its cathedral ceiling and tall windows overlooking the south garden. The bed is king-sized, and the suite includes a commodious dressing area and a large ensuite bath with twin sinks, bathtub, stall shower and WC. A sturdy wooden stairway leads to a wide mezzanine that is ideal for the guest who wishes to set up an office space with a laptop computer. A high-speed Internet connection is available for guest use.

The guest bedroom which lies at the end of a hallway is the only bedroom which does not have a view south toward the Alpilles. This bedroom has a 140 cm (55" across) double bed and an ensuite bath with stall shower and WC.

The three children's bedrooms have single beds, one of them long enough only for a pre-adolescent child. For these bedrooms there is a pretty tiled bath on the hallway with a double vanity, tub and overhead shower, plus another bath, also on the hallway, with a shower. An independent WC just next door opens from the hallway. At the end of this hallway, as a convenience to guests on the east side of the mas, a separate staircase leads to the foyer.

The upper level of the mas is comprised of a large suite that enjoys complete privacy. Because of the sloping roof it is possible to stand only in the middle portion of the room. The queen-sized bed and an additional single bed, suitable mainly for a child, have especially firm mattresses. The spacious and attractively tiled ensuite bath has a tub with handheld shower and a WC.

For overflow guests, teenage children or a staff person there is an additional bedroom, quite small, on the ground floor with its own entrance to the garden on the west side of the mas. This bedroom, with 16 m2 (172 sq. ft.) of living space, has a 140 cm (55" across) double bed and small bath with shower and WC.

In addition to its proximity to Saint-Rémy and other villages of the so-called Golden Triangle of the Alpilles, among them Eygalières, Maussane-les-Alpilles and Le Paradou, Les Champs de Saint-Rémy is ideally situated for exploring other equally fascinating regions of Provence. The vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the Côtes-du-Rhône are 45 minutes to the north, and the famous constellations of perched villages - Gordes, Lacoste, Bonnieux and Ménerbes among them - an equal distance to the east. For memorable dining experiences one could not be better located than Saint-Rémy, which has more than a dozen establishments worth a visit, and is within easy driving distance of two Michelin-starred restaurants, including the superb two-star Bistro d'Eygalières.

Saint-Rémy is especially accessible to visitors from North America and Europe. The Marseille-Provence International Airport at Marignane, with service from Paris, London and other European capitals, is a 50-minute drive; Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport, with flights directly to New York and London, is two-and-a-half hours via the Autoroute. The train station at Avignon, where the TGV whisks travelers to Paris and Charles de Gaulle Airport at speeds of up to 240 km (150 mph), is a 25-minute drive.