Click on photos to enlarge image
All text and graphics ©2004 Just France

BASTIDE DES LUMIERES

Bastide des Lumières, situated on a one-hectare (2.5-acre) estate 33 km from Uzès and 50 km northwest of Avignon in the department of Gard, is a large and comfortably appointed property with six bedrooms and six ensuite baths, well-equipped kitchen and a superb 20-meter (65.5') long swimming pool. The grounds include grassy areas, lavender, stands of thyme and rosemary and an abundance of cypress and shade trees. From everywhere on the property there are superb views over the tranquil Vallée de la Cèze. As the property is surrounded by woods or open land and is not overlooked by any neighbors, the setting is one of absolute quiet and privacy.

The bastide is situated in a small hamlet near the pretty little villages of Cornillon and Goudargues, just west of the Rhône River. Its pale beige stucco exterior, terra cotta tile roof and flowered courtyard with a fountain are among the many typically Provençal motifs at the property. The view across the valley and its many vineyards is a mirror image of the green tapestry of Côtes-du-Rhône vineyards which lie just minutes away in Provence on the east side of the Rhône.

Bastide des Lumières, constructed in 1997, is decorated in a style that is tasteful and comfortable but without pretense of grandeur. The living room, with its graceful white sofas and extensive built-in bookshelves, is the most formal of the rooms, while the large kitchen and its adjacent dining area evoke a more country ambiance. The bedrooms, all bright and spacious with fine long-range views to the south, have good-quality bedding and are simply furnished with attractive pine tables and armoires. All bathrooms are well illuminated, finished in a pale beige tile with fitted with bright chrome fixtures. The floors throughout are of limestone cut in large blocks, and the walls either a pure white or sponge-painted in a pastel Provençal color.

The L-shaped bastide has 340 m2 (3,660 sq. ft.) of living space distributed over two levels. In one part of the L are the foyer, living room, kitchen, guest lavatory, a guest bedroom and, on the upper level, the master bedroom suite. The longer wing has four bright and spacious guest bedrooms, two of which are ground-level bedrooms with entrances directly from the courtyard. A wide exterior staircase at the end of the wing leads to a mezzanine overlooking the courtyard. The two upper-level bedrooms open from this mezzanine.

With all rooms having French doors that open onto the garden or onto a terrace, the entire house receives abundant natural light. The property is oriented south, and from virtually every vantage point there are unobstructed views of the surrounding countryside.

The living room is attractively furnished with white sofas, wicker armchairs and antique armoires and tables. This room is appealing in summer, when a gentle breeze enters from the French doors that open onto the garden and front lawn, and equally enjoyable in winter, when it is pleasant to light a fire, put on a CD from the owner's extensive collection (oriented heavily toward classical and operatic choices) and choose a book from the eclectic collection of volumes in the bookshelves. Wall decorations here and throughout the bastide include 19th-century classic lithographs and a few contemporary oils and watercolors.

The kitchen, which has a long wooden table and matching chairs for up to 10 guests, has long, deep Italian marble counters and custom-made cherry-wood cabinets. Modern appliances include a De Dietrich five-burner stove, wall oven, dishwasher and a big refrigerator with no freezer. In the adjoining pantry are a freezer, additional small refrigerator for wine and beverages, and an American-style washing machine and separate dryer. The kitchen opens directly onto the garden as well as onto a wide shaded terrace, which frames one side of the courtyard, that has a table for up to 10.

The master bedroom, reached by a staircase from the living room, is a commodious room with a walk-in closet, king-sized bed, two comfortable upholstered armchairs, a daybed and an armoire that houses a large TV with VCR. The space is filled with light from windows that open on two sides, including the south side overlooking the valley. Just across the landing is a full bath with a tub, WC and tiled shower.

The five guest bedrooms all have ensuite baths with a tub, hand-held shower and WC. In three of the bathrooms, the showerhead can be mounted on the wall for an overhead shower. Three guest bedrooms have twin beds that can be joined to form a queen-sized bed, one has a queen-sized bed, and one has a 140 cm (55" across) double bed.

The swimming pool, which is about 30 meters from the bastide, measures 7 m X 20 m (23' X 65.5'), in length only five meters shorter than an official Olympic pool for world championship competitions. The high-tech filtration system keeps the water crystal clean without the need of chlorine. The pool also has a Jacuzzi bench for massaging tired muscles. There are shaded stone decks with lounge chairs at either end of the pool, and a surface of crushed stone along the sides. Built into the hillside that rises above the bastide, the pool is totally shielded from outside view, but still enjoys magnificent vistas of the surrounding countryside.

While swimmers will appreciate the exceptionally long pool, those accustomed to a vigorous workout routine will not fail to take advantage of the newly constructed exercise room next to the one-car garage. On one wall of the 30 m2 (325 sq. ft.) room is a ballet bar, and on the other a floor-to-ceiling mirror. Equipment includes mechanical and aerobic Stepmaster machines, rowing machine, stationary bike, abdominal board and weight bench with an assortment of barbells.

The region west of the Rhône and north of Avignon has some of the most striking topography in the South of France - a mix of wide plains of vineyards, tidy little villages, many with weekly open-air markets, and, in the distance, the brown flanks of the Cévennes mountain chain. Just to the north are the rugged Gorges de l'Ardèche, which offer excellent hiking opportunities and a chance to know an intriguing area of la France profonde generally undiscovered by tourists. Uzès, which dates from medieval times, and Arles and Nîmes, where the ancient Roman arenas are still used for bullfights, are among the several interesting towns that are easily accessible by well-maintained country roads. The most visited tourist sight in France - the Pont du Gard, an aqueduct built by the Romans and one of the world's great engineering miracles - is one of the many historic sites in the region that are worth a visit. And the little Musée de Peinture Albert André in nearby Bagnols-sur-Cèze - too often overlooked by visitors to Provence - has one of the most exquisite collections of 20th century art in the South of France, with canvases by Renoir, Picasso and Gauguin and other well-known painters.

For exploring this fascinating area of France, Bastide des Lumières offers a comfortable home base with virtually all of the amenities found in more opulently appointed homes. The property has a modern fuel oil central heating system, and is available year-round except for certain periods in May.