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LES BOUGAINVILLIERS, a splendid stone "Village House", renovated by an imaginative French architect, was once used as a location in a French film. It belongs to me, Cynthia Gillespie-Smith, an American living on the French coast at Bandol. I've owned Les Bougainvilliers since 1995, and lived here for several years. Normally I am available to help with any questions, and my property manager, Babeth, from Saint Cannat, is always ready to assist you.
In order to keep Les Bougainvilliers clean and fresh for guests, we do not allow smoking in the house, please. Nor do we allow pets.
My house is situated on the western edge of the very friendly and yet, "undiscovered," Provencal Village of Saint Cannat. I am still amazed at how few tourists stop in Saint Cannat as they dash from Aix to the Luberon or west to Les Baux and Arles. Saint Cannat is a sweet secret I hope we can keep!
Built on three levels, Les Bougainvilliers has three bedrooms, all on the middle level. One has a queen sized bed, one has a standard double, and one has twins that can be made up into a queen sized bed. On the top level where the TV room and terrace are located, there is a comfortable convertible sofa bed. The house has two full baths, one with a tub and one with a large shower. Two separate toilets make "sharing a bath" much easier. On the top floor, under the huge beams, you will find the TV/VCR room stuffed with lots of great old films. The large living/dining room has an extendable table, antiques (a lovely grandfather clock is only one), a very comfortable sofa and chairs, and a piano.
The kitchen has all the right appliances and tools for preparing your Provencal meals. There is a library space with novels, travel and art books, an enclosed courtyard full of flowering plants, a private, sunny, roof top terrace, a stone vaulted storage room and convenient parking. A huge skylite in the roof brings sunshine into the entire house through the atrium. Double paned glass and excellent central heat keep the house very warm in winter -- the thick stone walls keep it cool all summer. All year long the warm afternoon sun floods the living room, rooftop terrace, and farmland across the street.
Tastefully furnished with a combination of French antiques and modern pieces, the house is extremely well maintained and continually updated.
From the house you can quickly walk to the butcher, the baker, the post office, pharmacy, shops, cafes, and the colorful Wednesday morning market. The bus to Aix-en-Provence and beyond leaves from a nearby corner. An excellent restaurant, Le Mas de Fauchon, is just outside of St. Cannat... a nice stroll on a summer's evening.
St. Cannat has the PERFECT location for exploring Provence. You'll be just 15 minutes from Aix and in the center of all the other historic and beautiful places you'll want to visit: Avignon, Arles, St. Remy, Aix, Marseille, Cassis, the villages of the Luberon, St. Tropez, and perhaps on to Nice and Monaco. |
