Beautiful Restored 'Mas' with View Overlooking the Luberon Grambois Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 2323

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Location: Grambois, Luberon Area, Provence, France, Europe (30 min to Aix-en-Provence, 50 min from Marseille Airport)

Accommodations:  Beautifully Restored House, 5 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths (Sleeps 10-12)

"L'Oratoire de St. Christol" is located in the southern Luberon mountain range, just outside the medieval hilltop village of Grambois. It is an old 'mas', beautifully restored and furnished in keeping with the character of Provence. It has 220m2 of living space on two floors, beamed ceilings, 5 bedrooms, 1 bath with toilet, 1 shower with toilet, and 1 en suite shower room.

The house is on 5 hectares of wooded land with a beautiful 5 x 11 meter swimming pool with diving board(upkeep of pool provided) and a magnificent view of the Luberon. It is peaceful and quiet, yet only 5 minutes walking distance to the village. On the property you'll find many 'corners' to discover: a medieval spring, aquifer and bath, a fish basin and numerous terraces and paths to stroll.

The kitchen leads to both the front terrace adjacent to the 'cuisine d'ete' (summer kitchen) and to the large back terrace with a magnificent view, providing outside dining in sun or shade. The large vaulted kitchen has a picture window facing the Luberon and is fully equipped with new appliances, including a dishwasher and 'American' fridge with icemaker. The house is furnished to give a light, summery feeling using a combination of quality modern design and antique 'Provencal'.

Grambois is located in what is known as the 'Golden Triangle' of the southern Luberon mountain range. The area is dotted with countless medieval villages and open-air markets to visit and is only a half hour away from the beautiful southern town of Aix-en-Provence. The sea can be reached in an hour. There are many cultural festivals taking place in the area throughout the year and for those looking for city life, shopping, and great restaurants, Marseille and Aix have everything to offer.

Vacation Rental Features

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• Amenities
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Linens Provided
• Entertainment
  • TV (No Cable/Satellite)
  • Stereo System
• Kitchen
  • Dishwasher
  • Microwave
• Communications
  • Telephone
• Other Amenities
  • Two Fireplaces, Internet access, VCR and DVD Player with many childrens' films, use of Adult and Children's library, Large Pool with diving board, upkeep of pool provided, Full and well-equipped kitchen, Charcoal BBQ, two beautiful terraces for outside dining, Four bicycles, Since the house is an old provencal house with thick walls and shutters it can be kept cool even in the heat of noon, but there are also extra fans available
• Suitability
  • No Pets Allowed
• Activities (on site and nearby)
  • Golf
  • Tennis
  • Shopping
  • Boating
  • Swimming
  • Biking
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Hiking
  • Fishing
  • Horseback Riding
• Other Activities
  • Festivals in Aix and Avignon, Cultural/Historical Attractions, excellent wineries and superb restaurants

Rate Details (In Euros)

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Personal Currency Assistant™

Jun-Aug .. €2500/week.
Sep-Oct .. €2300/week.
Nov-Mar .. €2100/week.
Apr-May .. €2300/week.
Prefer 2 week or 1 month rentals, especially in August.
PLUS the cost of Cleaning at end of rental €200.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.

Property Photos

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Guest Comments (6)

• Features
• Rate Details
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• Guest Comments (6)
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• 07/15/07
  Positive Rating
  Regina Rooney ,
  • Our two weeks at L'Oratoire were everything we had hoped for and truly a time we will always cherish in our memories.The location of the house is perfect at the edge of quiet and unspoiled Grambois; close enough for a five minute walk to the bakery in the morning to get those indispensable breakfast croissants, yet totally private with much lovely vegetation surrounding the property and marvelous views of the Luberon hills. The house itself is very spacious, yet comfortable and cozy at the same time with its many nooks and comfortable couches. The many shady spots outdoors are an invitation for relaxing, curling up with your favorite book, or spending a few hours with your sketchbook and paints. By the way, don't bother to bring books, there are ten times more great books on the bookshelves than you have time to read! The pool is a great asset for those who want to spend their vacation in a more active way. Throughout our stay we had a hard time deciding whether to stay put and relax or go out and explore all the wonderful towns in the vicinity. Clearly, one could spend weeks at this wonderful place. We can't wait to come back!
• 04/08/06
  Positive Rating
  
  • Fabulous house in ideal location. You can spend all day just watching the light and the hawks move across the Luberon, from the house or poolside--but there are so many markets, galleries, and historic sites around that you want to get out and about as well. The house and grounds are so spacious and comfortable that quite a lot of people can each find a serene corner at once. It's delightful to have such high standards for lighting and other conveniences in a European house. Wonderfully stocked with tableware. The housekeeper keeps everything immaculate. Grambois is an ideal location. It's peacefully far enough from any bustle to feel like a real town with real people in it--and it's timeless. Yet it's only a short and easy drive to so many interesting places. 45 minutes to Aix or Manosque, so many Luberon towns of character closer than that, striking distance (1-2 hours)for Vaison la Romaine, Nimes, Arles, Sisteron, etc. One can go biking or walking every day without ever repeating an itinerary: definitely the best biking I've found anywhere. And, unlike so many Provencal rentals, it's lovely in the (rare!) event of rain: cosy, warm, well lit, with a copious library. We feel fortunate to have spent time here.
• 07/19/05
  Positive Rating
  Troy ,
  • Visiting the hilltop village of Grambois was a dream I have had since I saw La Gloire de mon père at a film festival in South Africa years ago. The enchanting film captured the magic of Marcel Pagnol's Provence for me, and I dreamt of one day walking across the village square, where, in the film, the men of the village played boules. I imagined, though, that Grambois would be festooned with the flotsam of the film: postcard shops, curio shops and video-toting tourists. How magic then, to discover that the village is still the lowkey, unchartered timewarp it is in the film. The only time benchmarks of the lapsed years being the parked motorcars on the now-tarred square. There is still one bakery,one store, one café on the square, just a quarter mile down the road from 'L'Oratoire de St. Christol'. And now I dream of revisting this old stone house one day, a house that exudes character and echoes of a myriad,langorous family summers by the pool, to write a novel, humbly dogging the heels of the master, Marcel Pagnol.
• 12/28/04
  Positive Rating
  
  • Guest Comment entered by Homeowner:
    Dear Ellen, Walther, daughters, we are sitting here at your marvellous table - by candlelight - thinking how blessed we are to have shared L'oratoire de St. Christol. It has been lovely here - azure skies, molten pink and silvergrey clouds, the wine grapes heavy, back-lit (harvesting accross the road, I harvested some lavender). We've explored so much of the Luberon - from one end to the other - but return home each evening to supper fixed in this great kitchen. Beds comfortable/ water hot (best bathtub in the world). Books speak of educated, curious people with wonderful children. Furnishings tell of much searching, sophistication, hard work and your love of this place.
• 12/28/04
  Positive Rating
  
  • Guest Comment entered by Homeowner:
    Subject: Re: beautiful time in Grambois Bonjour Ellen, Comme je sais que vous parlez très bien en français, j'ose vous écrire en français. Ma famille, mes amis et moi avons passé un très agréable moment chez vous. Je suis tombée en amour avec votre place. Je serais restée un autre mois. Vous avez une magnifique maison que vous avez su décorer avec beaucoup de goût. On s'y sent bien et on est à l'aise. La vue de votre mas sur le Luberon est de toute beauté. Nous nous sommes beaucoup reposés, avons lu et écrit. Étant chez vous pour un mois, nous avons visité plusieurs villages. Notre préféré fut Lourmarin. Laissez moi vous raconter la belle histoire qui nous est arrivé au cimetière de Lourmarin. Clara et moi avions décidé d'aller porter des fleurs sur la tombe de ALbert Camus. Nous aimons toutes les deux cet auteur. Comme nous entrions dans le cimetière, deux dames y pénétraient en même temps. Une d'elle nous demanda ce que nous allions faire au cimentière avec des Immortelles dans les mains: Nous lui avons alors expliqué le but de notre visite et elles furent touchés par nos intentions. Quelques minutes plus tard, alors que nous étions rendues au pied de la tombe de Camus, les deux dames revinrent et l'une d'elle nous dit: je dois vous le dire, même si ma compagne n'est pas tout à fait d'accord mais elle est la fille d'Albert Camus, Catherine. Femme très timide et très réservée, elle a semblé très touchée par notre geste. Clara et moi étions émues par sa présence. Je crois qu'il n'y a pas de hasard dans la vie, il n'y a que des rendez-vous. Qu'en pensez-vous? Vous comprenez sans doute pourquoi Lourmarin restera gravé longtemps dans nos mémoires. Je crois que cette similarité s'applique également au choix de votre maison. Au plaisir, Céline
• 12/28/04
  Positive Rating
  
  • Guest Comment entered by Homeowner:
    Last week of July 2003: We loved our week here! Especially the outdoor terraces, both in front and back! Our dinner parties with neighbors and friends from the States were magical here. Both girls, Emily (10)and Lindsay(16)loved the paths and various spots, hidden and otherwise, for exploring and adventures. The pool is lovely and quiet. The walk to Grambois is easy with children and rewarding when we return with fresh baguettes…. The general decor in the house is beautiful and all of us truly admired the kitchen the most! All of the treasures found in the house were appreciated (TV, video and books and lots of beautiful dishes to eat off). This week has brought many wonderful moments to our family. What a great house and vacation spot! Here is to returning next summer!

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