Charming 17th C. Mas in Alpilles Hills - Swimming Pool - Park

'Our desire: to share our love of the Alpilles and Provence with you'. The owners - Anne and Jean-Luc - are dedicated to making their house available to reach this goal, whatever the season.

The house, its decoration, and its services are designed to make your stay unforgettable,'like a sejour in Provence'.

Once a bergerie to house farm animals, the original walls of Mas des Moulieres date to 1640. Recently the house underwent a thorough renovation, and was transformed from a rough-hewn stone farm building to a lovely Provençal home with every conceivable comfort. With its three bedrooms and three well-appointed bathrooms, the house is ideal for a group of couples or one or two small families.

The house has been designed with traditional aspects of Provençal life in mind. The kitchen, amply equipped with a full array of top-quality cookware, casseroles, baking dishes and other utensils, has everything necessary to take advantage of the bountiful open-air markets in the immediate region (Saint-Rémy-de-Provence on Wednesday and Saturday, Maussanne-les-Alpilles on Thursday and Eygalières on Friday). The all-new appliances include a Lacanche five-burner stove with two ovens, dishwasher and a stainless-steel American style refrigerator with ice maker. There are also a microwave oven and a variety of countertop appliances. In a separate area entered from the courtyard is a laundry room with an American-style washing machine and separate tumble dryer.

Mas des Moulieres sits on an enclosed 1.3-hectare (2.8-acre) terrain that is 10 minutes by foot (and less by one of the three bicycles provided with the property) from the picturesque village of Le Paradou. The five by 15 meters (16 by 49 feet) pool is tastefully integrated into a beautifully landscaped setting that includes flower gardens, lawns, blackberry bushes and groves of olive and fig trees.

The courtyard, where a fountain emits the sound of softly running water, has an outside dining area shaded by a 120-year-old platane tree. When in full bloom, the garden is a kaleidoscope of colors, and the air perfumed by a mix of roses, honeysuckle and jasmine.

An archway of flowers and intertwined vines leads to the pool, which is flanked by grass and lavender beds. The pool is in the style of a Provençal bassin, and lap swimmers will appreciate its 15 meters (49 feet) length. The pool house has a barbecue, shower and Water Closet. Pool towels and dressing gowns are provided.
A buffet in the hall between the kitchen and dining room holds a generous and colorful supply of table service and linens. Depending on the weather guests may choose between two dining areas immediately adjacent to the kitchen - the shady courtyard, or an elegant farm table, complemented by upholstered Louis XVI chairs, that is situated in front of an open fireplace. The tables in both dining areas can accommodate up to 12.

After dinner guests can move to the drawing room, which has white exposed beams and sofas upholstered in a rich red fabric, or to a salon with vaulted ceiling, a former stable that has been converted into what the owner refers to as the reading and music room. Here there is a sitting area with a library of books in French and English, and hidden away in a cabinet, a home cinema complete with satellite TV (channels include CNN and BBC) and full stereo system. One can relax on an oversized Breitz designer sofa or in one of four chairs covered in deep crimson velvet. Nearby off the foyer there is a guest lavatory.

All of the three bedrooms have views overlooking the courtyard or toward the pool and, beyond, the foothills of the Alpilles. Each of the three bathrooms is newly renovated, and each has a Water Closet. In a special touch that shows the owner's devotion to the comfort of his visitors, each guest is also provided with a good-quality terrycloth bathrobe.

The first bedroom has twin beds (these can be made up as a king-size bed) with jewel-toned red and green silk covers, a large armoire and an antique elm altar that serves as a chest of drawers. The bathroom, just two steps to the right of the bedroom, has a claw-foot porcelain tub and a separate stall shower. The 'Provençal Room,' decorated in soft beige and cream colors, also has twin beds that can be made up as a king-sized bed. Two large closets provide ample storage space. The en-suite bath has a double vanity, tub and large stall shower.

At the end of the upstairs hallway is the master bedroom. This room is a half-level up from a small office nook. Here one can access e-mails with a high-speed Internet connection or write postcards to friends and loved ones not fortunate enough to be with you at Mas des Moulieres.

The spacious and especially luminous master bedroom, which has a king-size bed, is finished in plum and off-white shades typical of Provence. An authentic Napoleon III chair is strategically placed by the window, beckoning guests to sit and enjoy the lovely garden view. The spacious en-suite bath has a separate double vanity area and, beyond the dressing room, a separate space with a claw foot tub and wide stall shower with a rain showerhead.

Le Paradou is a convenient point from which to explore Provence. Avignon is just a half hour to the north, and the perched villages of Gordes, Bonnieux and Lacoste in the Luberon, or Roussillon with its ochre-colored cliffs are, are less than an hour's drive.

Keywords: Old restored Farm House