Arty Provence

1970s Upgrade Turned Art-Filled, Family-Friendly Villa

This 1970s home tucked into a classic Provencal hillside with views for miles has been modernized, its retro style revitalized for a look that’s minimal as an art gallery, yet easygoing and user friendly. Smooth floors in polished concrete and shiny wood plus bright white walls provide a contemporary backdrop from which bold décor statements pop vividly. 

There are colorful accent walls, huge picture-window panes capturing the painterly views, and clean-lined furnishings mostly created by artisans from around the Mediterranean region. Plus, guests love the generously sized swimming pool. Heated from the beginning of April to the end of October, it's an inviting place for hanging out all day long and all summer long.

Cool and contemporary today, this geometric villa tucked into a hillside in the foothills of the Alps was outmoded and unfashionable when its owner discovered it. Not new to renovations, she set about clearing the space, opting for a minimalist, family-friendly makeover that takes full advantage of its pretty location in a privileged corner of Provence. The home’s new look was celebrated in a French home décor magazine for its lively, contemporary styling.

The exterior of this villa for rent in Provence was given a new, smooth coat of bone-colored plaster under its tiled roof, and a pool terrace was poured from concrete, creating cushion accented, built-in bench loungers and poolside sun decks tossed with body pillows. An outdoor dining room occupies a wide covered balcony, and café tables and chairs allow for poolside snacking, too. Indoor dining happens around a brut wood dining table connected to the kitchen island and hung with contemporary lighting fixtures. The open-concept kitchen, dining and living areas all feature wide picture windows framing the surrounding landscape like masterpieces, and there’s a fireplace in the living room and sliding doors from the kitchen to the pool.

Inside, each of the four double bedrooms is defined by its punchy art square hung over the bed. All of the bedrooms have their own private bathrooms, and each is furnished minimally, if thoughtfully, with bedside sconces made by local artisans, compact, suspended nightstand built-ins, and artful throws, rugs, pillows and accent plants. Bedroom windows are big and bold, offering views of either the distant mountains or the pool and green hillside beyond. Two bathrooms come outfitted with a tub, two with Italian showers. The upstairs bedroom features its own private balcony overlooking the pool.

AROUND

Built into a hillside just outside the village, this villa for rent in Provence offers great views as well as deep privacy under a canopy of trees. The home is situated only 16 kilometers from Les Baux de Provence, a craggy hilltop town considered to be one of France’s most beautiful villages. The area around the home and Baux offers hiking, cycling and plenty of discoveries along cobbled, flowering streets typical of Provence. Avignon, with its historic papal Palace and famed, fairytale bridge is only a few minutes’ drive from the house, and the town also offers all necessary services, sundrenched café terraces, and its lavender lined waterfront promenade. 

Equidistant from the house is Arles, known as the village of artist Van Gogh and, of course, the Romans who occupied the city before him. Historic tourism is abundant in Arles, with its UNESCO-designated arena, Roman churches, ruins and other sites. Closer to the home, the charming village of St. Remy de Provence is the iconic capital of the Provençal lifestyle. Galleries, boutiques, antique markets and a “Provence Market” one day each week draw locals and visitors. 

Don’t forget all the iconic treats the South of France has become known for, it’s Rosé wine vineyards, fields of lavender, hilltop villages, shimmering olive groves and abundant farmers’ markets, as well as the Mediterranean seascapes nearby, including the Camargue park with its wild horses, dunes and marshes, and flamingos.

LOCATION

Saint-Étienne-du-Grès, Provence, France. Nearest airport: Avignon (15 mins), Arles (15 mins).

BEST TIME TO VISIT: April to October