Mas des Oliviers, a country house rental in Languedoc, France

A Stately French Country Estate Marries Old Stones, Provençal Styling & Modern Luxury

From its grand central staircase and antique furnishings to its exposed timbers and vaulted ceilings, this traditional French country mas, named for the olive groves surrounding it, greets 10 guests in grand style. The personal residence of a California-based interior designer, the refined renovation reveals a sophisticated transformation focused on the region’s famed natural light, paired with classic charms.

The 16th-century home's ground-floor living and dining areas showcase natural stone floors and a traditional oversized fireplace, with dining room for 10, a modernized professional kitchen with a central island and stone bread oven, and an intimate breakfast nook.

Each of the five upstairs bedrooms has its own dressing room and bathroom. Four of the bedrooms (two kings, two queens) occupy the home’s west wing, offering garden views, with two benefitting from south-facing private terraces. The primary bedroom suite fills the entire east wing upstairs, featuring an en-suite bathroom with shower and tub and a separate WC. This suite is equipped with air-conditioning and radiant floor cooling.

Outdoors, the estate’s 2000-square-meter garden is equally grand, a park-like green with Mediterranean landscaping, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, with fresh, California-inspired outdoor living spaces. A 17-meter pool faces the house, lined with sun beds and parasols, and there’s a pétanque pitch, picnic areas, and a fire pit with seating for 10. A shaded outdoor dining terrace stands next to a fully furnished lounge area backed by old stones, and there’s a gas barbecue and Brasero.

Additional information

The pool can be heated on request, for an additional charge. Yard games such as croquet are available. The ground floor is equipped with floor cooling or heating.

Around

Located in the Languedoc region of southern France, this traditional mas is surrounded by the region’s celebrated vineyards and working olive groves. Montpelier is about 35 minutes’ drive from the property and the beaches of Sète and Marseille are about 20 minutes’ drive, with the sands of the Cap d’Agde about double that distance. The small city of Pézenas is about 20 minutes from the estate, a town of magnificent architecture and renowned craftspeople creating sculptures, cabinetry, ceramics and blown glass. Private mansions join stately public buildings, many decorated with wrought-iron balconies, vaults and arches as well as gargoyles and mascarons. Pézenas was once the “Versailles” of the Languedoc, and Molière resided there after being barred from Paris.

The wine regions of the area include Pézenas, Picpoul de Pinet and Faugères, and regional vintners offer tastings and tours. Markets—overflowing with both produce and antiques—draw visitors to the inland region, too. Montpellier is the closest large city, the region’s capital with a beautiful university district, dozens of cafes and boutique shops, and famed Gothic and neoclassical architecture. The city is about 10 kilometers inland from the Mediterranean Sea.