Villa Marcou

A Restored Farmhouse at Sir Ridley Scott's Wine Estate in Provence

Distinctively Provençal, with its exposed timbers, oversized, operable, glass French doors, and its elegantly twisting staircase, this restored mas was designed for six guests, with two bedrooms in the main house with adjoining bathrooms, and an annex bedroom and bathroom offering direct garden and pool access.

Whitewashed and open plan, the residence’s manicured garden is green and leafy, with a private 11x5-meter heated pool (May to September) surrounded by sun loungers and parasols. A shaded patio and gas grill create an al fresco entertaining option, and the villa’s serene bone-on-white interior palette is accented by light woods, touches of terracotta, eye-catching antiques and globally inspired accents. Neighboring farmhouse Villa Gris can be rented with Villa Marcou for larger crowds in adjacent accommodations.

Guests can experience Scott’s cutting edge winery through a variety of tours and tastings, explore an on-site collection of the filmmaker’s memorabilia, and sample honey, olive oil and estate-bottled vintages with notable labels hand-drawn by Scott.

Around

Located on the wine estate owned by renowned filmmaker Ridley Scott since 1992, the residence is surrounded by 32 hectares of vines near the ancient citadel of Oppède and the lyrical Provencal villages of Lacoste, Ménerbes, and Bonnieux. It’s set at the base of the protected Luberon National Park, an area dense with hiking, mountain biking, climbing, and outdoor adventure options. The property, Mas des Infermières, includes a tasting cellar and shop, tours of the estate detailing the land’s history, architecture, vines and range of wines, and ample opportunities to discover Sir Ridley Scott’s cinematic universe, too. The estate is approximately an hour’s drive from the cities of Avignon, Aix en Provence, and Marseilles, set at the foot of the scenic Massif of the Luberon region.

The villas make for an ideal base from which to explore the small, scenic villages of the region. First stop is the nearby hilltop village of Oppède-le-Vieux, a timeless medieval village at the heart of Provence. Stone buildings cling to the green slopes on the north face of the Luberon, and the village is actually two communities in one, with the once completely abandoned old town on high, and a newer village at the base of the mountains. Oppede-le-Vieux is crowned by an ancient castle ruin and made of cobbled streets and homes carved of mountain rock. Also nearby is the much-loved Provençal village of Menerbes, classically perched on a hill above vineyards and cherry orchards, its stony streets dotted with bakeries, shops, terraced cafes, and big views of the green countryside. Writer Peter Mayle may have put the town on the map in recent times, but the ancient citadel city is dominated by a 16th-century fortress and castle. Gastronomes love the Maison de la Truffe et du Vin (house of truffles and wine), and there’s also an offbeat Corkscrew Museum on the road to Cavaillon, home of the delectable regional melon. Finally, Bonnieux, officially one of France’s “Most Beautiful Villages,” offers a bit more commerce and sightseeing, including an artisanal bakery museum, a handful of churches and stately pastel mansions once home to Catholic Bishops when the region was a papacy, and views over the region’s symbolic peak, Mont Ventoux.

Location: Oppède, Luberon, Provence, France.

Nearest airport: Avignon 29km), Marseille (68km)

Best time to visit

March to November