Mas d'Images

Respite and Relaxation Under Provence’s Prettiest Plane Tree

A classic southern French farmhouse dating from 1830, this poetic Provencal mas is owned by a widely published Belgian art photographer whose graceful portraits hang throughout. Van Gogh recuperated here, once upon a time, at the invitation of his doctor, and the serene, pasture-like house and garden is indeed gently reinvigorating, shaded by the vast green canopy of a gigantic plane tree.

Set four kilometers from the Romanesque city of Arles and hewn of the same iconic blonde stone, this early 19th-century, tile-roofed rural getaway spreads under the branches of a statuesque plane tree—the region’s largest and most ancient. Windows here are trimmed by Robin’s egg blue shutters, French doors open onto a sunny outdoor terrace, a massive open hearth anchors the wood-beam-ceilinged living room, and a wishing well and worn stone fountain grace the garden. Interiors by Belgian design firm Scapa Home update the traditional setting through a selection of soothing natural furnishings in a grey scale palette of neutrals buoyed by crisp white linens, a sweet garden pool and deck, and fire pit created of stone.

AROUND

Amid a private natural reserve that oozes classic Provence, the home is four kilometers outside the historical city of Arles on a private, three-acre plot. The soft, rural surroundings seem taken straight from Gaugin’s 1888 work, "Landscape near Arles," complete with hayfields bordering the property. Within 25 kilometers of the home, classic Provençal villages include Saint Rémy de Provence, Les Baux, Fontveille, and Paradou. The larger city of Avignon offers beautiful historical sites clustered around the glinting Rhone River. Arles is home to an iconic Roman amphitheater and the Monasteries of Saint Trophime, plus an enchanting historical center and the much loved Vincent Van Gogh Trail that guides visitors through the artist’s regional inspirations. 

Arles opens into the unique Provençal landscape known as La Camargue, a marshy wetland region of wild horses and pink flamingos, rice paddies, bull breeding grounds, and an abundance of migratory birds. Famed for its quality of light, otherworldly ambiance and its blustery seasonal winds (called le mistral), the UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve extends from Arles into the Mediterranean, and is bordered by two arms of the Rhone River. Horseback visits are a popular way to experience this rich delta, and cycling the Camargue is also a possible via a path along the area’s dike systems that passes lighthouses and beaches, dunes and flamingo-dotted marshes. 

This is France’s only rice growing region, and other popular flavors of the Camargue include tellines, a type of tiny clam, bull steaks, crisp rosé wines, and sea-scented natural salts cultivated in the area’s shallow inlets. The town of Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer is a historic community of Europe’s Roma people and home to their annual gathering in honor of their patron saint. Saintes-Marie is also a destination for bull running festivals and vibrant waterfront cafes, and the beaches of the Camargue are not to be missed, including the much-loved Plage Napoléon.

LOCATION

Arles, Provence, France. Nearest airport: Nimes (25km), Marseille,  (55km), Montpellier (60km)

BEST TIME TO VISIT: April to September