A home like a village house, altered in the 19th et 20th centuries, with panoramic views, in the 6th arrondissement of Marseille, in the Vauban distri
A home like a village house, altered in the 19th et 20th centuries, with panoramic views, in the 6th arrondissement of Marseille, in the Vauban district.
The Vauban district enjoys a privileged position in the heights of the city, south of the Vieux-Port harbour, in a location that is central yet away from the city-centre's hustle and bustle. It is much sought after for its village spirit that has endured in spite of the successive transformation of this city founded by the Greeks.
The house stands on the hillside in a peaceful, picturesque street, only several minutes on foot from the nearest shops, restaurants and renowned schools, as well as 10 minutes' walk from the Vieux-Port harbour and historical centre, with its constant cultural buzz.
The Saint-Charles railway station can be reached on public transport in no more than 25 minutes, while Marseille-Provence airport is approximately 30 minutes away by car.
After climbing a flight of steps typical of Marseille, the property's entrance gate opens into a terraced garden with undeniable charm.
At the rear of the plot, the house hugs the location's relief and is built on a rock. It pays witness to the successive alterations conducted since it was built in probably the 16th century, with a raising of the roof in the 19th century and the recent addition of two extensions as well as a vast patio on stilts. The 160-m², three-storey edifice is formed by several juxtaposed and superimposed volumes, linked outside by the patios and garden. The main level contains the living and reception rooms, while the upper floor is made up of the bedrooms and their en suite shower rooms. The distinctive features of the interior architecture are its unique forms, providing it with character and reflecting its age. Its stone facades have been rendered in fairly light tones and are punctuated by rectangular windows of various formats, beneath single-sloped or gabled roofs made of tiles.
The south and east oriented edifice stands opposite its garden and the city, which it overlooks as part of a 180° view, while the raised patio at the rear of the house boasts a panorama that takes in the sea and the Frioul islands.
The house
The ground floor
The main door opens directly into the oldest part of the house: a cosy lounge with a sober, white marble fireplace and an open-plan kitchen. The flooring is made of terracotta tiles and light streams in through a southeast facing window as well as the glazed entrance door. Behind moulded wooden doors, there is a generously sized cupboard, while a scullery discretely houses the dishwasher and refrigerator.
An extension to the southeast built in 2001 that connects to the first lounge made it possible to create a more modern, spacious living room with a very high ceiling and large windows opening onto the patio. The grey floor tiles strike a nice contrast with the white painted exposed beams, in an atmosphere bathed in light through the large windows that resemble landscape canvases, featuring the city and the garden. Lastly, a lavatory completes this level.
The upstairs
In the lounge, to the left of the fireplace, a time-worn wooden staircase climbing to the first floor is a reminder of the place's modest past. The landing with a wrought-iron guard-rail leads to two bedrooms bathed in light with high ceilings. The largest of them, into which light streams through four tall windows facing south and west, boasts an en suite bathroom with a lavatory, cleverly concealed by sliding doors covered with mirrors.
Several steps lead to a third bedroom with a small office plus an en suite shower room including a lavatory. French windows open onto one of the garden's terraces. As a result, this bedroom could offer welcome independence to a teenager or to passing guests.
On this level, there is terracotta tiled flooring throughout, as on ...
