A Provence country house surrounded by lively grounds marked by the presence of water, sheltered from view, near Brignoles and other Haut-Var villages
A Provence country house surrounded by lively grounds marked by the presence of water, sheltered from view, near Brignoles and other Haut-Var villages.
This property is set back, as if suspended between the sky and garrigue landscape, in surroundings where nature imposes its rhythm, in Roquebrussanne, in the hollow of a wooded natural corrie. It is only 1.4 kilometres from a village with basic essential services and thus combines a deliberate isolation with the necessary proximity of amenities, in an intact Provence landscape that seems set apart from the rest of the world. School transport and local buses can be taken from the bottom of the access lane to the property. Shops, schools and healthcare professionals can be found in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume 17 minutes away by road. The high-speed TGV train station in Toulon is approximately 35 minutes away, while Marseille-Provence airport can be reached in 1 hour.
This property looms gradually into view at the end of a discrete lane. Visitors' gazes initially fall upon the dry-stone walled terraces that provide the grounds with structure, but also on a rarer element in this area: water. It flows from a plentiful spring, trickling over stones, running along the walls, following the paths and bringing the garden to life with a constant murmur. The country house, built between 1978 and 1982, fits perfectly into the setting, with a simplicity typical of the spirit of Provence houses. Its yellow ochre rendered facades are dotted with ivy and punctuated with light-coloured shutters. Beneath the overhanging eaves supported by robust wooden beams, the shaded patio is a living space within itself, on which simple and elegant furniture graces the warm and vivid shades of the terracotta tiling. There is further interior space in an annex set back from the main section, in which a veranda stands between the kitchen and summer lounge in the shade of the pines, forming a veritable extra room. The exterior is made up of several different spaces to be enjoyed, with garden furniture beneath a covered area and other possibilities for relaxation throughout the grounds, in both light and shade.
The country house
The ground floor
From the side next to the swimming pool, a covered patio with terracotta tiled flooring leads to the centre of the house via the dining room. On one side, the entrance leads to a vast lounge with a fireplace, wide windows and a floor paved with Ménerbes limestone slabs. The room is bathed in light, boasts an impressive ceiling height and is overlooked by an open mezzanine. On the other side of the entrance, a corridor leads to a kitchen and then three bedrooms of different sizes and varying views of the landscape outside, whose floors are paved with terracotta tiles. There are also two shower rooms and three lavatories.
The upstairs
A wooden staircase climbs to the mezzanine overlooking the vast lounge below. The mezzanine leads to a shower room with a lavatory, as well as two bedrooms, one of which is especially spacious: an office paved with Ménerbes stone is topped by a mezzanine occupied by a sleeping area.The outbuildingTo the rear of the country house, it is a veritable refuge that opens onto the shade of the pines and is ideal for bright, sunny days. The veranda, which is a seamless extension to the living spaces, boasts broad views of the outdoors and lets in plenty of natural light. The materials used are simple and very much in keeping with the place's spirit. Inside, there is a summer kitchen next to a lounge.
