It's been along time since I've written, I know. One word: twins!
I have so many things I'd like to write about. In the mean time, we're renting the barn in France more often now so we've posted all the details on the house and the surrounding area here so that we don't keep rewriting for each new inquiry. It's raw and unedited but it's all there. You must stay at our place if you're ever in the area!
Restored Stone Barn in Southern France
The Barn
The Barn (as we affectionately call it) has been lovingly restored over the past 5 years. Originally built in 1782, the spacious stone home has a special feeling because we used original old and regional materials in its restoration. The house is decorated with art and furniture from our travels in Europe, Morrocco, Mexico and the States, along with family antiques and finishings like windows and doors. Every detail and corner of the house has a story.
The main living room which has great volume with its 6m/20 foot high ceilings and long wood beams is heated with an amazing Canadian wood burning stove giving a warm feel to the room. This big open space brims with light. The open kitchen is equipped with top of line oven, fridge and a special collection of collectible china, stemware, bowls, flatware, etc. The big kitchen opens to the dinning room making the space great for entertaining, both facing east, getting most of the morning sunshine. The house is surrounded by north and east facing decks sheltered from the afternoon heat (in hot Summer months) and great for eating and relaxing outside. We of course have WIFI and Internet phone, a washing machine and an office area in either the living room or mezzanine.
Up the custom-made staircase appointed with original Moroccan wraught iron grills is the mezzanine that looks out over the main living room, along with a decadant bathroom and two bedrooms. The bathroom has an original claw foot tub, separate standing shower with extra large shower head, original bistro doors and floor length gold-framed mirror. Both bedrooms have comfortable double beds, views of the village, and a special custom closet in the master bedroom.
Although not yet landscaped, the surrounding property is spacious with a few olives trees, an old fragrant rose bush great for cutting fresh flowers, and a beautiful custom iron gate at the entrance.
Vezenobres
Vezenobres is a picturesque medieval hilltop village with just over 1000 inhabitants. Situated in the Languedoc – which borders Provence, Camargue and Les Cevennes mountain range – the pristinely restored village is kissed with the sun almost all year and looks out over a valley of vineyards, olive trees and fig trees, the seasonal wild flowers of Southern France. The charming village square – a leisurely 15 minute walk from our barn – has a Bar Tabac with fresh salads and tartines for casual lunches (evening live music in the Summer months) and a fine restaurant with large outdoor terrace. We recommend lazy walks from our house up to the village, explore the entire village on foot – it’s a treasure – and finish with lunch or dinner and a carafe of rose at the Place de la Mairie (the center square).
At the foot of the village a small commercial center with a basic grocery, pharmacy, bar, news stand and salon. The Thursday morning farmers market at the foot of the village is tiny but a must for its regional traditional butcher and fruit & vegetable stands. For more extensive grocery shopping, and for gas and other basics, take a 10 minute drive toward Ales.
The Surrounding Area
You're less than 1 hour drive from a lot of landmarks. If you have the chance you should check the New York Times from last Sunday which has a long article about the area. The region is called the Gard, it's right next to Provence and feels like you're still in Provence in terms of lifestyle, open markets, vinyards, wild flowers, and the thick accent of good-natured Southern French people. It's 20 minutes to our favorate village, Uzes, which is world famous for it's Saturday market that takes up the whole village, quite an experience for anyone at all interested in food. You will find all the local products you can dream of. Cheeses, meet, charcuterie, veggies.... everything from local organic farms. Avignon is an important cultural and historical town with music and art festivals and great restaurants.
It's 45-60 minutes from other great towns and cities like Arles, Avignon, Montpellier (where the beach is and the marshlands of the Camargue with wild white horses, bulls and flamingoes all around). When we want to go out for art or music we usually drive to Nimes (30 min), Arles (45 mins) or Montpellier (1 hour). The house is also 10 minutes from a town called Ales where you can shop and do errands like getting gas and other basics. Ales also has a great daily covered market (Les Halles) for regional meat, fish, poultry, bread, cheese and produce. Nimes is Spanish influenced, has one of Frances' greatest Roman arenas in the center of town, lots of restaurants, shops, beautiful public garden, int'l airport, high speed TGV train station with 3 hour trips to Paris and the CDG airport.
Pont du gard is less then 30 min driving from the house. They usually have free concerts in the summer. Orange is Pierre's hometown and is 1 hour (the NYT article talks about the opera and concert in the antique theater and we really recommend to experience it if you're at all interested in art/music. Seeing a show in this theater is just amazing). Arles is 1 hour from the house and The Hotel Nord Pinus has a great restaurant owned by freinds so if you decide to go there at one point during your stay, let us know and we'll tell them.
Getting There
We recommend flying to Paris and taking the TGV to Nimes (20 mins from the village). You can also fly through any major destination in Europe and then connect to Marsielles or Montpellier – the first ist a 90 minute drive and the latter is a 60 minute drive. It almost essential to have a car in the area in order to explore and get around. Car rentals are available at all TVG train stations or of course any airport. Nimes – the closely city – has an international airport with frequent low-cost airline flights to secondary airports in London and other major cities throughout Europe.
Hi,
I appear to have incorrect contact details.
I have a client who wants to view your renovated barn, tom orrow (Sunday) please contact me if this is possible 0553 83 83 91
Posted by: Clive Walton (wotnots in france) | February 12, 2011 at 02:38 AM