Sorry - no pets allowed Suitable for children No smoking at this property Self-catering
Home description
Villa Campagne St Roch is a charming, 19th century Provencale villa set in extensive private grounds with a private pool and stunning panoramic views over the beautiful Valley of the Asse.
Outdoor living in the lazy days of Summer is what this property is all about. Good wines, barbeques, lazing by the pool interspersed with trips to the many easily accessible sights and activities will mark your stay here and will lead to a holiday you will never forget.
The property's layout is ideal for two families who want to holiday together but wish to also have a degree of independence. Its accommodations are spread over 2 1/2 levels and comprise more than 200 Sq. Metres of internal living space, thereby comfortably catering for a large party.
If you wish to see additional photos of the property and its grounds, please e-mail me and I will send you a link to the photo album on the web.
It's just waiting for You!
Summer shade from Flowering Vine
View of the Mountains of Béynes from the Grounds in October
To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/25917
The Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur / Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region
We are based in Haute Provence, which is one of the most beautiful and varied of all French Departments and is one of the least - developed corners of this truly unique country. The department is nestled between the Cote d'Azur and the Var to the south and the High Alps to the north, Italy to the East and the Luberon to the West. Our area lies in the centre of the Department, just south and west of its largest town Digne-les-Bains, and bordering the Valley of the Asse.
The area has one of the highest rates of sunshine in France. Just be careful- the kiddies in particular can burn easily and very quickly. So the X-Factor sun cream is a must! While this sunshine is abundant, the temperatures at the Villa itself usually are somewhat lower than you would find in Nice or Marseille (3-5 degrees) due to the altitude of some 600 metres. That said, expect +30 degrees in July/August.
If you wish to see additional photos of scenes from the area, please e-mail me and I will send you a link to the photo album on the web.
Digne les Bains / Mezel area
The Villa is located about a kilometer from the quiet and peaceful villages of Mezel and Chateauredon, yet is only fifteen minutes from the larger city of Digne-les-Bains. It has easy access to all amenities, including many local markets for bargain hunting, and many restaurants for eating out.
The immediate area is a haven for wildlife, being situated in the protected environmental zone of Haute Provence. The air is among the cleanest in Europe and is renowned for its invigorating qualities. Indeed, you will often see the re-introduced Griffon Vultures soaring the thermals over the local mountains.
You will find the "European Grand Canyon" at the Gorge du Verdon which is about 40 km to the south. The Gorge is over 700 metres deep in places and is the widest and deepest in Europe providing numerous spectacular challenges for the walking enthusiast and those who are not afraid of getting really wet doing a wide range of white water activities through such evocative sections of the Gorge as "Niagara", "Tourniquet" and "Cyclope". Describing the wonders of the Gorges du Verdon in 1928, the French explorer E. A. Martel wrote: 'You have to visit the Canyon at least twenty times before you can dare say that you have seen it. It is a marvel without equal in Europe, the largest, the wildest and the most varied of all the great faults in the Old World.'
The Verdon river runs through the Gorge and into the Lac Ste. Croix with its many beautiful beaches and numerous ancient towns surrounding its perimeter. If you fancy a trip to the beach, you could head for the Med., which is about two hours away. But why would you? The Lac sports numerous sandy beaches that lead into beautiful clear Alpine waters for swimming, sailing or whatever..
The places and scenes of such great natural beauty that you will find here will take your breath away. Villages like Moustiers Ste. Marie and Ste. Croix du Verdon are dotted around the lake, and will give you a stunning viewpoint from where you can drink the views accompanied by a fine wine, coffee or what have you.
But beware! The eye and the mind can only take in so much grandeur and you will find yourself overwhelmed by God's creations here. The prescribed cure for such a condition involves the sampling of the many other rich fruits of the region, such as following in the footsteps of the great Impressionist painters like Cézanne who hailed from Aix-en-Provence to the South. Indeed, much of the development in the Impressionist style of painting actually took place in Provence, whose light and colour were judged by artists to have been the finest known. Cézanne's summary of the region still holds true today: "There are treasures to be taken away from this country, which has not yet found an interpreter worthy of the riches it offers."
All in all, there are plenty of activities in the area arond us and much to see and do during your stay. And these are all in addition to more passive activities like sightseeing and exploring. The most energetic client will find much to satisfy their needs in the area, with a large number of options available, such as cycling, hiking, mountain-biking, horse-riding, paragliding, as well as the sailing and white-water canoeing and rafting mentioned above.
There is a local forest adventure trail where you can tire out the most hyperactive Tarzan wannabe. An evening at the bowling alley in Digne can precede a late evening walk on the Rue Gazzendi in Digne, If you need a bigger area of water to satisfy your Olympic plans than the villa's own pool, or wish to laze while the other go shopping, the Plan d'Eau in Digne offers a very well-maintained waterpark that is worth a morning's visit or two.
A range of Provencal shopping is available in towns like Forcalquier and Manosque which host rural markets where you will find everything in its season. Indeed, there is a market within easy reach for every day of the week.
You will also find a range of modern hypermarchés in Digne and Manosque. A bit further will bring you to the beautiful cities of Aix-en-Provence and Sisteron, which are each well worth a day-trip. Some say that a trip to Nice on the Chemin de Fer de Provence is a must. This trip takes just over 3 hours each way and offers magificent views as it follows the mountains and valleys down to Nice.
And after all this.... To bed. Remember, you are in Provence! The day follows the sun here and you will be well advised to follow suit. Early days and nights are the norm, and the after-lunch siesta still lives here. The parking meters in Digne even take a siesta with free parking between 12 and 2 pm!! The early part of the day is most pleasant, being cooler and fresher before the sun takes control of the landscape.
How to get there
Note: Buy appropriate travel insurance.
The property is situated on the Departmental Route D907 between Mezel and Chateauredon. The other closest villages are Estoublon, La Begude and Bras d'Asse. Digne-les-Bains, which is the largest town in the Department, is just a short drive away.
This area is served principally by international airports at Marseilles and Nice, although it is also accessible from airports at Toulon, Avignon, Nimes, Lyons and Grenoble. These airports are served by low-cost airlines, such as Aer Lingus, EasyJet and Ryanair.
For motorists, the area is just 20 minutes from the A51 autoroute, while the Chemin de Fer de Provence train service links the centre of Nice with the village of Mézel and the city of Digne-les-Bains. The TGV train service stops in Aix-en-Provence which is just over an hour away.
Travel options from UK/Ireland ------------------------------------- 1. Multiple airlines to Marseille, Toulon and Nice plus Car-Hire 2. Eurostar plus TGV from London St Pancras to Aix en Provence plus Car-Hire 3. Use Car Ferry and drive.
There are now so many ways of getting around that we cannot cover them all here. However, to ease the task of journey planning please consider the following:
1. Low Cost Airlines regularly update their fares to take account of aircraft loading. This often results in the fares dropping in the period of 4-6 weeks before you intend to travel. Therefore don't always jump in to book too early!
The airports at Marseille, Nice, Toulon, Grenoble, Avignon and Nimes are all within reach. They vary in terms of distance from Mezel. However, you may find that you get better deals by flying into one of these destinations, rather than Marseille or Nice. Nice in particular tends to be more expensive because it serves a more lucrative market.
2. Hire Car Rental is almost always cheaper on the internet. I have found that a judicious use of the following web sites can realise great savings. They also can produce good deals in association with your airline. - www.autoeurope.com - www.hertz.com - www.budget.com
If you don't particularly like the thought of being thrown in at the deep end and starting your holiday with the pressure of a French Autoroute journey, you might consider taking public transport to Digne les Bains and hiring your car there. Hertz and Europcar have local offices in Digne. It's worth considering.
3. If you intend to travel for a longer period of say 2-3 weeks, you might consider taking your own car (particularly if you are in the South or South East of England.) The distance between the North east coast ports of France and Mezel is approx. 600 miles. The use of your own car obviously avoids the need for the local car hire and allows you to bring much more "stuff" with you, although that's not always a good thing. It also avoids the long delays now often experienced at airports. The best advice if you bring a car is to come over empty and go home filled with excellent Cote de Rhones, Luberon Roses and Champagnes.
Although be careful with your arrival dates and times in France. There are some days in the Summer, usually when French people take to the roads en-masse, and you don't want to be travelling on those dates. Diesel is very cheap in France, while Petrol is a good bit more expensive. Check with AA or RAC for advice on any of these areas. If you do decide to take the car, make sure that you take out appropriate travel/repatriation insurance.
4. Use Maporama (www.maporama.fr) or Mapquest (www.mapquest.com) to find us on a zoomable map. Such resources are invaluable for preparation of itineraries etc.
When you select one of these services, you can use any named town as your starting point. You should use the following details for the destination:
Country - France (Dohhh!) Ville - Mezel Post Code - 04270
If you have Google Earth, GPS or SatNav, you can find us at : 44° 0'34.70"N,6°12'19"E
Travelling locally within the area: -----------------------------------------
You can get the train (Chemin de Fer de Provence) from Mezel/Chateauredon station, which is just 10 minutes walk away. There are 4 trains a day in each direction between Digne les Bains and Nice.
Once you get into Digne, you can get trains and autobuses throughout the region.
Nearest Travel Links
Airport:
Marseille and Nice: 140 km
Railway:
Mézel
Ferry:
Probably Calais to get the best out of Autoroute: 900 km
Activities near Digne les Bains
Sports: Tennis in town Watersports Waterpark Horse Riding Golf within 30 mins drive Fishing
Great for: Walking holidays Rural / countryside retreats Beach or lakeside relaxation A winter sun break Cycling holidays
Single beds (6), Double beds (1), Dining seating for 8, Lounge seating for 10, Sleeps maximum of 8
Other:
Linen and towels provided.
Outdoors:
Balcony / Terrace, Private outdoor pool (unheated), Private garden, BBQ
Access:
Secure parking
Further details indoors: This old lady was born in the 1870s with two stories at the south-facing front. Additions have been made a number of times over the decades since. She has seen many happy times and exudes charm and character. She is as old as the Eiffel Tower and was born just as the Impressionist movement was taking hold across Europe. So, if her old Provencale rooms with exposed timber beams, tiled floors and quirky angles could speak, what a tale they would tell! She has aged gracefully, and wears her few cracks and wrinkles with pride.
19th Century Provence has been married to 21st Century living sensitively here, leaving the occupier to benefit from the taste and surroundings of the past coupled with the ease of living provided by modern devices. You will revel in its sun-drenched Mediterannean simplicity that harks back to an earlier time that has been lost to many of us in Northern Europe.
The old house comprises a séjour / lounge with huge fireplace, cathedral ceiling, mezzanine and bar. The sejour also has a set of large patio doors that leads to the terrace and stairway that leads to the mezzanine area. On the ground floor, the séjour leads to the dining room, kitchen, main entrance hall, laundry room and W.C. The first floor can be accessed from the mezzanine and comprises a double and twin bedroom with stunning views over the Valley of the Asse. An en-suite shower room serves the double and twin rooms, and a separate W.C. is located on this floor also. This floor is also accessed from the original stairway that joined the main entrance hall to the first floor up to 1950.
Accessible from the mezzanine, the upper floor also comprises a more modern extension dating from the 1950s and the 1970s. This houses a large games room that has table-tennis and a lounging area for music, reading, board- games and general chilling-out.
There are two adjoining twin rooms with a shared en-suite shower and W.C. Each of these twin bed-rooms has a separate set of French doors to allow access to the grounds and swimming pool without necessitating going through the house. A separate small patio area lies just outside each of these French doors.
All in all, the size of the Villa and its 4 acres of grounds, and the number of different areas that are included will ensure that everyone can holiday together, but each person has space to 'chill'.
Further details outdoors: The large, shaded south- facing terrace is ideal for outoor summer living. It is accessible from the séjour's and dining room's patio doors as well as the kitchen's serving window, main entrance door and laundry room. Furnished with a full patio set to enable you to dine al fresco, it is shaded in Summer by a vigorous Bignonia that flowers abundantly and extends the living area outdoors throughout the day and well into the Summer night.
The terrace leads down to a stunning 10 X 5 metre private swimming pool that is alarmed to protect the kiddies (in accordance with French law), and whose depth ranges from 1 metre at the shallow end to 2 metres at the deepest end. The pool has just been completely overhauled and re-surfaced for Summer 2008 so that you can bathe in safety and comfort. So when the mood or the heat takes you, roll over into its crystal clear waters that are surrounded by rose, herb and bulb gardens. Four sun loungers are provided so that those who wish to 'take the rays' can do so, while shaded seating is available under the canopy for those who don't.
And all this has is set in 4 acres of grounds that comprise a steep hill with numerous trails that demand exploration by children. There is a large field of wild grasses and flowers and numerous oaks, pines and fruit trees. It has a number of grape vines and olive trees that are as old as the house itself. It is even rumoured that a truffle or two has been found here!
The grounds and parking area are secured behind a closed, lockable gate so that you and your family can lock out the world if you wish.
Conditions
Our Rental Period ------------------------------------ We normally offer our accommodation for weekly Rental at the quoted rates. However, if you would like a 2-day weekend to take advantage of low fare airline deals, we will do it for half the weekly rate outside of peak season from June to August.
Our changeover date policy: ------------------------------------ Our changeover date is Saturday from June to August and is negotiable outside of that period.
Rental rates
Rental prices originally quoted in: Euros €
Convert to:
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
August Late Deal
16 Aug 08
1 Sep 08
1400£ 1,094
0-
0-
1 Week
Sept
1 Sep 08
27 Sep 08
1250£ 977
0-
0-
1 Week
October-November
27 Sep 08
29 Nov 08
800£ 625
0-
0-
1 Week
Daily rate Nov-Mar
29 Nov 08
4 Apr 09
150£ 117
0-
0-
1 Night
April/May 2009
4 Apr 09
30 May 09
800£ 625
0-
0-
1 Week
June 2009
30 May 09
27 Jun 09
1250£ 977
0-
0-
1 Week
July/August 2009
27 Jun 09
29 Aug 09
1600£ 1,250
0-
0-
1 Week
Sept 2009
29 Aug 09
3 Oct 09
1250£ 977
0-
0-
1 Week
71
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion.
If you take the property for more than 2 weeks, a special discount will be applied.
What is included:
----------------------
- One weekly bed linen change included per person
- Electricity and water charges are included
- Bath, hand towels and hand mitts are included
Note: The provided Washing machine allows you to do more frequent laundry if required.
Special Notes:
------------------
* A refundable security / breakages deposit of €300 is required for each booking
* To confirm the booking a 10% deposit is required. Balance is due eight weeks prior to booking date. A cancellation policy applies.
* A set of mutually protective terms & conditions are entered into between the owner and renter. These are available on request.
* A cleaning charge of €150 is required if the property and its equipment are not fully cleaned at the end of your stay.
* Renting a property in France for a short period (less than 90 days) is called “location saisonnière” which can be translated as “short term let”. Whether you stay one week or two months, you need to be covered by an insurance called “assurance villégiature” or “holiday home occupancy insurance”. It is most likely that this insurance is already included in your house policy and no additional costs should arise. However, it is advisable to check with your insurance company to be sure.
You are also strongly advised to take a cancellation insurance that will reimburse you in case of cancellation or interruption of your stay.
All payments must be made in Euro, unless other currencies can be accepted by prior agreement .
Preferred payment methods:
-------------------------------------
- Bank transfer
- Bank Draft
- Personal cheque (for Irish or French customers only)
- Paypal
Availability notes
To see availability please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/25917
Click to view availability for this property.
Contact owner
To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/25917
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