Location description from owner

The Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region

The Cote d'Azur has been known since the early nineteenth century as Europe’s leading playground. As a holiday destination it is unsurpassed in the world, offering a beautiful stretch of coastline backed by the jagged peaks of the Alps, superbly maintained top class resorts, magnificent promenades and gardens, as well as a plethora of historic towns and ancient hilltop villages amid fabulous countryside and with an exceptional climate, cuisine and wine.

The coastline is an ever-changing series of glimmering bays interspersed with rugged rocky peninsulas and dramatic cliffs falling straight into the sea. The coastal towns are renowned the world over. Cannes' star-studded Croisette, Nice’s Promenade des Anglais, Antibes' ancient ramparts, quaint St. Raphael, lively Fréjus, chic Port Grimaud and Ste. Maxime and, of course, glitzy St. Tropez. Less well known but equally impressive is the coast road from La Napoule to St. Raphael, full of dramatic scenery backed by the red, craggy mountains of the Esterel National Park. It is here you will find our nearest coastal beaches (35-40 minutes drive) with a choice of sheltered coves or glorious long sandy bays.

And there is very much more to get excited about than the famous coastal towns. In the countryside behind the coast you will discover breathtakingly scenic routes winding over hills and mountains and through gorges, past ancient hillside villages with their labyrinths of narrow streets and impressive views of the surrounding area. Fayence, Seillans, Bargemon, Callas, Claviers, Chateaudouble, Tourtour, Mons and St. Cézaire are amongst many to be explored. You can also take a trip into the Alps or visit one of the spectacular gorges - Gorges de La Siagne, Châteaudouble or the renowned Gorges du Verdon, the deepest canyon in Europe with its 500 meter sheer cliffs.

Claviers

Claviers is located in a beautiful area of The Var (the “département”), boasting some of the finest scenery Provence has to offer. The Var countryside is predominantly wooded hillsides dotted with picturesque, perched villages and interspersed with luxuriant valleys and deep gorges sparkling with fast flowing rivers and crystalline rock pools. The Claviers area has all of this, plus mile after mile of pine and olive groves, vineyards, châteaux and villages untouched by the passing of time. Quite incredible when you appreciate how close it is to the sophisticated coast.

There are numerous interesting nearby villages. Seillans and Bargemon have both been voted amongst the most attractive villages in France but in our view all the local villages are very attractive and worth a visit in their own right. Amongst the nearest are Callas, unspoilt and typical of the area; Chateaudouble, sitting on the rim of a spectacular gorge; Fayence, the largest and busiest with a lovely viewpoint and famous gliding club; Callian, ancient and very pretty; St. Cezaire, perched on a cliff edge, and Mons, nestled in the hills, with superb views over the Gorges de la Siagne and the coast. And, if you prefer swimming in a lake or want to indulge in watersports or fishing, Lake St. Cassien is just a short drive away or you can visit the impressive Lac de Ste. Croix at the entrance to the Gorges du Verdon.

Most outdoor activites are available locally including hiking, climbing, canyoning, rafting, horseriding, golf, tennis, gliding, non-motorised watersports on the lake and most watersports at the coast. There are also numerous cultural activities and galleries both in the local villages and at the coast as well as endless music festivals and firework events in the summer months. Each local village has it's own fete, added to which the local communes pride themselves on a full calendar of events.