Property Description
The villa was formerly a bijoux hotel and was painstakingly restored by the present owner. The interiors were re-designed to create spacious rooms and light and it’s a veritable delight for lovers of art and antiques. This striking residence is perched in a prime position hill side, and just five minutes from the historic city of Vence and a short drive to Nice.
The property extends to over 2200m2 with an orchard, vines, fruit and olive trees, large paved terraces and three superb patios for spring and summer dining and provide complete privacy. The residence is fully alarmed and comes fitted with satellite television on all floors, a fully integrated telephone system and Wi-Fi. The garden benefits from sunken Bose speakers and provides exceptional music ambiance.
The home has 4 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms as well as 2 half baths; paved parking area with electric gates leading down a stone pathway illuminated at night; video phones connect the house to the front gate and the main entrance of the property.
The villa enjoys panoramic views of the sea and the mountains from the rear of the property.
It is a perfect residence for relaxation and entertaining and comfortably accommodates up to 8-9 people.
Lots more photos available – please enquire!
Property Features
Ground Floor comprising: Drawing room with old stone fireplace and sea views, Morning room with large lattice windows facing the sea, Home cinema room with seating for up to 15 complete with state of the art stereo sound, fixed screen/projector and extensive DVD library, Double bedroom with en-suite bathroom, Guest cloakroom
Garden level comprising: Large dining room facing the sea and leading onto main outdoor terrace, Outdoor terrace sea facing perfect for Al fresco dining (up to 12 guests), Garden and Swimming Pool (with absolute privacy), Large rustic, fully equipped state of the art kitchen and breakfast room, The Den – Bar with integrated music system & flat screen TV, Study with broadband internet, Guest cloakroom
First Floor level comprising: Two main bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms / walk-in showers
Second Floor level: A unique duplex suite on the 2nd floor linked by a spiral staircase comprising a large attic bedroom, bathroom and small sitting room/dressing room or fifth single bedroom.
The Owner says: Entrance level: Sunny "living room" with a working stone fireplace with the huge french windows overlooking the sea/pool; fabulous sun room perfect for morning coffee and afternoon aperif; entertainment room with great sofas to sink into; 1 bedroom and 1 half bath. Garden level: Chef's kitchen opening onto the large stone terrace is equipped with a La Cornue, marble farm sink, black stone countertops; utility room with washer/dryer/sink; storage area leading to the side patio and old stone fountain; large dining room facing the sea opening on to the main terrace and side staircase; living room; guest toilet. top floor: Master bedroom with built in closets; guest room overlooking the sea with the bougainvillea framing the window (my favorite bedroom!); another guest room in all stone up a spiral staircase; office.I mentioned before each bedroom has its own bathroom. Exterior: Old stone staircase leads to the pool which is equipped with a pool house equipped with retractable awning, ice maker, blender, microwave, fridge, dishes, flatware, table/chairs for lunches; loungers and umbrella surrounded by beautiful flowers; side yard with additional seating for lunches, dinners, cocktails. The exterior and interior are equipped with wifi/ surround music system which can be synced with your iPod or our music which is predominately jazz such as Miles Davis, Dizzy, etc. We have a concierge service which offers a multitude of services from welcoming basket, grocery shopping for arrival, private chef, daily maid service if needed, driver to meet you at the airport. We try to meet the needs of busy people not wanting to spend too much time thinking about things other than relaxing. The house is a reflection of my love of the area. My husband and I have owned a home in Vence for 17 years. We fell in love with this house several years ago and have lovingly made it into a very happy house. It is brightly painted on the inside so when I walk in I have no other reaction but smile. We have hung artwork from favorite artists, framed Hermes scarves line a stairwell and dot the house, old black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, Bogie, etc. from the Frank Worth Collection; the entertainment room is lines with movie posters (a tip of the hat to our L.A. roots); local pottery.
Internet: Wi-Fi available here for your devices.
Baby facilities: baby cot and high chair may be available by prior request.
Bed & bathroom linen and end-of-stay cleaning: are at an additional cost of 500 Euros paid directly to the owner
Gas, electric & water: all included in the rental cost.
Winter heating: included in the rental cost.
Taxe de Séjour: In France it's usually necessary to pay this (tourist tax) and it's calculated based on the number of people in your group and the time of year you stay. Under 18's are exempt. We will advise you of the tax due at the time you make your reservation and how it is to be paid.
Damage deposit: the owner requests a damage deposit by way of credit card guarantee, made with us in advance of arrival – please enquire. This will be refunded at the end of your stay, less the replacement cost of any breakages.
Change over day: normally a Saturday however the owners may be flexible upon request.
Long weekend stays: please enquire.
Pets: please enquire
Smoking: not permitted inside this property – sorry.
Supplementary services: the owner is able to arrange the following services for you, as a supplement: Babysitter, Masseur, Chauffeur, Daily cleaner, Chef.
About the local area
Local shops, boulangeries, restaurants and supermarkets can be found in the local town of Vence. It’s the lesser known neighbour of the famous village of St Paul-de-Vence, and is less touristy and more of a locals place. There's a lovely old town too with winding streets and specialist shops, like wine shops, delicatessens, fromageries, patisseries and art galleries.
Local markets are held in the main square & the old town of Vence. Here you can choose from wonderful displays of olives, cheese, fish, vegetables and flowers.
Sporting activities in the area are abundant – there is golf, tennis, fishing, canoeing, horse riding, paragliding, water sports and the beach. You are also in very close proximity to the mountains and hills of the Alpes Maritimes region here, which makes walking and cycling very popular.
Beaches, and a lovely promenade, can be found close-by at Cagnes-sur-Mer (15km) and also in Nice right along the Promenade des Anglais.
The ski stations of Greolieres, Valberg, Isola 2000 and Auron are between 1-2 hour’s drive away if you fancy a couple of day’s winter sports!
Getting around, there is an excellent low-cost bus service from the main station in the town centre; with buses towards St Paul-de-Vence, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Nice, and Grasse in the other direction. The nearest train station is at Cagnes-sur-Mer and this provides an excellent train service along the coast. However a car is recommended from here.
Sightseeing is endless; the nearest places of interest are the village & art galleries of St Paul-de-Vence; the Old Town of Vence; the Matisse Chapel in Vence; the nearby medieval town of Haut-de-Cagnes; the pretty village of Tourettes-sur-Loup; the perched village and views from Gourdon; the town and perfumeries of Grasse; the city and “Promenade des Anglais” of Nice; the port of Nice; the beaches and old town of Antibes; the village and glass makers of Biot;
Other entertainment includes exploring the beautiful surrounding countryside and views, cinema, wine tasting, the many art galleries, Aquasplash & Marineland in Biot, ‘Ludi Park’ of activities (ideal for families), or just good old relaxing by the pool!
