Les Hauts de Gordes Provence

Hillside Perfection

The village of Gordes is quintessentially Provençal, crowned by a monastery and crossed by ancient cobbled streets, and has been ranked as among the most beautiful villages in the world. Les Hauts de Gordes, as its name suggests, gazes across its valley, looking down on wooded slopes and the ochre roofs of village houses across to the hills beyond. The position is unrivalled, the property itself is a veritable garden of Eden.

It is secluded – two hectares of parkland are enclosed to maintain your privacy – and yet open, with glorious views from its hillside domain. Three buildings, all fitting the local aesthetic, accommodate up to 14 adults and 4 children. The main house has been extended with a spectacular glazed summer lounge, so that the vast panorama and blue skies fill your life even when the breeze blows cool. It is a gorgeous experience even in colder months when you can retreat into the winter living room warmed by a magnificent wood fire set in a white-sprayed concrete pillar like a massive tree-trunk.

It is just one example of the artful treats that abound throughout this stunning villa. The village was known as an enclave for artists and their legacy is reflected in the styling of Les Hauts de Gordes. They reveal themselves not only in eye-catching paintings and curios that you meet in corners of your room and along garden paths. Even the huge swimming pool is an elegant piece of graphic design itself, as is the adjacent pool house inviting long sunny days straying no further than the wide terrace with the extraordinary view. With maybe a scenic wander across the gardens to the petanque field, a lunch on the panoramic terrace, a linger by the ancient borie, a quiet time to close your mind to the distractions in the world outside. After all, the children have vanished into their own paradise playground (a trampoline, table-tennis, slacklines – it’s tempting to join them, or maybe the wellness area in the annexe with its Hammam, sauna, gym and yoga space also calls).

The seven double bedrooms have generously sized en-suite shower rooms and are air-conditioned. Four are in the main house and two more share the pretty annexe up some steps. The other annexe is home to another double that connects with a bunkbed room for two children, sharing the en-suite. But before bed, as night falls, there is more magic to experience. Upon request, an outside cinema, dining under the stars and an even closer look at the stars through the powerful telescope.

A dedicated house manager ensures that everything is as beautiful as it should be and a plethora of additional services can be organised according to your needs. All is a lavender scented idyll – and not just in the imagination. Fields of purple flowers are an integral part of the domain. Quintessentially Provence.