Buying a House in Provence: The first few steps…

The first few steps…Buying a House in Provence

Perhaps you have been renting a villa in Provence for years, or maybe all it took was one week of its earthly magic to take hold… either way, you can’t seem to shake the idea of having a place to call your own in this idyllic region. Where do you begin? It can be intimidating for a foreigner to navigate the ins and outs of the administrative process of buying a property in Provence. is known for its fantastic wine and cheese, yet also for its maze of paperwork, complex rules, and tax regulations.

What could feel like a daunting process becomes a pleasure when working with the knowledgeable staff in the Real Estate Division of Only Provence, all of whom have first-hand knowledge and experience buying, renovating and renting properties in the region.

Criteria

If you are thinking of purchasing in Provence, here are a few helpful criteria to consider at the outset of your search:

What type of property are you looking for? farmhouse/ country house, village house or newer construction?

Do you hope to be walking distance to a village or town? What type of village appeals to you— more active all year round, or quiet and quaint?

Are you in need of International schools?

Are you prepared to renovate?

Will you be considering villa rental for once you have purchased?

When to house-hunt?

Many of Provence’s fabulous properties are rented during the peak summer weeks between May and September, or are occupied by the owners themselves. We suggest carving out a few dedicated days in the low season, either in April or October, when the houses are easily viewed and we can take our time exploring all of the available options for sale with you. Since many of the properties also function as income producing vacation rentals in Provence, options to stay in the home offer an invaluable opportunity to experience a property first-hand prior to buying.

Matching you with the perfect location

It’s helpful to have an understanding the general lay of the land and the most notable corners of the region. Inland Provence, excluding the Riviera, can typically be divided into four main areas

Aix-en-Provence and surrounding areas

The Moutains

The Alpilles region

Avignon and surrounding areas

Each area within this highly sought after region of France will logically have its own unique spirit and personality. With decades of combined experience working, living and managing properties in Provence, we can help guide you narrow down your criteria, identifying the right blend of country or village setting with proximity to what it most important to you, be it the quieter lifestyle found near or , or a more lively one near the popular town of Saint Remy.

Are you prepared to renovate?

For many, the dream of owning in Provence involves experiencing some of what Peter Mayle describes with such candor as moves into a 200-year-old stone farmhouse in the Luberon. It can be viewed almost as a right of passage when purchasing in Provence. But for others, the priorities involve bypassing the time and patience required to navigate renovation to get on with the beauty of simply living there.

Whatever the visions are for owning your own slice of heaven in Provence, Only Provence is happy to guide you to your home.

In The News Only Provence Expands Operations To Include Real Estate For Sale In Provence

In The News:

Only Provence Expands Operations To Include Real Estate For Sale In Provence

Los Angeles, California based company Only Provence has recently announced an expansion. As one of the leading providers of luxury villa rentals in Provence, France, the company is now expanding its operations to include real estate sales.

For the past decade, Only Provence has focused uniquely on carefully growing its portfolio of distinct luxury vacation properties, which is now a collection of well-over 160 properties located near Provence’s most notable villages. Known for their high standards and only accepting homes with the ideal balance of authenticity, charm, amenities and staff, Only Provence is proud of its “best in class” reputation in Provence. They state that moving ahead into selling properties is something that has always been in the back of their minds, from the very beginning.

John Dean, the company’s founder, adds, “The move into real estate market was a natural one. The relationships we have developed over the past decade and the experience we have in luxury property obviously lends itself to real estate sales of these villas. This is something we have wanted to do for some time until now, yet the market conditions were not ideal. Now with strong foreign currency and a buyer’s market, the timing is simply right.”

Expansion seems to be in the company’s ethos. Soon after launching 10 years ago, Only Provence began coupling vacation rentals with high quality, local experiences such as wine tastings, cooking classes and hunting. The company now has the largest network of regionally renowned regional chefs to cater to their ever growing upscale clientele.

“With higher stock markets, and a strengthening dollar vs. euro, Only Provence villa clients want to own their very own piece of paradise in Provence. The administrative process of buying a property in France can be intimidating to a foreigner. This is where we come in. We are happy to share what we learned ourselves many years ago,” states Dean.

More about Only Provence can be seen on their official website at http://www.onlyprovence.com. Those interested in looking at the properties in Provence that the company currently has available can see a complete listing at http://www.onlyprovence.com/provence-real-estate-sales.

Source: https://www.pressadvantage.com/story/4737-only-provence-expand s-operations-to-include-real-estate-for-sale-in-provence

Villa Rental of the Week Mas des Cerisiers

Provence Villa Rental of the Week Mas des Cerisiers

Only Provence villa rental of the week is Mas des Cerisiers located in Provence.

For anyone visiting Provence, the village of Bonnieux is on the top of the to-do list. Dating back to Roman times, this spectacular village perched on the edge of a hillside offers sweeping views of the Luberon valley. Quiet cafés, boulangeries, and handful of quaint local restaurants line its cobblestone streets. Only Provence is showcasing “Mas des Cerisiers” in its Villa Rental of the Week series, where we share details on the most exceptional villa rentals in idyllic setting in Provence.

For those renting a luxury villa in the South of France, nothing can quite beat having view of this ancient town from their breakfast table or pool lounger. Mas des Cerisiers is a four bedroom, four bathroom stone building, newly renovated old farmhouse named after the grove cherry trees found on the property. The owners have done an exceptional job preserving the authenticity of the home while offering all the elements of comfort, luxury, and amenities. The best part by far of staying at Mas de Cerisiers, is being able to walk through the countryside to Bonnieux for daily pastries, a leisurely lunch or dinner, or for the weekly market.

What makes this property special is the authenticity of the building, the large 10 acre private property, exceptional view of Bonnieux over the fields and a view of a nearby lavender field. This place is the real deal! Sharing A Real Taste Of Provence

Sharing a Real Taste of Provence

We at Only Provence don’t spend all of our time on the phone or booking luxury villa rentals in the South of France. Knowing the region first-hand and spending quality time with the owners of our listed luxury properties is a big part of being able to deliver the best experience to families and groups pf friends choosing to spend their holiday in Provence. A couple of weeks ago, some of our staff (Stan, Ingrid, Louise and I), had the pleasure of passing a fresh Spring morning with Bernard Roussel, the owner of villa Pierres des Luberon, traversing his magnificent 120 acre property on the edge of the Luberon National Park near Bonnieux. It is during moments like these that we are reminded of how much joy our owners receive from simply sharing what they believe makes their property so special. The desire to open their homes goes well beyond the need for supplemental income. A certain pride emerges— perhaps better described as an honor or dignity, in allowing others to enter their sacred sanctums. Offering families and groups of friends what they believe to be a real taste of Provence, truly matters to them – plain and simple.

On this particular day, when the Spring rains had given way to the first warm days to lunch on the terrace, we were all in for a treat—one that had been on my bucket list for years, even after having lived in Provence for seven years. Bernard had invited us to join him on the last of the season’s truffle hunts. Gosh this job certainly has its perks sigh.. ok I think I can squeeze that into my schedule. Luberon before us, Louise and I shot each other glances —I knew full well what she was thinking. If all went well we would be eating well tonight!

With dogs Carmel and Babu, happily bouncing along by our sides, Bernard and our little team stretched out our legs along the ancient, herb-studded paths, past fields filled of oak trees and perfect rows of sleeping lavender. With a well-worn satchel slung on his shoulder, that had no doubt carried many a truffle, Bernard guided us through blooming almond trees while sharing his family stories of having been raised on the property. At one point, he motioned to a medieval castle on the opposite hillside (the Fort of Buoux) dating back to the Middle Paleolithic age— I found it hard to even fathom how long ago that was. And with such seemingly endless rolling hills and fields around us, nobody would believe we were only a few short miles from the famous Provence villages of Lourmarin and Bonnieux.

Bernard guided us to a field a bit further from his normal hunting spot— “I am not sure if we will find anything there,” he warned. Shortly after arriving Babu began to dig.. Eying the the dogs with nervous anticipation, we watched as Babu began a casual scrape to the earth under an mid-sized oak tree—within seconds his scraping became an all out scrounge. Bernard quickly trotted to Babu’s side and with a mini garden pitchfork, he gently pushed the dog to the side for fear he would either damage the truffle or gobble it up if it were small enough. The dogs were known to snack well on these outings! Bernard then carefully pushed the earth surrounding the hole where Babu was digging. And lo and behold… didn’t the most precious little nugget emerge? We hooped and hollered, each taking turns holding it and breathing in its earthy musty goodness—an aroma that I have decided is truly like no other on this planet.

But the spot didn’t produce much else. Caramel and Babu just frolicked around in the warm sun, so Bernard had us backtrack to a field that we had passed on the way, closer to his ancient stone home. It was evident this was a trusted spot; we could see freshly dug holes under the oak trees where had been found. For the next hour the dogs led us from one tree to the next, digging madly, unearthing one black beautiful black truffle after the other. Some were big, like the size of a small plum, others more like a walnut. It didn’t matter to us how big they were— it was all gold in our minds. I could sense Louise’s mind skipping from the evening menu…will it be pâtes aux truffes… soufflé aux truffes, ou tous simplement les oeufs aux truffes? The choices were so painfully difficult! A quick look at Stan and Ingrid revealed faces pasted with grins— mine was most likely the same, although I don’t remember much outside of the numb contentment that comes from a divine experience. We took turns helping the dogs as they located the jackpot spots. Bernard’s aged sack soon began to swell— as did the joy that radiated on his face. He does this weekly, I thought. Probably even more–so why the sense of such fun today? What was in it for him? But what I saw in that smile was a genuine sense of satisfaction of having shared something very precious, coupled with gratitude that his family had been the trusted steward of such gifts from Mother Earth. I could be wrong though, maybe he was just bemused at us —a handful of overgrown kids, thrilled at having spent a morning under the Spring sun, with a couple of happy dogs digging in the earth for forgotten treasure.

With a bounce in our steps, overwhelmed at having acquired so much with our own hands—ok, the dogs helped— in such a short period of time (although I think time stopped somewhere in there), we made our way back to the Roussel’s rambling stone home. Stan and Ingrid had email to tend to, Louise had chef services to book and I had projects at Mas de Gancel. Conscious of having taken up his entire morning, we veered towards our cars, ready to return to our “real worlds.” But Bernard’s wife Mathilde quickly ushered us in and onto their terrace—“It is nearing noon—surely time for an aperitif!” March in Provence, especially in the Luberon where the nip in the new season breeze can still bite, can be idyllic, if you find the right perch in the sun. Mathilde directed us to a small terrace basking in the full midday sun overlooking the Luberon. Within minutes she had brought glasses, a bottle of local white wine, Bernard following with a basket of toasted baguette and a small dish of butter mixed with generous amounts of freshly shaved truffles. “I have to admit to something awful,” Mathilde said to me with a sly grin. “Bernard and I indulge in this every day!” That to me— sums up Provence.

–Lydia Dean

Trading in a Life for One in Provence Trading in a Life for One in Provence….Jumping The Picket Fence

Lydia Dean (co-founder of Only Provence) writes about leaving their lives in the US for a simpler one nestled in a quiet village in the South of France. In this beautifully balanced mixture of travel memoir, business-building and soul searching, she shares high and lows as they tend grape vines, renovate Mas de Gancel, build a small villa business and raise a young family in Provence. Neither of them knew in the moment, that the lessons they would learn during these years would offer the foundation for so much more…

In 2000, Lydia Dean finds herself at the top of her game professionally, yet on the verge of an emotional breakdown. Quitting her job and convincing her husband John to join her on a more meaningful path, the family takes a leap of faith, moving to the South of France where they rediscover themselves and the benefits of time and simplicity. Reconnecting with her with early childhood dreams of humanitarian work, Lydia’s adventures then take her further from the comforts of home as the young family travels extensively to areas lacking access to education and opportunity. Join Lydia on a fearless, inspirational path around the world- into shelters for children across India, through the jungles and back roads of Costa Rica, Southeast Asia and Venezuela, and to China where the Deans adopt their third child. Motivated by the simple ideal that small personal actions can make a difference, the family returns to the US where Lydia and a passionate team build a non-profit organization- GoPhilanthropic, supporting vulnerable women and children.

From magical and entertaining to painfully raw and unsettling, Jumping the Picket Fence shows us how to put fear aside, peel away all that insulates us, and listen to our inner selves. The book ultimately becomes less about what the author has done in her own life and more about what each of us can do to explore our own dreams and jump our own fences.

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