Villa Mirabeau

The villa

Set in enclosed grounds with olive trees and lavender, Villa Mirabeau enjoys glorious views of Mont Sainte-Victoire, located just a short drive from the Provençal village where Picasso is laid to rest and only 18km from the charm of Aix-en-Provence.

Spend warm days by the swimming pool and prepare lunch in the poolside summer kitchen with its barbecue. Relax on the shady terrace overlooking the pool and soak up the gorgeous surroundings or wander through the pretty garden with the aroma of summer lavender. On the other side of the house, sit out on the covered terrace with magnificent vistas of Mont Sainte-Victoire.

Inside Villa Mirabeau, the interiors are welcoming and elegant with a spacious lounge leading to the terrace with mountain views and a fantastic kitchen with doors opening out to the stone terrace just above the swimming pool. There is also a dining area and attractive hallway - this inviting Provençal house feels like a genuine home.

In the main part of the house there is the master en suite double with a private terrace with panoramic views, and two other bedrooms (and shared bathroom) with lovely views. An annexe with a separate entrance sleeps another four guests across two bedrooms, a bathroom and a lounge/kitchen area. Both the main house and annexe are air-conditioned.

The local village, Vauvenargues, is less than 5km away by car with its grocery store and a couple of restaurants. Picasso moved here in 1959 and purchased the Château de Vauvenargues, now a listed Historic Monument in France - it isn’t open to the public but it’s impressive to admire from a distance as you stroll through the traditional village.   

There are wonderful walks from the village including the GR9 hiking trail. Indeed, the whole of Mont Sainte-Victoire is a paradise for hikers, mountain bike enthusiasts, paragliders, horse-riders, rock-climbers and so on. You may prefer to just hop in the car to visit pretty mountain villages so loved by Cézanne such as Pourrières, Puyloubier and Le Tholonet.

Aix-en-Provence is another superb day out with its iconic tree-lined Cours Mirabeau, many fountains, excellent shopping and atmospheric markets. You could even venture to the coast - for example Cassis, a picture-perfect fishing village ideal for lunch by the harbourfront and also the gateway to the incredible Calanques National Park.

Only half an hour from Aix-en-Provence, Villa Mirabeau enjoys beautiful views of Montagne Sainte-Victoire. In the Bouches-du-Rhone department of France, close to the Var and Vaucluse borders, fly into Marseille Airport (44km) or take the fast train service from Paris to Gare D’Aix-en-Provence TGV (34km).

In a rural setting yet not too isolated thanks to a handful of neighbouring properties, the house is set in enclosed grounds with olive trees and lavender. It is just under 5km to the small village of Vauvenargues, home to a useful Spar grocery store and a small handful of places to eat including the highly regarded restaurant at Hôtel Sainte Victoire. It’s a traditional Provençal village with pretty shuttered houses and narrow lanes.

Picasso moved to the village for a short time in 1959 and purchased Château de Vauvenargues - he produced some great works of art during his time here and he is now buried alongside his beloved wife beneath the castle’s terrace. The château is closed to the public but you can still admire the 13th century house as you walk or drive past - it is listed as a Historic Monument in France.

There are some wonderful walks from Vauvenargues - the GR9 passes through the village and continues towards Jouques or Puyloubier. It also goes without saying that the hiking opportunities across Mont Sainte-Victoire are incredible with over 250km of marked trails. Mountain biking, rock-climbing, paragliding and horse-riding are some of the other fantastic activities across the mountain.

For the less adventurous, drive to characterful villages such as Pourrières (16km), so loved by Cézanne, and Puyloubier (20km) surrounded by wild landscapes and woodland. Le Tholonet (23km) is another one of the artist’s favourite places and a great place to stop off for lunch. Furthermore, purchase some of the excellent wine produced from vineyards across the foothills of Mont Sainte-Victoire.

Follow more of Cézanne’s footsteps in the charming town of Aix-en-Provence (15km) with its café terraces along tree-lined Cours Mirabeau, elegant shops, historic architecture as well as impressive galleries and museums. Children will be enchanted by the Carrousel Paul Cézanne whilst art lovers won’t want to miss a visit to Paul Cézanne’s atelier, around a 15-minute walk from the town centre.

You could even spend the day by the coast - the colourful seaside village of Cassis is just over an hour away by car, a lovely spot for lunch by the harbourfront accompanied by wine from Cassis’ vineyards. The village is also the gateway to the Calanques National Park for incredible coastal hiking or explore the beautiful scenery by sea-kayak or boat excursion.