The former sheep barn

This structure, made of local stone, was built in the seventeenth century. Its range of rooms underlines its original purpose in tending sheep. Windows with pane bars beneath oak lintels punctuate the thick walls of this former sheep barn. The layout is made up of rooms of varying sizes, linked together by small intermediate staircases. For example, a few steps separate the living room and the kitchen. On both sides, these rooms lead to outdoor areas, including a half-covered terrace. There is a bedroom on the lower level. The other bedrooms lie upstairs beneath sloping ceilings. On the east side, a separate space has been converted into a bedroom with a bathroom.

The floors are adorned with original tomette tiles and solid-wood parquet upstairs. They are not level everywhere, which bears witness to the periods that have gradually shaped them. Exposed raw-timber beams run across the ceilings. They are heavy and uneven: tokens of a time when solidity was considered more important than appearance.

The masterful renovation of this whole home has been carried out with great care, precision and passion. The old dwelling’s original features have been preserved as much as possible, their details showcased, their authenticity highlighted. This charming house is a delight for the eyes.

The separate bedroom

On the building’s east side stands a separate bedroom with a very original bathroom. This section was probably a stable originally, which would explain why it is partitioned off from the main building. You enter it either from the garden via a shaded terrace or from the back of the former sheep barn. Two large windows bring much natural light into the room. They face a large oak tree, just the other side of them, offering a green view outside. You reach the bathroom via a few steps and a small walkway. It provides a tiled shower and a bath that is flush with the floor as if it is embedded in the ground.

The garden

In the past, an age-old olive grove with around 140 trees was spread over several terraces here. Today, these terraces take up almost all the grounds. They are separated by thick dry-stone retaining walls. Some of them stand out for beehives built into the walls. These probably date back to the Middle Ages. Another feature of these walls is a series of heavy stones that protrude to form a flight of stairs over a pétanque court. A garden has been developed around the house. Many trees and shrubs of different, complementary species dot the area to form an oasis of colours that change according to the season. The property’s oldest olive tree looks down over a vegetable patch surrounded by low walls. Here, vegetables can be cultivated, sheltered from wind.

Further up from the house, in the property’s northern section, towering downy oaks blend into the neighbouring woods and complete the lush garden. Antiquity has left traces on this property: not only does a Roman road edge it, but many old stone formations, from circles to dolmens and different stacks, bear witness to the site’s ancient history.

The swimming pool

A large swimming pool that is about fifteen metres long and five metres wide adds straight lines to the oasis of greenery where it lies. This pool is well placed at the bottom of the slope, south of the house, where the sun shines on it all day long. Large, flat stones frame it and a stone-powder coating that is nice to touch lines the inside. Shady corners and brighter spots make it pleasant to laze around the pool.

The outbuilding

Behind the house, there is a small outbuilding with an adjoining shed used for storing garden equipment and wood. The little room inside this outbuilding could be converted into an extra bedroom or enlarged.

It stands by a track with two old stone walls that was probably the main route to the building originally.