the chic french swimming pool

We are now back from the south, but my head is still full of beautiful images.  I particularly loved the gardens we saw, designed to encourage a very zen attitude.  Soft colours, careful planting and a great deal of attention paid to pool design.

I am loving these toned down colours for pool and pool side.  Turquoise can look harsh, these more natural shades just look elegant.

I also like the long narrow pool, not only practical for swimming lengths, but also so well adapted to sleek garden design.

inspiration found in a Provence château

While in the South, I was lucky enough to meet rather an extraordinary French lady, living in an 18th century château, ... with an art gallery in her garden.

Sabine Puget is passionate about art and the importance of art in everyday life.  When she and her husband bought their château some years back, she was brave enough to create a gallery and open its doors to the public.

She quickly ran out of space, but boldly created extra display areas around the gallery, stark modern shapes, that fit into her breathtaking property effortlessly, and whose brick red colour echoes the beautiful patina on the château walls.

The gallery is open from May to September, and she creates two exhibitions each season.    I was fascinated to visit the current show, which combines and juxtaposes the work of two artists:  a photographer who likes to shoot pictures of old catalogues of plant collections, and a sculptor  who is passionate about granite, marble and stone.

All through the show, sculptures, large and small, echo the beautiful black and white photos on the walls.

 To add interest to the already breathtaking sculptures, they are created to move and to turn upon themselves.

The garden around the gallery and the house is carefully planted to emphasise the presence of the gallery.  Walking around the grounds, this visitor sometimes gasped at the beauty of an unexpected artwork, whose silver grey wood or subtle stone, reflects the soft Provençal light.

In a corner of the garden is a tiny chapel, long since abandoned when Sabine and her husband bought the property.  It is now restored with evocative paintings on the wall and unique stained glass windows, and has become the subject of a small book.

This stunning property is perfectly maintained and designed but never overwhelming.  At every corner there is a reminder that this is first and foremost a home, owned by a couple who have understood the importance of life's simple pleasures.  Be it a striking work of art; sitting in a simple deck chair in the shade of an old chestnut tree, or hearing grand children play pétanque outside the house.

So if you find yourself in the south of France this summer, and you would like to visit Sabine's gallery, simply contact her or turn up on a sunny summer afternoon and refresh your body and mind as you breathe in the utter beauty of her property and the art she cares to show.

doors in Provence

Like many people I often take pictures of doors.   The door to a house seems to say as much about architectural style as it does about life behind scenes.   It can be welcoming or forbidding, modest or built to impress.

Here in Provence, where I have been walking around villages dating back hundreds of years, and around the beautiful town of Aix en Provence the mixture of styles and the personal touches are fascinating.   Come along and take a look.

a dreamy french riverside home for sale

If you have ever dreamt of finding a cute little house in Normandy, tucked away in deep green countryside, then this one is for you!

This charming property belongs to a friend who has to move for professional reasons.  It lays on the banks of the river that runs through our valley, just a couple of minutes from our village. 

The house is quite small, which makes it ideal as a country pied-à-terre, or a weekend hideaway from a busy life in Paris.  Downstairs there is a large sitting room, a dining room and a small kitchen.

I love the beams and the beautiful floor tiles.   There are many windows to make the house bright and airy.

Below is the view from the dining room through and across the hallway into the sitting room.

The kitchen is small but very well put together and very functional.

Upstairs there are three bedrooms, this is the one I prefer, for the view of course, a long uninterrupted vista across fields.

The bathroom is also bright and airy with its big window that lets the sunshine pour in.

Sitting outside on a summer evening here, is quite wonderful.  The river running by and the birdsong is about the only sound to be heard.  Today there are some great trees and  a good basis in the garden, and with a little TLC it could become quite spectacular.

The house measures about 120 square meters or 1300 square feet, and the overall property around 7000 square meters, or 1.7 acres.  It was built in the 50's, and a lot of old materials were used, which is why it has such an authentic air.  I particularly appreciate the old roof tiles, typical of traditional houses in Normandy.

And if perchance you wish to keep  horses, there is already a paddock fenced off, with a couple of stables ready to go!

If you would like any further information on this property, you are very welcome to send me a mail, or if you prefer to contact the owner directly.  

Happy dreaming!