In northern inland Provence, a 135-m² renovated former sheep barn,
on 2.7-hectares of land, punctuated with vines, olive trees, fruit trees and lavender
on 2.7-hectares of land, punctuated with vines, olive trees, fruit trees and lavender
Cotignac,
VAR
provence-cote-dazur
83570
FR
Location
In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, in the Var area, in the north of inland Provence, Cotignac stands at the foot of an imposing tuff cliff, carved out through the centuries by water. The village was founded in the 11th century and has recently received a label recognising it as one of France’s most beautiful villages. Its steep, narrow streets are dotted with 17 fountains, remains of old oil presses, a 15th-century bell tower and troglodyte houses carved into the rock. Overlooking the plain, two Saracen towers bear witness to a defensive past. Aix-en-Provence can be reached in one hour by road, while the airports in Nice and Marseille are 1 hour 30 minutes away; with the one in Hyères 1 hour 10 minutes away. Sainte Croix lake is 45 minutes away, the beaches on the Var coast can be reached in a little more than 1 hour and the nearest ski resorts are approximately 2 hours away.
Description
This house can be reached, after less than 10 minutes by car from Cotignac, via a country road and a discrete lane through the woods, through an automatic iron gate in the stone walls that enclose the property. A drive lined by evergreen oak trees leads to a vast threshing area, which is a remarkable element of the local rural heritage, currently used as a parking area. This approximately 135-m², two-storey, early 19th-century former sheep barn has been extended and renovated over time.
It is built on a rectangular base, has walls that are around sixty centimetres thick and a gabled roof made up of half-round tiles, lined by a double genoise corbel. The ochre-coloured rendered façades are dotted with small-paned windows and French windows fitted with painted wooden shutters. On the ground level, an annex dating most likely from the second part of the 20th century has been added. It stands against the northern façade, has a separate entrance and is linked to the rest of the building by an indoor staircase.
The house is surrounded by several patios on different levels and a variety of exterior spaces. A flight of steps runs alongside the southern façade and leads to the main entrance, which is covered by an awning, from which the vast patios surrounding the residence to the east and west can be also reached. The one to the east, with terracotta tiling, is shaded by a wrought-iron pergola covered with a canvas, while the more recent one to the west is covered with exotic wood and leads to a wide lawned area. This is followed by a 11 metre by 5 meter, heated, salt-water system swimming pool with tiled decking, as well as a stone pool-house. A very short distance away, an exotic wood gazebo stands in the shade of the evergreen oaks, near to a stone hut that houses a bore-hole pump. Beneath the house, there is an around 50-m² cellar, in which troughs and a water tank pay witness to the property’s rural and agricultural past. There are also three storerooms and cellars underneath the house.
It is built on a rectangular base, has walls that are around sixty centimetres thick and a gabled roof made up of half-round tiles, lined by a double genoise corbel. The ochre-coloured rendered façades are dotted with small-paned windows and French windows fitted with painted wooden shutters. On the ground level, an annex dating most likely from the second part of the 20th century has been added. It stands against the northern façade, has a separate entrance and is linked to the rest of the building by an indoor staircase.
The house is surrounded by several patios on different levels and a variety of exterior spaces. A flight of steps runs alongside the southern façade and leads to the main entrance, which is covered by an awning, from which the vast patios surrounding the residence to the east and west can be also reached. The one to the east, with terracotta tiling, is shaded by a wrought-iron pergola covered with a canvas, while the more recent one to the west is covered with exotic wood and leads to a wide lawned area. This is followed by a 11 metre by 5 meter, heated, salt-water system swimming pool with tiled decking, as well as a stone pool-house. A very short distance away, an exotic wood gazebo stands in the shade of the evergreen oaks, near to a stone hut that houses a bore-hole pump. Beneath the house, there is an around 50-m² cellar, in which troughs and a water tank pay witness to the property’s rural and agricultural past. There are also three storerooms and cellars underneath the house.
The former sheep barn
The garden-level floor
This level is linked to the main house via an indoor staircase but it also has a separate entrance on the eastern façade. It includes an entrance, a utility room and a master bedroom. The bedroom boasts Salerne terracotta tiling and is situated next to a vast shower room with a lavatory and cupboard space as well as multi-coloured tiling. The single-sloped, Marseille-style ceiling combines exposed beams and old tiles. A window and small-paned French windows facing north and opening onto a patio, as well as a second window to the west, bathe this room in light.
The ground floor
A flight of stone steps outside on the southern façade climbs up to the entrance, through which a corridor leads to all the rooms on this level. On one side, set slightly lower down, an approximately 30-m² living room is flooded with light thanks to triple-leaf French windows opening onto a patio to the west, as well as another window to the south. Part of the western wall is occupied by a fireplace with a wood-burning insert. The room boasts ochre- and brick-coloured walls, terracotta floor tiling and exposed beams on the ceiling. The corridor then leads to a kitchen and a lavatory. Light streams into the kitchen via French windows that open onto a patio to the east, as well as by a window to the south. The floor is paved with hexagonal terracotta tiles.
The upstairs
A large window to the east allows light to pour into the staircase, which climbs to a landing leading to three bedrooms, a bathroom and a lavatory. In all the rooms, the floors are paved with terracotta tiles and the sloping ceilings combine exposed beams and tiles. The first, approximately 15-m² bedroom boasts a built-in wardrobe, faces south and has light purple-coloured walls. The second, with a wardrobe in the corner and green walls, is bathed in light through a west-facing window and a narrow opening to the south that resembles an arrow slit. Finally, the last, approximately 10-m² bedroom with a wardrobe is painted in a yellow/orange hue, with a window to the west and an arrow slit like opening to the north. Next to this, there is a separate lavatory and a bathroom with blue tiling, two washbasins and north-facing window.
The grounds
The slightly sloping, 2.7-hectare grounds divided into several terraces completely surround the building. A listed woodland made up of evergreen oaks lines the edges of the property. On the upper terrace, a more than five-hundred-year-old Italian olive tree welcomes visitors at the end of a threshing area. There are also cypress trees, a white oak and varied Mediterranean vegetation, next to the lawned area around the swimming pool. Thanks to water from a borehole, the garden is perfectly well maintained.
Lower down to the south and marked out by dry-stone walls, a vast, flat expanse is very conducive to the growth of organic (Syrah) vines, for which there is a 0.8-hectare land tenancy, around forty olive trees and almost as many fruit trees, as well as 0.15 hectares of lavender. The view is totally unobstructed, taking in the Petit Bessillon area and the surrounding hills in the distance.
Our opinion
This property, located on the pilgrimage trail, is immersed in the midst of nature, halfway between the Saint Joseph monastery and Notre Dame, just fifteen minutes away. The wooden doors, Salerne tiles, and typical Provence terracotta tiles combine with more recent elements to provide comfort and functionality in a living environment full of light and simplicity. The building’s dominant position, overlooking its entire surroundings in every direction, makes it possible in summer and winter alike to follow the path of the sun and contemplate the landscape’s colour palette: from the violet of the lavender to the golden brown of the vines in winter, including the white, pink and red of the bay trees and poppies in the spring. The property has everything required for enjoying a fulfilling life in an authentic and pleasant setting, whether as a main residence or a holiday home.
Reference 603624
| Land registry surface area | 2 ha 67 a 54 ca |
| Main building surface area | 135.6 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 4 |
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NB: The above information is not only the result of our visit to the property; it is also based on information provided by the current owner. It is by no means comprehensive or strictly accurate especially where surface areas and construction dates are concerned. We cannot, therefore, be held liable for any misrepresentation.
