Located in Saint-Restitut, in the region of Tricastins en Drôme, this house has more than its share of stories to tell! And its owner, Gerald Calvier, who has spent three years lovingly restoring it, is only too happy to recount them.

It all began a very long time ago with the Romans, whose traces can still be seen today. Rebuilt some three centuries ago, the building has housed a succession of peasant families who lived in autarky by growing vegetables, pulses and tending to their sheep. The development of kaolin in the 20th century presaged the dawn of a new era. Dug out manually with pickaxes from mines, the white rock was crushed and mixed with water before being pressed into slabs and dispatched to various porcelain factories. The kaolin industry brought prosperity to the entire region before being gradually abandoned in the 1930s when profits began to wane. The mines and the house fell into disrepair and remained neglected till 2000 when Gerald fell under the spell of the region. He has restored the dilapidated building into a graceful, 200 square metres domicile which can be taken on rent for oneself or to invite... a dozen friends.

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Gérald CALVIER et Laurence RIVET
Domaine Le Saint Paulet
650, chemin du Kaolin
26130 ST RESTITUT
Tel: + 33 (0) 475 04 58 09

To see, to do:

-The village of Saint-Restitut is worth visiting: a bare and sober Romanesque church displaying a beautifully decorated antique door, a well-preserved renaissance building with turrets, the remains of ramparts, a door of the Rose, mullioned windows, gargoyles and pretty squares shaded by plane trees. Of equal interest are the "cathedral cellars". Situated in the ancient quarries which actually supplied the stones used in the construction of the Palace of the Popes in Avignon, these cellars form a veritable underground cathedral and provide ideal hygrometric conditions for ageing the "Cellier des Dauphins" wines.

-In season, from November to March, all activities centre around truffles: from digging them out to digging into them! In the process, one visits the Maison de la truffe and the market at St-Paul Trois Châteaux, both within a stone's throw of the domicile.

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After escaping their urban lifestyle, Serge and Lucile were dreaming of getting back in touch with nature. In 2006, this former firm manager and creator, discovered an ancient 18th century sheepfold  that would give them the opportunity to realise their wish: welcoming their friends and guests in a small paradise of comforts.

Keeping in mind the age-old history of the their building, Serge and Lucile recreated, on the 30,000 m2 of their park, the lavender field that gave its name to the estate. They also like to tell the story of the bicentennial white oaks, resembling willows, surrounding their house, their little branches and soft leaves having been pruned so often over the years to add to goats' feed.

Expect something new every year: in the spring of 2010, a garden of ancient roses will bloom and the Parfum Bleu will offer its guests the opportunity to meet lavender farmers, goat cheese artisans, potters and even wine-growers.  In summer, string quartets will come to play and remind us - like the cello fountain that lights up in blue at night - of the owners' musical preferences. A beautiful place that also keeps a Provençal donkey and a pony, two charming residents that will delight children.

Information: http://www.parfum-bleu.com

Le Parfum Bleu
Serge & Lucile FISNOT-ROCHON
F- 26230 Chantemerle-lès-Grignan
Tél : 00 33 (0)4 75 98 54 21 - 06 69 02 73 26
Photo: Le parfum bleu

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Who would guess that behind this big gate hides a beautiful manor, dating back to the 19th century?  In the heart of Nyon, a few steps from the famous provençal market, it rises proud and solitary in the middle of a beautiful garden where mediterranean essences abound.

Hotel or House?  More of a house, or rather a home, as Valérie and Raphaël Leroy welcome you like friends. Ten rooms, and not one more, to make sure you feel like you're in paradise.  A bench nestled in the shade of lime trees; a swimming pool between cypresses and arbours; the scents of aromatic plants distilled by a steam bath. And then there is the kitchen, the heart of the house: on the stove a chicken and orange bouillabaisse sings, the foies gras wait patiently to be dressed, surrounded by the region's jewels: Beaumes de Venise, Gigondas, Vacqueyras or Châteauneuf du Pape. Inevitably, then, you linger in the garden. You even dine there by candlelight, and only once the evening has trickled away do you return to your rooms, softly, so as not to wake Giono's ghost resting here!

Once upon a time there was an old mill that had been owned by the same family for generations. A long line of millers was interrupted by a grandfather who was allergic to flour!  The family then turned to wine production. Abandoned, the mill found its second youth only in 2003 when Pascal Broussard, representative of the fifth generation, and his wife Marilyne, decided to renovate the residence. Set in a 5-hectare park planted with aromatic plants, fruit trees and oaks with truffles, the mill today has five beautiful rooms. A lovely river that crosses the property, a large swimming pool, a terrace shaded by hundred-year-old trees, a warm welcome and services to ensure your well-being: the Moulin de Champdurand is as comfortable and enjoyable as it is endearing. To experience in Suze la Rousse, in the heart of Provencal Drôme.

Information and contact: http://www.moulindechampdurand.com

Le Moulin de Champdurand,
Marilyne & Pascal BROUSSARD
Champdurand
F- 26790 - SUZE-LA-ROUSSE
Tél : + 33 (0)4.75.98.87.59 Port. : +33 (0)6.06.40.24.58
Photo: Moulin de Champdurand

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