Outside :
Bastide Oleander faces south in 8 acres of olive, oak & pine, with wonderful views towards the distant hills of the Massif des Maures. It looks out over its terraced olive grove & the property is very peaceful, tranquil & not overlooked. To the front of the house there are large paved sun terraces. On the lower one is a 10m x 5m heated swimming pool with roman steps & a shallow end. It has an electrically operated rigid pool cover conforming with French safety laws. There are 8 sun loungers for relaxing on around the pool. On the upper terrace there is a large forged iron table with chairs & cushions. You can dine there alfreso for 10, shaded by day & at night with the outside lighting on. There is an outside covered summer kitchen with a sofa, another iron table & chairs, a built-in gas barbecue, sink & extra fridge. At the back of the house there is a large graveled area with plenty of parking. The house is reached by its own driveway (not suitable for very low-slung sports cars).
Lorgues :
Lorgues (4km) is a pretty market town, surrounded by vineyards & olive groves & dominated by the impressive church 'La Collegiale St Martin'. There are many old squares, fountains & narrow pituresque streets to explore. It has 3 supermarkets, plenty of small shops & all the usual amenities a town offers. For eating out there are many choices of bars, cafés, restaurants & of course 'Brunos', the famous truffle inspired restaurant with celebrity chef owner. The long main street with ancient plane trees giving shade for the large Provençal market each Tuesday. This is a colourful affair where you can buy clothes, baskets, pottery & even beds! Also, sample produce including breads, cheeses, olive oils, tapenades & choose from hot roasted chickens, hams & paella to take back for lunch. Many wine domaines are around to visit for tasting & buying the local ' Côtes de Provence' wines. Bastide Oleander is the ideal base for exploring all that Provence & the Cote D'Azur has to offer.
Travel :
There are airports at Nice (1 hr), Toulon-Hyeres (50 mins) & Marseille (75 mins). They offer a wide choice of airlines between them, including EasyJet, Ryanair, BA, Flybe, Aerlingus, bmiIbaby & Jet2. The nearest railway station is at Les Arcs/Draguignan (15 mins) with frequent services to Cannes, Nice, Monaco, Italy, Toulon & Marseille. It is also a TGV stop with fast trains to Paris. In the summer you can book the Eurostar from London to Avignon direct & also the overnight Motorail service from Calais to Nice. The nearest access to the main motorway, the A8 autoroute, is at Le Luc by the Toulon junction (15 mins). Travelling east on the motorway takes you along the Cote D'Azur to Frejus, Cannes, Nice, Monaco & on into Italy. Travelling west takes you to Aix-en-Provence (1hr), Marseille (75 mins), Avignon (1hr 40 mins) & onwards. A car is necessary. It is also an ideal base from which to explore all that Provence & the Cote D'Azur has to offer.
Golf:
The nearest golf courses are St Endreol at La Motte & Barbaroux at Brignoles. Both are about a 30 minute drive away. Tennis is available in the nearby village of St Antonin or Lorgues. Kayaking on the river Argens is 10 minutes away.
