Vence holiday villa: La Gaude

Letting your girlfriend find and book this villa is an exceptionally good move as it means that you can arrive not knowing what to expect.

I was delighted by Villa Meon; by the sheer steepness of the driveway, by the infinity pool with it view across the valley towards the white horse grazing at almost impossible angles on the craggy slopes of the other side, the bumble bees buzzing and bowling along around the lavender adding yet another layer of provencal charm to the shuttered house and her clay brick, rustic tiles. I loved the reflection of the sun on the whitewashed walls, that wonderful evocative light green of the wooden gate and happy lean to feel of the the outdoor kitchen, where the rugged man of the wild can produce outlandishly brilliant, hand crafted pizzas to wow any guest. (OK, I went to the pizza van in La Guade and bought them, then pretended to have produced them myself by pulling them out on the wooden paddle from the pizza oven. But it still looked good!). All this I had felt and I hadn't even got to the door.

The house itself is bright and airy, whitewashed walls contrasting with the boldness of the wooden beams and the luxurience of the comfortable leather sofas. It flows nicely and easily from kitchen to diner to lounge and has the added benefit of a truly gorgeous dining patio, resting gently under the canopy of vines. Spent a lot of time here just looking out over the valley.

We did almost nothing the entire time we were here. Reading books and dipping in the pool, playing the Indiana Jones Wii game on the huge widescreen TV, having sundowners by the palm tree while leaning on the ballustrade of the lower terrace or indulging in food either out by the pool on on the covered terrace. This was interspersed with outbreaks of art (St. Paul de Vence is well worth it for Fondation Maeght alone) or a pop down into the buzz of Nice, the Riviera or a evening out in the restaurants of Haute Cagnes.

It is simple. Go. Rest. Enjoy. Villa Meon really is worth it.

Absolutely Beautiful Villa. Highly Recommended. Very Spacious. Pool was lovely - a little cold as we stayed in early May - but that did not deter us. Location wise the villa is ideal - near to the Major attractions of Nice, Cannes & Monaco and yet set in a rural peaceful setting. We are already planning our return next summer. Thanks again to Oliver and Molly for all their help in ensuring our stay was perfect.

We stayed at Villa Meon at the start of Sept 08 and really loved it. Its in the hills so not as scorching hot as the sea-side resorts, but still enjoys a very pleasant climate (around 28C during our stay). The villa itself is very well decorated and furnished, is very comfortable and feels more like a home than a rental property. We took day trips to Monte Carlo and St Paul de Vence, which were both easy to find and very interesting (in quite different ways). I'd recommend having a car if you are planning to stay at Villa Meon, it makes day trips a lot easier and also helps in getting supplies and dropping off rubbish, etc. Overall its a great location and we are certainly considering going back soon.