Ferme le Pavillion

French savoir-vivre is palpable in many places in France, but nowhere is it more enchanting than in the pretty, small, medieval villages of Provence. Here, in the verdant Var department, is the picturesque hamlet of Bargemon, where Christel and Teis live with their two children, two dogs, two cats and five chickens. The extensive property of Ferme le Pavillion includes two beautiful old stone houses with six guest rooms and apartments standing beside a cool, inviting swimming pool surrounded by the property’s woodland. A beautiful, quiet place in the middle of green hills, ideal for relaxing, dreaming—and enjoying. You’d really be missing a treat if you stayed here without sampling the food, from the delicious French breakfasts to Teis’ culinary creations in the evening. Several days a week, he can be found in the kitchen happily serving up wonderful three- to four-course menus created using the bountiful, aromatic produce of the region. Everything is homemade or comes from the neighboring farm or the immediate surroundings. With such delights, it is difficult to pull yourself away to head east to the sea (to Nice or Cannes) or northwest to the magnificent Gorges du Verdon. It’s not only the delightful surroundings at Ferme le Pavillon that make it a worthy destination—the rooms themselves are gems. The mix of tastefully tiled floors and the clean shapes of high-quality Scandinavian furniture in calm Nordic color schemes with bright pops of color is particularly charming. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the garden, the pool and the green hills of Bargemon. All of the rooms have a very nice en suite bathroom, air conditioning and heating—perfect for the hot summer nights and the sometimes chilly days of spring and autumn.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• The beautiful rooms and apartment with a mix of French ease and Scandinavian simplicity
• Brightly colored elements that give the interiors energy and verve.
• The two old stone houses with midnight blue shutters and decorative window bars, together with the spacious garden and the classical pool with oleander bushes remind us of an aristocratic country home.
• The heating which makes things comfortable even in spring and autumn—not always the case in the south of France.
• Teis’ wonderful culinary skills—he’s already building a reputation.
• Romantic dinners in the evenings in the spacious garden
• The village of Bargemon with its medieval, narrow streets and its historic fountain
• It’s the perfect place to rest and recuperate—this southern French paradise makes you feel right at home straight away. 
• The six rooms or apartment can be booked from April to October.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• The six rooms or apartment can be booked from April to October.
• All apartments can only be booked with half board. In addition to breakfast, Teis prepares a three-course dinner on six evenings per week from mid-June to mid-September. From mid-April to mid-June and from mid-September to mid-October, dinner is served on five evenings per week. On the remaining evenings, guests have the option to dine out or eat at the Ferme.
• Additional bed or baby bed on request
• In spring and autumn the family offers a one-night gourmet stay.
• Vegetarian dishes are available but unfortunately not vegan ones.
• Yoga retreats are also offered.
• Lac de Sainte Croix is a great place for swimming.
• The area is perfect for biking, canyoning, rafting, hiking, golfing and climbing.
• The mountain villages of Fayence Montauroux, Fayence, Callian, Seillans, Tourrettes, Saint-Paul-en-Forêt and Tanneron are also very beautiful.
• Nice can be reached in an hour by car from Ferme le Pavillon, and Toulouse in about an hour and twenty minutes—there are cheap flights to both airports almost all year round.
• Minimum stay in the rooms is two nights, in July and August three nights—minimum stay for the apartment is seven nights.