A parenthesis in Provence Enjoy a pleasant and authentic setting a few minutes from Aix-en-Provence (8km NORTH) La Bastide, built in the 17th century, offers a peaceful setting in a privileged location. History of this bastide At the beginning of the 17th century, a Lawyer in the Parliament of Aix, had one of the first bastides built on the plateau of PUYRICARD, thus initiating the phenomenon of bastides, real "second homes" of the time. In 1696 the map of the terroir of Aix en Provence counted only twenty bastides, whereas there were more than a hundred in 1820. Fleeing the sweltering heat of the city of Aix en Provence, where he owned a mansion, located Place de Ganay, he built, around 1610, a bastide in the heart of the Trévaresse forest and at the confluence of two valleys, an idyllic place if ever there was one. Subsequently in 1664, the estate was placed under the direct major lordship of the Archbishop of Aix and erected as a rear fief by Monsignor Jérôme de Grimaldi. From 1840 the estate changed owners several times and fell into disrepair until it was bought by its current owner. With more than 620m2, a forest of one hectare, a swimming pool and a swimming pool, enjoy the place in peace. A rare testimony to 17th century bastide architecture, the bastide is anchored in the hill from which it originated, the excavation of the hill having served as a quarry. Massive, but elegant, it satisfies the canons of Provençal architecture, closed to the North to protect itself from the Mistral, open to the South by high and narrow windows to benefit from the sunshine, and protected from excessive heat by trees of shading. The facade and the main volumes have been preserved, as well as the heritage elements still present, such as the fireplace in the living room, the old cement tile floors, the vaulted ceilings of the old chapel (currently bedroom 5) and the library (meeting room). The main stairwell, located in a corner of the building, typical layout of the 17th century, with its two niches and its imposing statue has also been restored to its original state. A body of building comprising a vaulted room on the ground floor, the living quarters of the farmer, and storage upstairs, was added over the centuries, thus constituting the farm, a corollary
essential for bastidaire life, resolutely autarkic. A vegetal domain The domain develops on a green hectare, organized in terraces lined with terraces of dry stone, the center of which is the bastide. Each has its own function, like the rooms in a house. Below, the centuries-old basin that was the property's water reserve has been transformed into a swimming pool and opens onto a space of tranquility planted with olive trees and cypresses. A living hedge separates the vegetable garden from the pleasure garden. A little higher up, the main garden welcomes visitors with its imposing 17th century portal, and offers terraces shaded by a bicentennial lime and chestnut tree. The large circular steps give access to the bastide. A few steps higher, after crossing a corridor of boxwood, a majestic cedar of Lebanon has developed its foliage like a protective canopy for almost two centuries. A few more steps, and a dovecote, witness to the attachment of the Provencals to doves and other “bartavelles”, dear to Pagnol, dominates a circle of greenery in which the large swimming pool is inserted. Higher still, the Trévaresse forest regains its rights and stretches as far as the eye can see. La Bastide has 3 bedrooms, 3 suites and 4 apartments, all equipped and air-conditioned. A family home or a professional project offering an art of living and very good profitability. A HISTORICAL 17TH CENTURY RESIDENCE LISTED IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PROPERTIES, BASTIDES AND CASTLES IN THE PAYS D AIX (source René BORRICAND, "Bastides and castles in the Pays d Aix") Aix-en-Provence Sotheby's International Realty, the international benchmark for Luxury Real Estate. Mandate 655
Read more
