We spent a week at this house as our first visit to southern France. We were an extended family with a total of eight adults, and the house had plenty of space for everyone - really more bedrooms and bathrooms than we needed. The property has an excellent location, with terrific views of the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the mountains and surrounding countryside.
Checking in was really easy. The neighbor Jean helped us get acquainted with the house and the area, even taking the time to go with us to the local market, telling us of the history of the area, the best ways to drive into Le Lavendou, etc. Bruno, the property manager, was very responsive, helping us fix the few minor issues that we came across - coffee maker was cracked, a toilet stopped flushing. Both were addressed immediately.
A few things that surprised us about the rental. When checking in, the property manager wanted a large security deposit but did not have a way to accept a credit card as a form of payment. In the end, this did not seem to present a problem. The house has many necessities included, but apparently bath towels are not included with the set of linens. Again, the property manager helped get us started on this, but we were left with 8 bath towels for 8 people for the week. The house has air conditioning in the bedrooms, but not in the main living area or kitchen of the house. This is not really a problem unless it is hot, which it was for us for a few days. There is one large refrigerator, and one smaller one, which is nice, but only one tiny freezer.
The local beach is very nice, and easy to access. Several other beaches were within walking distance or a short drive, each has its own character. The area is terrific, there is so much to do and explore. Quaint small towns, farmers markets nearly every day of the week, great restaurants, beautiful wineries... We travelled to Monaco and St Tropez, both easy day trips, and well worth the drive. Overall, we had a great week in southern France, and this property served as a terrific base for our explorations.
