Nestled Among an Olive Grove…Les Olivettes

Les Olivettes never ceases to amaze me. This is a gorgeous Provençal “bastide” situated on the immediate edge of the Luberon town of Lourmarin. It’s surprisingly for sale, and as a very unusual property, it takes a very special buyer to understand and benefit from its unique qualities.

A “bastide” is defined as “a local term for a manor house in Provence, in the south of France, located in the countryside or in a village, and originally occupied by a wealthy farmer.” Just a nine-minute walk takes you into the center of Lourmarin, which makes it an ideal location for such a luxurious property, with a large pool and beautiful grounds filled with olive trees.

Patty Sadauskas and I had an opportunity to revisit the house today and marveled once again at its attributes. It is is a proven revenue-generating property…if that’s what you have in mind. Or maybe you want it all to yourself, your family and friends, but either way, you’ll never forget your life and times there.

Lourmarin is one of the region’s most desirable enclaves and ranked among the most beautiful in France. Located between two valleys, the Durance and the Calavon not far from the town of Apt, the village is located at the entrance of a passage dug by the river Aiguebrun in the limestone mountains of the Luberon. Famous international figures have been drawn to Lourmarin, such as French authors Albert Camus and Henri Bosco (who are buried in the village cemetery), as well as English author Peter Mayle (“A Year in Provence”), who helped bring world-wide attention to the area. The village can also boast of gastronomic delight with Reine Sammut’s Michelin Star restaurant, Auberge La Fenière. There are no less than four other Michelin-starred restaurants within 15 minutes drive. Punctuating the village’s landscape is the 15th-century Château de Lourmarin, reminding us all of its aristocratic heritage.

The Luberon is a region of France of special note. With its abundance of olive trees, vineyards, fruit trees, lavender fields, and surrounding hills, Lourmarin is as close to paradise in Provence (or just about anywhere) as you will ever get. It serves as an ideal base for visiting Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Arles and the villages of the Luberon and beyond. The famous port city of Marseille is less than an hour’s drive away. Marseille (international airport), Aix-en-Provence and Avignon provide fast and easy access to Paris (three hours) by way of the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) rail lines.

Lourmarin village

When you first drive up to the house and park (which allows for several cars), you are surrounded by the approximately 65 mature, fruit-bearing olive trees (which produce about 100 liters of olive oil a year) and landscaped Provençal gardens. You will immediately fall in love and that love affair will never end. The peace and quiet of the grounds is adorned by a large swimming pool covered with Bisazza mosaic tiles with its own cabana.

The house itself is comprised of six self-catering double suites, each with a terrace, a large bedroom and a fully equipped kitchen—each like its own studio apartment. Every apartment is decorated and furnished in traditional Provençal style, each with its own colors and personality: Le Pastis, Le Genêt, Le Voltaire, La Zidane and La Clairette.

To bring everyone together, the heart of the house is a large and spacious living and dining room under a tall cathedral ceiling with flooring of handmade Vernin terracotta tiles. This is where everyone will gather, relax, dine and dream. From here through the large windows there is a perfect view of the Château and the landscape surrounding Lourmarin. Adjacent there is a large sunny central kitchen, a laundry room and powder room for everyone to use and enjoy.

On an upper level is a large furnished terrace with a kitchen for your family barbecues and lazy summer evenings well into the night, accessible from one of the suites.

Because the house was built in the 20th-century, it has modern features such as a crawl space throughout, and a basement for the furnace and storage. The total surface area of the land is approximately 3800 square meters, of which the house occupies 300 square meters and the swimming pool 90 square meters.

Les Olivettes could easily generate 150,000€ per year. Designed and successfully operated as a Bed & Breakfast over a 20-year period ending in 2019, it benefits from 4.5-star reviews on TripAdvisor, on average. It is unique among local B&B establishments in that each apartment includes a bathroom, a kitchenette, and a private terrace.

The establishment is a turn-key revenue-generator as a Bed & Breakfast. Other business opportunities available for an investor may be a kind of co-living property, in which guests rent the rooms for periods of several weeks to several months. This business model, while possibly generating less revenue, would also involve less work. The local personnel having operated the business (greeting, cleaning, and maintenance) remain available to any future owner.

Les Olivettes in Lourmarin, Provence is for sale at €1,350,000 including all furnishings. Don’t pass up this special property…poised for a very special owner.

For more information and lots more photos, visit the details of Les Olvivettes here or contact Carsten Sprotte by email or call him at +33 6 26 08 12 94.

A bientôt