Our house, Le Point, is a small stone cottage in a narrow street in the unspoilt village of Cucuron. It is part of the medieval village walls. Cucuron lies inside the Luberon Nature Park in the Provence region of France. It is a 40 minute drive north of Aix-en-Provence and 50 minutes from Marseille Airport.
The house is a treasure that has been in Matthew’s family since the 1970’s when the muralist Mary Adshead, his grandmother and wife of artist Stephen Bone, restored it so she had a bolt hole in an area of France she loved. The small bedroom is still decorated with Mary's Trompe-l'œil murals.
The village is surrounded by beautiful countryside and lies at the foot of the Luberon hills. It has a traditional market on Tuesdays around a large rectangular carp pond (bassin) and paved square which is shaded by towering Plane trees, planted in 1815. This space is a focal point of the village and great place to sit and relax for a while.
The village houses a cooperative wine cellar where local farmers bring their grapes and the resulting wines can be tasted and purchased. A couple of walking trails start from the and you can discover the wine-growing activity around the area from a historical standpoint. There is also an olive mill on the outskirts of the village that does tours and has a shop.
Cucuron is an unspoilt Provencal village abounding with character, ideal for a week or two relaxing or visiting the wider region by car. It has shops, bars and restaurants together with wonderful views and masses of character, all reachable in a few minutes.
THE HOUSE
Tucked away down a short medieval street is Le Point, is a characterful village house.
GROUND FLOOR:
The front door, set in thick stone walls, opens into a spacious vaulted double bedroom, with king size bed.
A single bedroom, which makes a good dressing room for a couple, and bathroom are accessed via this main bedroom.
The bathroom has a walk-in shower and a washing machine. The double bedroom includes comfortable seating for two, and a fireplace that can be used in the winter months. Thick stone walls mean that the ground floor rooms are relatively cool even in the height of Summer, but usefully retain heat in the cooler months.
FIRST FLOOR:
Reached by a steep set of ancient stone stairs (not suitable for small children or those with mobility issues) there is a light and airy living room/kitchen/diner and small terrace.
The living area includes a double sofa bed. The kitchen area contains an oven, with hob and grill, dishwasher, microwave, fridge, kettle, toaster and all the pots, pans and crockery you would need to cater at home.
It also includes an eclectic collection of books. Views from the kitchen window are breathtaking. The very small private terrace is suitable for two to sit, enjoy the sun and eat.
Guest comment in 2014:-
Wonderful little hideaway in the storybook Provencal village of Cucuron. The previous reviewer described it perfectly...white washed stone walls and ceilings, challenging staircase and an adorable hand painted trompe l' oeil mini-bedroom. Roomy, fully functional kitchen/dining/living area upstairs, bedrooms downstairs. The kitchen has a wonderful little balcony with THE BEST view of the countryside. The owners are friendly and respond quickly to correspondence. Be sure to read the big scrapbooks in the bookcase upstairs...wonderful story of the artist family that purchased this little jewel of a home.
