Maison Guerard

This characterful three bedroom stone house enjoys a fabulous location near the heart of historic Arles, where colourful sun baked houses and shady squares are sure to remind you of several of Van Gogh’s masterpieces. Charm and history have been lovingly retained in renovated Maison Guerard, now a comfortable home with artistic ambience. The open plan ground floor flows from a spacious kitchen towards the dining room with its fine grand piano and onwards through a bright and elegant lounge to the music room. Upstairs are two double bedrooms, one with a dressing room and corner office, while beneath the eaves and away from the crowd is an air conditioned twin. Stone terraces border the house, offering sunshine and shade at different times of day, ideal for a quiet cup of coffee with a book. The garden has mature trees and a range of Mediterranean shrubs to remind you that you are in Provence and the private swimming pool, with its own little ‘plage’ area, is just perfect for a refreshing dip after a busy day of sightseeing in the wonderful city of Arles. Indeed, you don’t have to travel far from your holiday home to see many of the famous sights of this lively city so full of Roman treasures. The Arena is modelled on the Coliseum in Rome and its amphitheatre now hosts tours and cultural events instead of fights and chariot races. Treat yourself to dinner at one of the terraced restaurants beneath the plane trees in the atmospheric Place du Forum, take a Van Gogh walking tour or simply absorb the city’s atmosphere from a boat on the Rhône. Arles is often described as a seductive gateway to the amazing Camargue with its marshes, lagoons, wild white horses and pink flamingos - it’s exciting to take a jeep safari from the city to explore it further. For more fascinating day trips, the fine cities of Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Nîmes and Marseille can be reached by car or by train or you may prefer to drive north eastwards towards vibrant St-Rémy-de-Provence and the wonderful landscapes and exquisite villages of Les Alpilles.   Features: Maison Interiors (150m2) Ground Floor -    Lounge and open plan music room with piano -    Open plan kitchen, well-equipped including fridge-freezer, oven, microwave, gas hob, dishwasher and Nespresso machine -    Open plan dining area with dining table and piano -    Cellar/laundry room -    WC -    Shower room with Italian shower and sink Upstairs -    Bedroom with double bed (160x200cm), TV, dressing area and office corner -    Bedroom with double bed (160x200cm) -    Shower room with large shower, sink and WC -    Bedroom (sloping ceilings) with sofa/twin beds (90x190cm each), air-conditioning and desk Outside Grounds (740m2) -    Salt-water swimming pool (6x3m, depth: 1.5m with four steps/plage area) and safety alarm -    Terrace -    Plancha -    Garden -    Parking Facilities -    Wi-Fi -    Air-conditioning (lounge and twin bedroom only) -    Fans (other bedrooms) -    TV with Netflix -    Washing machine and dryer Location: Maison Guerard is conveniently situated in a residential area near the centre of Arles in the Bouches-du-Rhône region of southern France, within 2km of the train station and less than an hour’s drive from Marseille Airport (with Avignon and Nîmes airports even closer). It’s only a 20-minute walk from home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Arena with an amphitheatre which once saw chariot races and gladiator fights and is still a performance area nearly 2000 years later, hosting cultural events throughout the year. A short walk from the Arena are the plane trees and terraced restaurants of Place du Forum, where Van Gogh painted Café Terrace at Night in 1888. Learn more about him at the nearby Fondation Vincent van Gogh or take a self-guided walking tour to see his paintings come to life. Walking home from Place du Forum, you might pass the Place de la République which has several fine buildings including the world heritage site of the Cathedral of Saint-Trophime with its peaceful cloisters. A relaxing way of sightseeing is to enjoy a boat tour on the River Rhône, near the mouth of this majestic river. When you are ready to explore further afield, take the half hour drive north eastwards towards vibrant St-Rémy-de-Provence, where Vincent Van Gogh painted his famous “Starry Night”. On a Wednesday morning there is an excellent market here which sells crafts and local produce. Drive southwards from St-Rémy into Les Alpilles Natural Park with its small mountains, vineyards, olive groves, orchards and sunflowers. There are some idyllic hill villages here such as Les Baux-de-Provence and opportunities for climbing, hiking, biking and horse riding. Take the 39km trip to the lively city of Avignon with its UNESCO World Heritage sites and fascinating covered markets. It’s a similar length journey to Nîmes (33km), one of the most attractive towns in France with its well-preserved Roman remains and lovely old town and gardens. For more magnificent landscapes, head the short distance southwards from Arles to the Camargue Regional Park situated at the delta of the Rhône and renowned for its wetlands, white horses, black bulls and pink flamingos. Its capital, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, is only 40km away from home and has some fine sandy beaches. Terms & Conditions: ? €2000 charged to client’s credit card before arrival and refunded two weeks after departure, subject to full inspection. 5.00 p.m. Arrivals after 9.00 p.m. may be charged a late arrival fee of €120. 10.00 a.m. Yes. Yes, changed once for stays over 14 nights. On request only and with prior agreement with the owner. Please note that published rates are only valid for the current year. Any bookings for subsequent years will be on request only and correct rates will be confirmed at the time of booking. Please note that your booking will only be confirmed once we have checked availability with the owner or their property manager. Weddings, stag/hen parties and any special events are not allowed. Air-conditioning is featured in the living room and twin bedroom only. Saturday. All other changeover days on request. Yes. Guests are required to leave the accommodation clean, tidy and in the same condition as on their arrival. Any extra cleaning, laundry, maintenance and/or rubbish disposal required will be charged against the security deposit. Outside only. Guests are required to be in possession of a valid insurance policy, which covers them for civil liability as well as cancellations, personal belongings, public liability and any accidental damage caused during their stay. A copy of this policy may be requested by the owner before arrival. 7 nights. All other durations on request. French Visitors Tax payable locally (typically costs €1-€5 per adult per night- please enquire if exact amount is required). Yes, changed once for stays over 14 nights. Please note that pool opening dates are subject to local weather conditions and pool maintenance requirements and that cooler months may not be suitable for swimming.