A Summer in Provence

This summer I spent some time at my sister's country home in Provence. She owns an old bastide (Provencal manor) nestled in the vineyards at the foot of Mont Ventoux. As you can see, the Provencal architectural style of the 18th century has little in common with the "Provencal style" of houses in California or even the Cote d'Azur. First of all, these bastides have few if any windows on the side of the house that faces north. At the time, this was done to protect the house from the dominant north wind, the "Mistral." In addition, the architectural design is almost severe. The walls are extremely thick and the windows relatively small so as to protect the house from the southern heat. Typically, there are many plane trees to bring shade and freshness. The garden is "� la Fran�aise" with geometric patterns created by stone walls and shrubbery. As there are many underground springs in the region, the garden remains very green.

A grand piano and a Morandi in the living room: this is the perfect time to relax and play music with friends