Welcome to La Petite Maison Jeune, a delightful two bedroom gite rental retreat in a designated natural heritage park in this unspoilt and stunning mountain region of the Esteron Valley, north of Nice in the South of France.
The cottage (pictured above and below) is a rural retreat in the Alpes Maritimes, where the pre Alps meet the French Riveria, providing a playground mountain backdrop to the Cote d'Azur.
Well removed from modern life and all its technological trappings, La Petite Maison Jeune is well suited for those looking for a holiday with a difference; whether a relaxing romantic get away, an adventure holiday or a classic family break where your little ones can enjoy the spoils of nature.
La Petite Maison Jeune sits in the Esteron Valley by the Esteron River in the mountains; equidistant to the French Riviera hot spots and the inland attractions of Haute Provence including Gorge du Verdon and its nearby lakes.
The property is located in the commune of Roquesteron-Grasse village, 50km from Nice city and airport and the French Riviera. It is a fairly unique in setting in the Esteron Valley, enjoying a third of an acre of flat land (rather than terraced) of private enclosed garden making it a safe stay for families, with stunning views at every turn.
From this base you can enjoy both sides of the Alpes Maritimes; from rugged mountain and canyon activities and the perched villages of the Esteron Valley and Gorge du Verdun to the coastal days out along the Cote d'Azur, from Monaco to St Tropez.
Whether your holiday passion is food, wine, reading, relaxation, sun-bathing, painting, photography, walking, hiking, cycling, paddling, swimming or canyonering there are plenty of options for everyone. The local road, the D17, is a well trodden competition stage of the Monte Carlo Rally and Historic Rally and is also popular for competition and amateur cyclists. The local gorge, Clue d'Aiglun, just 15 minutes drive from the house is also a popular spot for canyoneering activities.
La Petite Maison Jeune sits in a third of an acre of private garden, with a patio, BBQ and plunge pool and is just a few minutes walk from the alpine Esteron River, with many paddling and bathing spots (pictured below). The property and its plot also enjoys most of the full day's sunshine.
From the garden you can hear the waters of the Esteron River (pictured above and below), which snakes around the plot of land on which La Petite Maison Jeune sits along with a handful of our neighbours.
Turn either left or right out of the garden gate and within 5-10 minutes you'll be at paddling and bathing spots by the river, perfect for cooling down during the summer in the clear Alpine waters that run down the valley and eventually on into the Mediterranean sea.
There are a dozen different paddling, bathing and swimming spots along the Esteron River within 20 minutes of the house, for bathers and swimmers of all ages and abilities.
LA PETIT MAISON BLANCHE: ROOMS & FACILITIES
The villa comprises two double bedrooms, a lounge (pictured below), kitchen, bathroom with shower and lean-to garage. Facilities include an LCD TV and DVD player, DVDs, books, micro hi-fi, as well as plenty of local guide books to help you plan your days out along the coast and inland.
The property is well suited for little ones, with a travel cot and high chair and the garden is flat and enclosed, safe for babies and toddlers to explore with adult supervision, with a swing, as well as little and large blow up paddling pools.
LIVING ROOM: The living room has a three piece suite, a log burner, a book and DVD library, as well as a mini hi-fi, TV & DVD player. Pictured Below: La Petite Maison Blanche Living Room by night
KITCHEN: The open plan kitchen contains a large fridge freezer, hobs, griddle, microwave, dishwasher and worktop.
BEDROOM ONE: (pictured below) has a large double bed and bedside tables with great views of the surrounding mountains and forest woodland.
BEDROOM TWO: (pictured below) has a smaller double bed with a bedside cabinet and chest of drawers.
Bedroom Two also has great views of the surrounding mountains and forest woodland, which turn in spectacular colours during Autumn, from mid October to early November, as pictured below.
Open the French shutters of the bedroom windows and each morning and take in the stunning views of the national heritage woodlands and mountains that envelope the little hamlet on which La Petite Maison Jeune sits, with the sounds of the alpine waters of the Esteron River running nearby.
The kitchen facilities contain a large fridge freezer, hobs, griddle, extractor fan, kettle, microwave, worktop and cupboard (below).
ESTERON VALLEY
Waking up at La Petite Maison Jeune and seeing the sun rise in the Esteron Valley from your bedroom window, the patio or the garden is a great start to any new day.
Some mornings you'll wake up amongst the clouds wrapping themselves round the mountains around the Esteron Valley, producing a dreamy morning to any holiday.
After a frosty or dew soaked night sit and have breakfast on the patio and watch the rising sun warm up the valley, with steam rising from the vines, bushes and trees.
THE ESTERON VALLEY
The Roquesteron-Grasse area of the Esteron Valley has recently been designated a natural heritage park of outstanding beauty by the Counseil de Alpes Maritimes regional authority.
La Petit Maison Blanche lies in this commune (parish) of Roquesteron-Grasse, one of a number of medieval villages scattered along the Esteron Valley in a national forest park, enveloped by stunning mountain landscape all framed views out of every window and doorway of the villa, as below.
The Esteron Valley is made up of national forests and parks of the Alpes Maritimes department and are abundant in pine and olive trees and home to abundant wildlife including deer and boar.
The Esteron Valley is made up of national forests and parks of the Alpes Maritimes department and are abundant in pine and olive trees and home to abundant wildlife including deer and boar.
The valley is steeped in history; the Esteron river flows past the Le Petit Maison Blanche and under the local village bridge, called the Pont de France.
Over 250 years ago the Pont de France linked France with Italy when the Esteron river marked the border between the two countries, up until 1760 when the Treaty of Turin handed Nice and its outlying region back to the French from the House of Savoy.
Over 250 years ago the Pont de France linked France with Italy when the Esteron river marked the border between the two countries, up until 1760 when the Treaty of Turin handed Nice and its outlying region back to the French from the House of Savoy.
Many centuries before that, the valley was part of the Roman Empire's communication link back to Rome North West to Hadrian's Wall in Britain and South East to Rome
The Romans used coded smoke signals all along the Empire garrison chain passing messages back and forth across their European Empire.
The Romans used coded smoke signals all along the Empire garrison chain passing messages back and forth across their European Empire.
LOCAL ESTERON VALLEY VILLAGES
SIGALE
The nearest village to the house is Sigale, a mountain perched village (pictured below) which you can see above the house, a 10 minute drive from the house and the village which can be seen above the villa, a wonderful sight at night when its village lights provide one of just four backdrops.
SIGALE
The nearest village to the house is Sigale, a mountain perched village (pictured below) which you can see above the house, a 10 minute drive from the house and the village which can be seen above the villa, a wonderful sight at night when its village lights provide one of just four backdrops.
Sigale's main square (pictured below) is a typical French rural mountain village scene with a Marie, watering fountain, boules park and a Bar Tabac.
Sigale is one of the prettiest villages in the Esteron valley and is well worth a walk around its historic and winding streets, some of which you can enjoy views down on La Petite Maison Blanche and our neighbours (pictured below).
ROQUESTERON & ROQUESTERON-GRASSE
The other nearby villages to the villa are Roquesteron and Roquesteron-Grasse, almost adjoining villages parted only by the Esteron River.
The other nearby villages to the villa are Roquesteron and Roquesteron-Grasse, almost adjoining villages parted only by the Esteron River.
Both villages are a 15 minute drive from the house. You can also trek to all three villages on the old valley village mule trails, which are now local footpaths, well signposted along the way. Roquesteron-Grasse is the smaller of the two villages, the village has a local restaurant (called Auberge Du Vieux Moulin) which has table views over the Esteron River and the local footbridge (pictured below).
Roquesteron is the larger of the two villages, with a Church, Village Hall, two Bar Tabacs, a bakers, butchers, post office, local food, drink and grocery store and petrol and diesel pumps.
There is a village market every Wednesday morning selling fresh fruit and vegetables and other food produce and on Wednesday evenings the popular Ton-Ton mobile pizzeria parks up in Roquesteron village square near the Bar Tabac from 6pm until 9pm and fires up a stone baked pizza oven cooking up some of the finest pizzas in the Alpes Maritimes.
CUEBRIS
The village of Cuebris is a 25 minute drive from the house, situated behind and above Roquesteron-Grasse, it is one of the highest villages in the Esteron Valley. Cuebris is a pretty little village with an old Church square (pictured below).
Cuebris has a well equipped playpark for toddlers and infants, safe and enclosed with a couple of benches under shade (pictured below). The local Pizzeria is run by a friendly villager who also speaks English and is very hospitable.
DAYS OUT
INLAND: ESTERON VALLEY & GORGE DU VERDON
There are many days out to be had in the hinterland of the Alpes Maritimes. Whether you're a keen cyclist, artist, photographer, climber or motor enthusiast (many of the local Esteron Valley roads are often used as stages for the Monte Carlo Rally and the Monte Carlo Classic Rally), the D17 and D10 roads present huge rewarding opportunities all such enthusiasts with a sense of adventure and wanderlust.
Each turn of these mountain roads presents something new, from canyon spots to climbing ranges, spaghetti twisting hill climbs to a myriad of photo and painting opportunities, dawn to dusk (below).
The Esteron Valley contains some of the most spectacular canyoneering spots in the whole of Provence-Cote d'Azur. The nearby Clue d'Aiglun, a gorge with natural stone terraces with deep rock pools and waterfalls flowing the Esteron River, is a major attraction for canyoneering in the Alpes Maritimes and is just 10 minutes drive from the house.
Just an hour's drive further inland from the house is the spectacular Gorge du Verdon, Europe's largest canyon, dubbed the Grand Canyon of Europe. Within half an hour's drive in this direction the mountain roads of the Esteron Valley straighten out as you reach the higher plains of the Haute (High) Esteron, an area abundant with meadows and log cabins.
Feeding either side of the Gorges du Verdon are two big lakes, both worth visiting; Lac de Saint Croix furthest away and nearer to the house, Lac Castillon, a lake with striking turqoise waters (pictured below) which are a good spot for bathing and boating activities.
Just an hour's drive further inland from the house is the spectacular Gorge du Verdon, Europe's largest canyon, dubbed the Grand Canyon of Europe. Within half an hour's drive in this direction the mountain roads of the Esteron Valley straighten out as you reach the higher plains of the Haute (High) Esteron, an area abundant with meadows and log cabins.
Feeding either side of the Gorges du Verdon are two big lakes, both worth visiting; Lac de Saint Croix furthest away and nearer to the house, Lac Castillon, a lake with striking turqoise waters (pictured below) which are a good spot for bathing and boating activities.
For more information of local area visitor attractions see:
ALONG THE COAST: FROM MONACO TO MARSEILLES
- Menton (approx 2 hrs 30 mins drive from the villa)
- Monaco (approx. 2 hrs drive from the villa)
- Eze, pictured below (approx. 1hr 50mins drive from the villa)
- St Jean Cap Ferrat (approx. 1hr 30 mins drive from the villa)
- Villefranche-sur-Mer (approx. 1hr 20 mins drive from the villa)
- Nice (approx. 1 hr drive from the villa)
- Antibes, pictured below (approx. 1 hr 30 mins drive from the villa)
- Cannes (approx. 1 hr 40 mins drive from the villa)
- Juan Les Pins (approx. 1 hr 45 mins drive from the villa)
- St Raphael (approx. 2 hr 15 mins drive from the villa)
- Port Grimaud (approx. 2 hrs drive from the villa)
- St Tropez (approx. 2 hrs 15 mins drive from the villa)
- Hyeres & Islands (approx. 2 hrs 30 mins drive from the villa)
- Calanques (approx. 2 hrs 45 mins drive from the villa)
- Marseilles (approx 3 hrs drive from the villa)
ALONG THE COAST: RECOMMENDED BEACHES
Over the last 20 years of holidays these have become our favourite beaches:
- St Jean Cap Ferrat, pictured below:
- Villefranche-sur-Mer, pictured below
- Monaco's man made beach
- Antibes
GETTING THERE
Nice Airport is the nearest airport, only 1 hour's drive from the villa. Car hire is essential to reach La Petite Maison Blanche, cars can be hired from Nice airport though we recommend you book in advance online, ideally a few months before your holiday, to secure the best rates.
Car hire rates can raise significantly in the 3 months leading up to a hire date if you haven't booked. Leave Nice Airport following signs to Digne, head up the D6202 out of Nice for approx. 20km and then turn left on to the D17 following signs to Gilette and Roquesteron.
L'Escle,
Roquesteron-Grasse,
06910,
Alpes Maritimes,
France
WEEKLY RENTAL RATE
La Petite Maison Jeune can be booked in 2013, based on availability, for:
- 450 Euros a week April to June
- 500 Euros a week July to September
- 400 Euros a week October to December
CONTACT US
To enquire or to make a booking at La Petite Maison Jeune call:
Sheldon Miller on:
Mobile: 00 44 (0) 7931 373 226
Tel: 00 44 (0) 115 875 7096
Email: sheldonrmiller@yahoo.co.uk
NB: All images copyright Sheldon Miller.
NB: All images copyright Sheldon Miller.
