About Domaine St Honorat
The 17th-century private countryside estate of Domaine St Honorat is a short drive from the picturesque Cote d’Azur village of Valbonne. This is an estate that certainly makes a statement. A magnificent wisteria greets you as you ascend the ancient stone steps to the Monastery’s antique entrance door. The main residence here still looks as though history has kept a firm grip on it. But don’t be fooled: renovations have given this French Riviera property all the modern comforts.
The gardens here are carefully maintained, but not overly landscaped. Roses and climbing plants dotting the trellises and pergola create an authentic sense of rustic wilderness. Yet, there’s something immensely civilised about the 22x11m heated pool and tennis court, which both offer wonderful views across the Domaine.
This is the perfect property for family get togethers or small groups of friends as it allows for a degree of privacy and space in the accommodation, with communal areas like the pool providing areas for everyone to come together. Throughout the different buildings, the Domaine St Honorat offers 13 bedrooms. Each boasts its own delightful quirks, as you would expect from a property of such vintage. Misshapen wooden beams add character, but the tailored en suite bathrooms are immaculately decorated and tiled.
It’s a ceaseless pleasure to stroll amid Domaine St Honorat’s ancient olive and cypress trees, passing fragrant lavender bushes, and colourful fruit orchards. In Valbonne’s famous gourmet market you can collect some local produce, before cooking up a feast in the villa’s sleek, provencale kitchen. And come evening the floodlit gardens couldn’t be more romantic: a tranquil residence in the Cote d’Azur packed with character, and oozing with history.