Introducing Villa Fontane Provence

Thank you for choosing to stay at Villa Fontane.  We are delighted to welcome you into our home and will do our best to make your stay comfortable, enchanting and joyful.

About us 

We are a French-Australian couple who first came to the Gulf of St Tropez twenty-five years ago and immediately fell in love with the region.  In 2018 we bought and renovated Villa Fontane.

La Garde-Freinet is a distinct area of the Gulf of St Tropez – geographically as well as being  unique in cultural and social aspects.  Artists and intellectuals have chosen to stay in La Garde-Freinet leaving a profound mark on the village. The surrounding forests are a gift to everyone with a passion for hiking.  The proximity to the sea and Saint-Tropez opens the coast and all its sensual pleasures.  Finally, La Garde-Freinet’s position means easy access to the North with the Verdon Gorges, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Cannes, Nice, Monaco and on to Italy.

Health measures

1. Disinfect bedrooms, communal areas, keys, payment terminal, etc. daily.
2. Provide face masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, and disinfectant.
3. Ensure that only you have access to your bedroom during your stay.
4. Wash all linen and towels at 60°C.
5. Serve breakfast on the terrace or in the garden.
6. Provide guests with use of our outside “summer kitchen” and take-away meals upon request.
7. Offer private areas to relax in by the swimming pool and in the grounds.
8. Ensure Jane, Alban and Samira wear masks and respect social distancing.

 

 

The House and Grounds

WIFI:  Livebox  BD92                          Password:  gigaro2016

Carpark

We have two carparks: 3 spaces including an electric car battery recharger near the house and another 2 spaces down the lane.  It has a separate entrance gate with a pathway leading up through the garden.

Water  

We live in a dry part of the world.  Please be careful with this precious resource.  If you are staying with us for several days, the bedlinen and towels will be changed every 4 days.

 

FOOD AND DRINKS

• Breakfast is served between 8.30am and 10.00am.
• Please don’t bring food into your bedroom. A “Summer Kitchen” with fridge and outside eating facilities is available near the swimming pool.
• Help yourself to tea, coffee and cool drinks on the terrace for 1€ /drink.

DINNER

 We can offer you the following choices:

–  Restaurants:  ask us for recommendations.

–  Take-away meals:  we will order for you, deliver and serve in the garden. 

–  Summer kitchen:  we provide cutlery, plates, a fridge and gas plancha/hot grill.  Cook then clean at your convenience

 

Heated swimming pool

Please respect the peace and quiet of other guests.

Do not forget to rinse off creams etc under the poolside shower before swimming.

Parents are responsible for the supervision of their children (or anybody who always needs supervision) around the swimming pool.

In accordance with French law, there is a sensor alarm in place which detects movement in the water. The basic functions of our alarm are as follows:

When the light is GREEN the alarm is ON.  Swipe over the ‘swimmer’ sign with the magnet key.  It beeps 5 times and deactivates the alarm.

When the light changes to RED the alarm is OFF.  You can swim.

However if the water surface stays calm for a while, the sensor reactivates automatically.  Please check if the light is RED before you go back to swim.

 

THE GROUNDS

The grounds are maintained without the use of any chemical substances and left in as natural state as possible.  You will find separate areas where you can rest and relax – tree hammocks, deck chairs and armchairs, a fountain pool, a tree-swing, benches, a slack-line and works of art provided by Mother Nature.

A Daydream Wander:  walk over the bridge and then follow your instinct to reach the far end of the grounds, near the tent;  take the natural stairway down into the gulley then walk back towards the villa via the fountain.  Try different ways to make time stand still.

A Short Stroll: from the swimming pool, walk down towards the carpark and take the path to the right towards the fountain pool; walk to the end of the gulley and then back again – you’ll be completely surrounded by nature.
Villa Fontane … revitalise your body, spirit and soul.

Parents are responsible for the supervision of their children!

Additional Services

Meals

Dinner – book the day before – home cooking – Aperitif, starter, main course and dessert – 20€ / 30€ with half bottle of wine.

Pizza Margherita/Regina/Four Cheese/Calzone/Goat Cheese and salad – 15€.  Order one hour in advance.

Aperitif *:   Beer, Pastis, Wine (rosé/white/red) – 5€ per glass

Coffee, tea, soda, water – self service, in the fridge in the dining room – 1€ (honesty box)

Wine: rosé/white/red * – 7€ per glass; 17€ per bottle

Champagne * – coupe 7€ ; bottle 45€

* only served with meals

Activities

Charging your electric car: 10€

E-bike rental:  half day (4 hours) 15€; full day (8 hours)  25€

Private Tour (3-4 people):  Half day (4 hours) 200€; full day (8 hours) 400€; price includes transport. Entrance fees and meals are not included.

Wineries and wine tasting tour:  Half day 200€, transport included.

Boat trip:  Motorboat – 4/5 people plus skipper: on request

Cookery session: Typical French and Provencal dishes with locals on request

Painting lessons: with an artist in Provence: on request

Yoga lessons:  on request

 

All you need to know

Tourist Office

The “Office de Tourisme” is located opposite the Town Hall in La Garde-Freinet.  Bettina will be more than happy to answer your questions.

Conservatoire du Patrimoine

This is a small association next to the Tourist Office.  They organise a wealth of activities for families and cultural excursions including a weekly guided tour of the village. A minimum of French is an advantage to be able to participate fully.

Beaches

The closest beach is at Port Grimaud, about 15 minutes’ drive away.  Follow the signposts and park in the public carpark on your left when you arrive.

Our favourite beach is Gigaro in La Croix Valmer.  It’s also the departure point for a magnificent coastal walk in the Cape Lardier National Park.

The coastline of Ramatuelle includes the beach of l’Escalet with exquisite turquoise waters around Cape Taillat and sandy coves accessed by a rocky pathway.  Pampelonne Beach is where you will find the A-listers, very chic St Tropez crowd – sunbed rental, restaurants, bars and discos on seven kilometres of fine sand.

Hiking Trails

La Garde Freinet is the ideal place to start discovering the Maures Mountain Range.  There are twelve trails to walk, or to ride on horseback or by bicycle.  Information with detailed leaflets is available from the Tourist Office and the Conservatoire du Patrimoine.

Start by a one-hour walk – climb to the Fort Freinet ruin, continue to the Cross and wind your way back to the village for a well-deserved drink in one of the outdoor bistros.

 

Markets in Provence

• La Garde Freinet on Wednesdays and Sundays
• Grimaud – Thursdays
• Ramatuelle – Sundays and Thursdays
• Saint-Tropez – Saturdays and Tuesdays. To avoid summer traffic jams, catch the ferry boat from Port Grimaud or drive via Ramatuelle.
• La Croix Valmer – Sundays
• Bric-a-brac – Sundays and Thursdays in Cogolin

Shops in La Garde Freinet

There are two convenience stores, Proxy and Spar, open every day until 7pm.

There are bakeries,  butchers/delicatessens, a wine cellar and a chemist.  You will also find many art galleries, antique shops, clothes shops and lots of friendly café terraces.

Restaurants

There are ten restaurants in La Garde Freinet, mainly in the pedestrian road and on the old market square.  They are all quite affordable and offer simple, local cooking.  Le Petit Freinet has a good reputation. La Feuille does excellent oriental cuisine (couscous and tajines).  La Petite Fontaine is a good restaurant for families.

In Grimaud we recommend the excellent Italian Trattoria St Joseph, the delightful and amusing Ecuries de la Marquise and Le Clemenceau which is open all day and late in the evening. More upmarket are Apopino and Les Santons.

In St Tropez we like Le Café des Arts (Place des Lices),  La Sardine and  Gigi e Renato (on the port, opposite the traditional fishing boats) and Le Café Pastis (near the museum l’Annonciade).  For a refined meal, we recommend Caprice des Deux, rue du Portail Neuf in the old village centre.

In Gigaro we often go to Marius à la Plage (restaurant on the beach) and Couleur Jardin (plus chic).

 

Ideas for Memorable Days

• Maures Mountains: Grimaud, Chartreuse de la Verne monastery and Collobrières
• Hinterland: Cotignac then the Verdon Gorges
• Coastline: drive to La Môle then over the hills and down to Rayol-Canadel; return via Cavalaire, Gigaro, Ramatuelle and Gassin
• Heritage: Thoronet Abbey is a jewel! Continue your outing by going to the lovely village & castle Entrecastaux
• The Islands: Port-Cros and Porquerolles, ferry boats from Cavalaire and Lavandou
• The Vineyards: there are ten properties between Villa Fontane and Saint-Tropez
• Towns: Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Cannes, Nice, Monaco

Other « must do »:

• Grimaud village – flowered streets and castle ruin with spectacular views;
• Port Grimaud – the original modern lake city;
• a day at Gigaro beach + lunch or dinner at Marius
• Pampelonne beach – prefer the west side as you will have a fantastic view over Esterel and the Alps; a good and reasonably priced restaurant is L’Esquinade

Church Services

Catholic Sunday mass in French is at 10.30 in Grimaud and 11.15 in La Garde-Freinet.

HEATWAVE WARNING

Following are the traditional ways that people in Provence keep their houses cool in the hot summer weeks:

1. Keep the shutters and windows closed during the day. This will prevent hot air entering your bedroom.

 

2. Open the shutters and windows once the sun has set.  Pull down the       mosquito nets when the window is open.  This will let the fresh air in and         help lower the temperature in your bedroom.
3. Leave the bathroom door open at night so that the cooler air flows     through the bedroom.

 

Remember to stay well hydrated: The tap water is safe to drink.  You can buy cool drinks from the fridge on the terrace downstairs.

 

How to go to La Garde-Freinet (village)

Exit from Villa Fontane Provence on your left; continue uphill – then turn left at the chapel; then turn right at the Stop sign; note that restaurants and shops are on the left side of the fork in the main road, just before the traffic lights.

 

How to go to Grimaud (village)

Exit from Villa Fontane Provence on your right ; at the bridge, turn right and follow the sign “Vers Grimaud”; when you reach the main road, turn left; when you reach Grimaud, at the first round-about, turn left and keep left to access car parks – you’ll avoid huge complications with your car!

 

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

 At our modest level, we are trying to protect the environment.  Here’s how:

*       Zero pesticides and herbicides are used in the grounds, herb garden and vegetable patch.  We use companion planting, mulching and hand weeding instead.

*       Parts of the grounds are left wild to encourage insects such as butterflies and bees which help with pollination.

*       Our electricity is 100% renewable (hydro, solar, wind) through Ilek.

*       The food we serve to our guests is mostly organic.

*       As much as possible, we source produce locally.

*       Each bathroom has a supply of lavender-scented, organic liquid soap which may be used both as a bodywash and shampoo.

*       Much of our furniture and equipment has been bought second-hand at bric-a-brac markets.  We repair and reuse as much as possible.

*       Our computers are tuned to search engines Lilo and Eclosia which use carbon offsetting and give donations to green charities.

*       For our annual trip to Australia and the inevitable car-use here, we have signed up to a carbon offsetting project of reforestation in Senegal.

 THE DAY YOU LEAVE

Your room will be cleaned and then disinfected,  so we ask you to please check out before 10am.