Contemporary homes in Provence
More than just an administrative area, Provence is an historic and cultural enclave in the south-eastern part of France. Its fans point to its special way of life, lovely countryside, gastronomy, even its architecture recalling many different eras, a far cry from the so-called contemporary trend. Yet this type of home, popular in the media, has been making a real break-through over the past few years in the land of Marcel Pagnol and Alphonse Daudet.
In the strictest terms, Provence, bordered to the south by the Mediterranean, extends from the Italian frontier to the left bank of the Rhône. The Provence-Alps-Côte d’Azur region occupies 31,443 km2 and plays host to 4,781,000 inhabitants. While Marseille is the prefecture, Arles, Aix and Avignon are also looked upon as historic capitals. Now largely oriented towards the service sector, the region still maintains its passionate relationship with agriculture. Localities continue to express their individuality in their wines, fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants, which in fact represent a whole art of living. The influence of Provence does not stop at the frontiers of the region or the “départements” of which it is comprised : the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Le Var and Le Vaucluse. As witnessed by the Drôme. Water is an essential component of the scenery : the Rhône serves as standard-bearer for the Durance, La Sorgue, L’Ouvèze, Le Calavon, Le Verdon and La Roya. The climate closely resembles that of the Mediterranean. Medieval hill-top villages such as Séguret, Ménerbes and Gordes survey their fertile valleys with very few buildings. Houses are tall, with land, courtyards or towers. Ancient “bories” keep company with troglodytes, cottages, “mas” and shepherds’ huts. In this type of landscape, what place could there possibly be for the contemporary style ?
“Over towards Valence, the trend is making headway for both individual housing and apartment buildings,” says Cyrille Auzout of Art et Habitat. “You frequently hear of “architect-designed” homes as opposed to traditional properties.” The famous picture window occupying an entire wall and the very significant roof-terrace are becoming more evident, except on listed communes such as Mirmande. Even the locals make a few forays into modern architecture and interior decor, though they show some resistance when it comes to overly sophisticated gardens. Despite lower construction costs per square metre, the total budget rises sharply in the case of generous surface areas and lofty interiors. By way of example, one can expect to pay 875,000 € for a house of 300 m2 in 3,300 m2 of grounds in Montéléger, in the countryside 10 minutes south of the capital of the Drôme. Another such property of 280 m2 with a garden of 1,300 m2 in the centre of Valence, on offer at 630,000 €, proposes layout in loft style with an indoor pool and spa. The typical buyer is aged between 40 and 50, and benefits from comfortable income. A compromise involving wood and stone is beginning to win favour.
Stéphanie and Jean-Marc Goubert of G Immobilier de Prestige cover the entire area from Orange to the Côte d’Azur, including the Comtat Venaissin, the Alpilles and the Luberon. They focus on the price bracket from 650,000 € upwards. Contemporary architecture is having a tougher time asserting itself than contemporary decor. Planning regulations are often not very tolerant of this type of construction. And purists are rare. Many people opt for design inspired by the style of architect Maurice Sauzet, a harmonious dialogue between concrete and nature, largely rooted in Japanese culture. They accept tiling for the roofs and shades of ochre so dear to Provence, allowing them to create Zen-like indoor gardens. For the decor, the approach is different : there is a more volatile, less “fixed” dimension. The French are fond of this type of layout, unlike foreign buyers, still drawn by rustic authenticity, flaunted like a label. Recently, an American client with a budget of 1 million euros asked the agency to find her a property near Venasque, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue or Pernes-les-Fontaines. The selection criteria were as clear as a bell : no PVC or aluminium, just wood, exposed beams and a typical Provençal kitchen. Nevertheless, four out of every ten sales involve contemporary design.
Active in the Alpilles, the Luberon and the Gard, Olivier Valancogne of Valancogne & Partners agrees with the other estate-agents on the difficulty experienced by architecture to get flat roofs, fitted out as terraces, with vegetation, accepted by urban planning authorities. In Gordes alone, one of the most restricted addresses, the use of stone masonry is mandatory. The most progress has been made in the case of windows, formerly higher rather than wide. Which proves that rules finally acquiesce to demand. While interpenetration between inside and out has now been accepted, outlandish design for interior decor is no longer in vogue. In 2007, the trend was for the purest kind of minimalism : today, it’s for a warmer kind of ambiance. Perhaps the contemporary style is just a passing fad here in Provence ? In any event, after seeing some remarkable beginnings, it is now opting for subtlety and tolerating mixed effects. On the other hand, the modern approach to volumes, perspectives, high ceilings and intelligent layout still meets with resounding success. One of the most recent sales handled by the Valancogne agency was a contemporary house of 300 m2 on almost 2.5 acres of land in the northern Alpilles, which sold for a little over 3 million euros.
By Laetitia Rossi
