Windmill accommodation in Provence

Holidays in France are largely about enjoying the culture of another country and both we and the hospitable French owners promote this in every way we can. The mill has been in the owners’ family for generations and they are very knowledgeable about the area’s history, traditions, culture and wildlife. They are keen for the rural community to thrive and enjoy sharing their local knowledge. In the summer there are local fêtes and musical soirées in the village and our tenants are invited to participate.

The property has recently been carefully renovated by traditional craftsmen using locally sourced materials such as stone, Provençal tiles and wrought iron. The interior is tastefully furnished with reclaimed and restored furniture from local brocantes or flea markets and antique fairs.

Visitors are able to enjoy a stunning, unspoilt environment and appreciate the traditional rural way of life at the same time as supporting the local economy. A femme de ménage from the village is employed at the weekends to clean the property. The owners provide detailed information about the local shops, markets and restaurants in nearby villages as they are keen for visitors to sample the delicious locally produced food such as goats cheese, honey, olives and truffles. All this, along with renting the property, injects money into the local economy and supports life in rural France.

Similarly they promote the local craftsmen who make santons or ornamental figures of characters in the village, and also the cultivators of herbs such as lavender, thyme etc.

The water at the property comes from a spring and there is a UV system to purify it without any chemical additives. The owners have installed a large tank to catch rainwater and this is used to water the trees and plants. The swimming pool is covered every evening to reduce evaporation and minimise topping up with water. Paper, plastic and glass are recycled and the owners ask tenants to take their sorted rubbish to a nearby collection point.

Although a car is necessary to get to the property some of the best ways to enjoy the area are on foot or by bike or on horseback as there are way-marked paths and cycle ways which pass right next to the property; the owners have mountain bikes available for hire and there is a horse riding centre close by.

We support a range of charities and projects in France and worldwide which provide aid to vulnerable communities and habitats, e.g. ASSOHUMA, a French charity which organises trips taking humanitarian and medical aid to women in Afghanistan and families in remote Sénégal; Shared Interest, a co-operative lending society which provides funding for Third World producers.

Our office is in Devon is in a redundant agricultural building which we re-built using reclaimed, traditional materials. We support the Devon Wildlife Trust and we have nest boxes and feeding stations in the office grounds to encourage the birds. Our water for the office comes from a spring and is pumped by a water-powered ram. We do not produce a paper brochure; our bookings and enquiries are handled by email and all our office paper and printing cartridges are re-cycled. Our shredded documents go on the compost heap.