STONE ROUSSES
When this family saw a real-estate ad for a farmhouse in a Paris newspaper, they started packing their bags
This historic Provençal farmhouse is so brimming with rustic French charm that its creative new owners bid adieu to Paris and relocated their kids to the country
Slowing down is a luxury many of us aspire to, and busy French couple Justine and Julien are no exception. In December 2016, they were sitting in their tiny Paris apartment when Justine spotted a real-estate advertisement for a Provençal farmhouse less than three hours away on the TGV. It was too tempting to ignore, and in no time they were packing up their car and starting a new, more relaxed life in the Vaucluse, on the border of Gard and Ardèche. The property was a substantial 200-year-old cottage with a huge barn and a hectare of land. “We immediately fell in love it,” says Justine. “The large plot of land, the old, original stones, the green shutters, the trees – they were all amazing. Ten days later we visited and loved it even more, especially after seeing our two kids, Malo and Elia, run around and enjoy themselves so much. What seemed like a dream became a certainty as we said to ourselves: ‘We are going to live here and that’s it!’”
Only 40 minutes from Avignon and with good transport links to the capital, the home’s location meant that Julien and Justine could make short trips back and forth to work-related meetings whenever required. Julien is the creator of a meditation app, and Justine is an interior designer and stylist for Ginger House. She relished the opportunity to take on such a unique project.
“The house was basic but very charming,” says Justine, referring to the 320 square metres of living space. Though it was all in fairly good condition, some updates were required. “As soon as we arrived, we built the swimming pool and redid the roof,” she says. “On the ground floor, we created a separate entry for the guest house (which we rent out on airbnb), adding a private kitchen and two bedrooms. Then we refurbished the two bathrooms (one in the main house) and started decorating.”
Justine’s concept for the interiors involved a lot of creativity, free use of colour and just the right amount of personalisation. “We really wanted to give the house a relaxed atmosphere, a holiday-home feel,” she says. “Also, because we rent it during the holidays and some weekends, we left it deliberately basic so that
‘‘The house is surrounded by green, with fields of lavender and sunflowers beyond’’ JUSTINE, HOMEOWNER/INTERIOR DESIGNER
everyone can feel at ease here.” This has been achieved without spending a fortune. “We have a lot of secondhand furniture, and family pieces with wicker and rattan touches, which we’ve refurbished or repainted,” Justine explains. “I also gave special importance to the lighting as I love original-style lamps. Then I added colour here and there with textiles such as bed linen and curtains, and by painting some walls or putting up nice wallpaper. Recently, we repainted the entire living room in a white shade, stripping the beams and adding more terracotta furnishings.”
When they’re not working at their day jobs or maintaining the property – it has 50 pear trees (from which they make juice), six olive trees, an almond tree, a walnut tree, an apricot tree, a mirabelle plum tree and chickens – Justine and Julien just enjoy the slower pace of life at home, which they’ve named La Maison Rousse because of the red colour of the stone walls at sunset.
On weekends they often have Parisian friends to stay and visit food and flea markets at nearby villages. “We might go to Pont-Saint-Esprit and buy seasonal vegetables, cheeses, meat for barbecues and amazing wines,” says Justine. “Then we might relax by the pool in summer, or listen to music as the fire crackles in winter. It doesn’t take much to feel happy here.” airbnb.fr/p/lamaisonrousse; @lamaisonrousse; @gingerhouseproject