The chic villas to book in the South of France this summer
From the lavender fields of Provence to the most glamorous coastline on the planet, the South of France is a summer-holiday playground.
The villas in the South of France are some of the most impressive in the world, many with private pools, overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean Sea and offering a slice of idyllic life in this extraordinary part of the world.
Whether you're travelling as a family of five, or have something to celebrate with a big group of friends, our pick of the region's chic South of France villas will make you want to book a trip this summer.
Visit starry towns such as Saint-Tropez and Cannes, hill-top medieval villages such as Gordes or artist colonies such as Saint-Paul de Vence and Antibes, once home to Picasso and Monet and now frequented by super-yachts every summer.
The Côte d’Azur is also home to some beautiful beaches, many of which can be found in and around the hub of Nice or on islands such as Porquerolles. Inland, the town of Isle sur la Sorgue has antique stores and weekly markets, so you can shop for some treasures to take home with you. And the region is road-trip heaven: the drive along the coast from Monaco all the way west past Saint-Raphael to Saint-Tropez is one of the most spectacular routes in France.
For a sunny base this summer, here are some of the best villas in the South of France…
(Villa La Tourelle, Purple Summer)
Purple Summer started out as a ski-trip company, before the team extended their holiday-crafting expertise to warmer climes. Now, they operate villa rentals in the French Riviera and Mallorca, as well as chalets in French ski resorts. Here in Saint-Tropez, Purple Summer manages Villa La Tourelle, on the very edge of town, though you’d never know it from the peaceful pool and garden, which feel like your own expansive estate in the countryside.
The turret (or tourelle) wing is where you’ll find the master bedroom, as well as a circular suite, with the rest of the bedrooms in outbuildings around the pool and lawn. Each hire comes with a team who’ll ensure you barely have to lift a finger – this includes a chef on hand to whip up restaurant-worthy meals so you don’t have to set foot in the kitchen (you're on holiday, after all). During our stay, our chef Gregor cooked unfailingly delicious meals – on one evening, he set up our very own raw bar on the outdoor dining table, with an enormous platter of oysters, salmon tartare and sea-bass carpaccio, all of which he purchased at the fish market that morning, followed by monkfish saltimbocca. Other edible highlights prepared for us included fried calamari with white bean and spinach broth, grilled prawns with garlic and orange, and, of course, a vast tarte Tropezienne. Ensuring additional Gallic glamour, Purple Summer trips also feature unlimited champagne.
The staff are able to create the perfect South of France itinerary for you, whether you fancy a trip to the pretty mountain village of Grimaud, a tour of a local vineyard, a day at Plage de Pampelonne or a boat trip to see the French Riviera from the water. Naturally, they can also reserve you a spot at the best venues in Saint-Tropez, whether you’d like a long languorous lunch at the legendary Le Club 55 or a pool party with a saxophone soundtrack and free-flowing Patrón Palomas at Nikki Beach.
If there’s a few of you, Plum Guide’s Two Worlds Collide property, which sleeps 17 (across 10 bedrooms), is the villa in the South of France for you and some of your favourite people. It also has Francophile-pleasing turrets and towers, gorgeous grounds (with more than seven acres of parkland) and impeccable interiors, with a grand piano, glossy chequerboard floors and vaulted ceilings. The estate has a lengthy pool, a tennis court and an outdoor dining area, plus its own chapel.
It’s perfect for Picpoul devotees, since the château produces its own award-winning wine. It’s in Montagnac, in the Hérault department’s Occitanie region.
If you’re travelling as a family, the Divers is a perfect South of France villa option, since it has a snug three bedrooms. The manor, which was built in the 1920s, has a prime view overlooking the sparkling waters of the Côte d’Azur – particularly impressive as the sun sets over the surrounding mountains.
Guests can imbibe the wares of the owners’ vineyard out on the terrace or by the pool. The fragrant grounds are scented by lavender, rosemary and citrus fruits. Once you’re eventually ready to leave your fabulous French home from home, day trips to Grasse or Cannes await.
(Plum Guide)
This peaceful Plum Guide retreat is in the village of Bargemon in the Provençal department of Var. The hilltop house has won a RIBA award for its impressive architecture. A secluded stay, Keeping Up With the Joneses, is surrounded by woodland, with grounds that include a saltwater pool and a pergola lined with lemon trees.
Back to that prize-winning architecture, though: the south-facing façade can be opened up to reveal more panoramas of the greenery, with the Côte d’Azur glittering in the distance.
Think of the dream Provençal village and you’re probably picturing charming, hill-top, medieval Gordes in the Luberon – and you’ll be right in the heart of it if Blue Shutters is your base.
This 17th-century stone house is in the village centre, with a terrace, swimming pool and garden, along with modern additions, such as air-conditioning, heated bathroom floors and fast WiFi. Guests will also be able to enjoy sweeping panoramas of the Luberon, one of the prettiest parts of Provence.
(Airbnb)
Another villa in the South of France for smaller groups or even a couple, La Maison aux Oliviers has just two bedrooms. The cosy house is in an olive grove, with a landscaped garden and peaceful pool area, plus a Weber gas barbecue and an outdoor dining table. And the sheltered veranda means long lunches won’t be spoiled by any pesky blasts of Le Mistral.
The centre of the Vaucluse village is within strolling distance away, which means easy morning bakery runs for croissants and baguettes.
Villas in the South of France for 2023, including with private pools, near beaches and luxury villas for groups of five or more.