Cotignac, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur 83570

In a commanding position in the Var hills, an 18th-century mas with a pool, its sheep shed, and 2 ha planted with olive trees. From a small road leading away from Cotignac, a path winds through the Var hills to a gravelled esplanade in the shade of large trees. Set on high, the mas, a traditional Provençal farmhouse, forms part of a landscaped estate laid out in successive restanques, the dry-stone terracing of Provence. It opens wide views across the surrounding hills. Centuries-old olive trees, holm oaks, oleanders, agaves, and aromatic species mingle in typically Provençal planting. The property reflects the character of traditional architecture: facades of local hard stone with lime pointing, roofs of period barrel tiles with génoise cornices. Hugging the terrain exactly, the mas rises one or two levels according to the slope, its openings framed by old lintels of patinated solid timber, with sills of stone or terracotta. Limestone paving, dressed-stone steps, and limestone calades carry the architecture through into the interior. An extension adjoins the original building and adds to the living space. Below, a dry-stone cabanon, the field shelter of Provence, provides further storage. Paved courtyards and terraced restanques, held by low dry-stone walls, follow the natural fall of the ground. Set into a stone terrace and edged with ironwork, a bathing pool looks out broadly over the horizon.