The village of Eygalières, located at the foot of the low-lying Les Alpilles mountains, is quintessential Provence. Pretty, honey-stone village houses, with sky blue shutters and terracotta roofs, can be glimpsed through neat cypress hedging and wrought-iron gates, while a trickling fountain in the main square is the only sound to be heard during the height of a summer mid-afternoon. Most of the animation is saved for mornings, with the daily collection of pastries and baguettes from the boulangerie, or lunchtimes and evenings, when the leafy restaurant terraces with chalk board menus hum with diners.
A short stroll from the village is the Mas Laurent, a smart and modern villa, with views to the caps of Les Alpilles. Outdoor living areas are perfect for summer, with a large, gated 12 x 6m swimming pool surrounded with clipped lawns, and classical Provencal planting including ancient olive trees and cigar cypress, fragrant rosemary hedging and vibrant agapanthus. Apéritif terraces are wonderfully shaded with the dappled light of plane trees, and a lovely dining terrace is covered with vines.
