Villa Nina

The villa

The beautiful stillness

In the wooded hills of Roquefort-les-Pins, between Valbonne, Grasse and Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Villa Nina is a cream-walled Provençal house with grey shutters and tiled roofs, set in a large garden surrounded by tall oaks and pines.

Outside, stone steps lead down from the house past rockeries and palms to the swimming pool, edged with crazy paving and loungers and backed by lavender. Beside it, a shaded pergola with deep outdoor sofas is the place for an afternoon drink, and a long lawn runs down past the pool to the trees. Under the arch of the covered terrace, a long table seats everyone for lunch and dinner outdoors.

Inside, the rooms are light and calm, in whites, greys and pale wood. The kitchen is modern, with a breakfast bar and a large fridge, and the double bedrooms are restful, one with French doors onto the garden and another under the old beams. The bathrooms are bright and simple. The villages of the hinterland, the coast and Nice Côte d'Azur airport are all a drive away.