Mr & Mrs Smith

Maison de Mons

Provence, France

Six chic apartments in a 17th-century maison de seigneur. Set on a pretty central courtyard in this tourist-free Provence village, perched on an outcrop between the Côte d’Azur and the Alps. The down-to-the-sea views alone are reason to book. Owned by Dutch designer Arja Suddens, each spacious apartment is individually decorated, blending antiques, exotic artifacts and designer-label contemporary furniture.

Need to know

• Rates information A week's stay is €500–€850 (low season); €650–€1,000 (mid-season); €800–€1,150 (high season).
• Ideal for Couples after a romantic escape; cheap-chic cycling holidays; friends or family wanting a property for a group which still allows independence for all.
• Sleeps 2-4 in each apartment; if you book the whole house up to 16.
• Property style Four-floored 17th-century maison de seigneur stylishly converted into six apartments. The striking contemporary interior design is sympathetic to the history-steeped building and the charming architecture of this centuries-old hilltop town.
• Grounds There are no gardens attached to the property, but sit outside the front of the house on the bench and watch the town go by, to the sound of the fountain's tinkling and the church bells.
• Minimum hire A week in high season; three-nights in low.
• Children This property is best suited to more grown-up children – eight years and above ideally. More...
• Booking process A Smith deposit and a total of 20 per cent of the full cost is taken on booking. This 20 per cent deposit is refundable if the booking is cancelled two months before arrival. Total payment is due one month before arrival, and will be taken by bank transfer.
• Also Non-smoking throughout, and pets are not allowed.

Floor plan

• Interior-designer owner, Arja Suddens, has collected pieces from around the world to incorporate in the decor, cleverly creating art from ethnic accessories – a beaded necklace adorns one white wall and a delicately embroidered Thai belt hangs on another. Chests from India and Morocco sit alongside Philippe Starck chairs.

• Bedrooms

  Apartment 1: This apartment is on the ground floor, with its entrance by the main lobby.
  Apartment 2 and 4: These are quite a bit bigger than the other apartments, with a separate sitting room and kitchen/dining room. As well as a double bedroom, you could have an extra person sleep in the living room.
  Apartment 3 and 5: These have the same layout as the apartment on the ground floor
  Apartment 6: Situated on the top floor, the penthouse is the ‘honeymoon suite’ of Maison de Mons. A big open-plan kitchen and living space is flanked by a huge bathroom and a cute master bedroom which opens out onto the roof terrace.

• Kitchen

  All of the apartments have fully fitted kitchens with all the basics (fridge, freezer, dishwasher, cooker, hob, electric kettle, coffeemaker); apartments 2 and 4 and 6 have a more spacious kitchen and dining area in addition to the separate sitting room.

• Living room

  There isn’t a communal lounge as such in the property, but each apartment has at the very least a cosy sofa’d enclave, and the bigger apartments have a roomy sitting area. The reception hall is fairly grand though and is an ideal spot to enjoy a tipple from the honesty bar. Just defy the temptation to fix yourself a G&T and then have a tinkle on the grand piano. And please if you do this, try to do better than Chopsticks, or the inhabitants of Apartment 1 might find it a little irritating.

• Dining room

  There is, of course, somewhere to eat in your apartment – either in an open-plan living space or kitchen/diner – but there is also a cosy cellar-like conference room that seats 12: perfect for a more formal supper. A sprawling black-and-white Richard Seymour sketch of Piccadilly Circus makes this crypt as suited to intimate business presentations as convivial candlelit dinner parties. Your hosts can arrange for caterers, so if you take over the whole property with friends, serve that special-occasion supper here. Food can also be provided from the next-door restaurant, Le Petit Bonheur.

• Gardens

  There are no gardens attached to the property, but the top-floored apartment has a fantastic rooftop terrace.

• Private parking

  Leave your car in the town's main car park a five-minute walk from the property.