Manosque, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur 04100

A unique, centuries-old chateau and its terraced garden on the edge of a typical Provence village set in a regional nature park. A raised driveway bordered by hedges leads from the village to the estate. A wide wrought iron gate, framed by two masonry pilasters and topped by an interlaced decorative motif, marks the entrance to the property. The terrace in the upper part of the estate reveals a succession of buildings and the long eastern facade, as well magnificent views towards the valley in the distance. The scent of boxwood and roses wafts across the landscape, while the sound of trickling water can be heard in the moat below. Built in the 17th century and enlarged in the 18th century following the main stylistic principles of classical Provence architecture, the building was extensively altered in the 19th century with the addition of a corner tower and an aviary, giving it its current castle-like appearance. The various parts of the edifice, which have survived the centuries, thus present a unique appearance, somewhere between a bastide (Provence farmhouse) and a chateau. The complex comprises four different sections. Three of them have juxtaposed east-facing elevations with regular, symmetrical windows, while the fourth is set back behind its stone-paved courtyard and blue-painted wrought-iron gate and railings. The western facades have fewer and more discreet windows than the other elevations and are all aligned along a little-used village street to the rear of the buildings. The different materials used for the facades and roofs - coursed rubble masonry, brick, slate and terracotta - reflect the construction periods of the various buildings and extensions. The buildings are bordered by several terraced garden areas, benefiting from a water source in the village that is reputed to be inexhaustible. The upper level, at the foot of the chteau, comprises a rose garden with its pond to the south, a terrace with its water fountain and an impressive chestnut tree in the centre and, to the north, a formal French-style garden with its parterre of pruned box and a series of eleven vaulted ponds, fed by the spring and releasing the overflow of water at the bottom of the estate. A large field at the bottom of the estate provides a distant view of the valley overlooked by the chateau.