Mas des Alpilles

Lafourcade Architecture gives a nondescript old building a facelift, transforming it into an ideal holiday home and meeting place.

This undistinguished building looked like a boat that had been washed up in the Alpilles in the South of France. Added to as required over the years, it was a mishmash of styles. Inside, the house was dark with small or non-existent windows. Alexandre Lafourcade was particularly interested in the tower, which he decided to preserve.

The interior of the house has been entirely reappraised and now offers free-flowing circulation from one room to another, whether you are seeking solitude or company. Openings have been created to allow light to flood in and to showcase the views over mature trees and orchards. Dominique Lafourcade has created a Mediterranean garden with an enormous vegetable plot. The addition of an open-air theatre and banqueting hall instils a touch of extravagance. The property acts as a link between the surrounding farmland and the hilltop village. An elegant swimming-pool and an ultra-modern gym provide the finishing touches to this massive house, an ideal holiday home in Provence.