Château Marteret
Château Marteret is a luxurious seven-room fairy tale villa rental framed by four centuries-old cedars and set into the middle of 180 hectares of land.
We fell in love with this area for its raw, unspoilt beauty away from hordes of tourists. It enjoys the best of both worlds, Alpine fresh air with Provençal sunshine and charm.
How would you describe La Maison du Mûrier in a nutshell?
La Maison du Mûrier is a 17th century stone farmhouse restored with modern architectural features, furnished with iconic design classics and contemporary collectibles located in the southwestern tip of the Hautes-Alpes department.
How would you describe the atmosphere at La Maison du Mûrier?
We would describe the atmosphere at La Maison du Mûrier to be modern, contemporary, airy and spacious but with the warmth and history of an ancient stone farmhouse. We believe it is a unique combination that you do not find often.
To you personally what is so special about La Maison du Mûrier?
La Maison du Mûrier is a true labour of love for us. We had purchased the completely derelict building 14 years ago and it has taken us over 12 years to restore it. We encountered countless problems along the way from the original stone vaults collapsing, the architect quitting on us, the main electric contractor’s business going into liquidation, the steel carpentry contractor walking out halfway through the project, and three floods on site to name a few!
We somehow persevered and took on a lot of the work ourselves. Jason designed and built a lot of the furniture and fittings himself, including the steel beds, sideboards, kitchen units, etc. We finally completed the project and opened our doors to guests in July 2020. We were slightly apprehensive at first as it is such a personal project but it turns out that it is incredibly rewarding to be able to share our house with many guests from different parts of the world who all seem to really enjoy and appreciate the house and the many details that we had worked very hard to achieve.
Please tell us about the food.
We love to cook so the Terrace Villa kitchen is well equipped with plenty of space to cook in. We have a pasta machine, a Magimix food processor, an immersion blender, various pots and pans, sharp kitchen knives, a Microplane grater, etc. For us, cooking is such a social thing so we have designed the kitchen to be open-plan with a counter bar at one side. People seem to naturally gather at this bar counter whilst the cook of the group is busying away in the kitchen, usually with a glass of wine in hand!
We have a mini supermarket just 10 minutes drive away which is well stocked with fresh fruit and veg, and all the essentials. There is also a bakery in the same village that you can stop off on the way. If you need a larger shop then there is a big supermarket 20 minutes' drive away.
There is also a very good Provençal market every Thursday at a village 30 minutes drive away from us. We love going here and picking up some local produce at the market and then stopping off at the lake nearby for a picnic or driving further south to the stunning Gorges de la Méouge for a riverside picnic.
For local restaurants, there are a couple of brasseries at a pretty fortified village 20 minutes drive away from us or a casual pizzeria serving wood-fired pizzas also about 20 minutes drive away. There are authentic country auberges serving homemade meals and often with live music in the summer months. If the guests prefer something a bit more fine dining then there is also a very charming restaurant tucked away in a small hamlet about 25 minutes' drive away.
Is La Maison du Mûrier best suited for couples, families, groups? What’s your policy on kids?
The Terrace Villa is perfect for a group of friends or families. Two families of friends booking the villa together for a joint holiday has been a very popular option. The villa is so spacious that they still manage to keep their own space rather than being on top of each other.
The Studio is perfect for couples with its open-plan living space and a double bedroom on the mezzanine.
Neither the Terrace Villa nor the Studio are properly secured for very young children and babies and we do not offer high chairs or cots but this is not to say that we do not welcome them. We are happy for families with young children and babies to stay with us which we have had already, as long as they are aware and understand that our accommodation is not specifically designed and secured for their use.
What’s your background and what was your inspiration to open La Maison du Mûrier?
We are a British-Japanese couple. Jason is an advertising photographer and Keiko is a stylist, producer. After 20 years in London, we were looking for a perfect antidote to our busy London life. Whilst searching online for a chalet in the French Alps for cosy ski trips away, we found a derelict 17th-century farmhouse in the Hautes-Alpes by pure chance and ended up putting in an offer on our first visit.
Our plan had suddenly and unexpectedly changed from purchasing a chalet in the Alps to a full-on renovation project of a derelict stone farmhouse! We had originally intended to renovate the farmhouse in a simple manner but this plan was thrown out of the window when part of the building had collapsed. Instead of trying to recreate the original architecture that was lost in the collapse and turn a part of the building into a pastiche, we decided to introduce modern design aspects.
So the architecture and design of La Maison du Mûrier was a response to the accident and a natural evolution as opposed to something that we had set out to do from the beginning. As the design changed, both the size of the house and the scale of the project grew. We inadvertently ended up with a huge building for just the two of us! It was a natural step to then open up our doors and share the house with guests that appreciate and enjoy the aesthetics of our building.
Please tell us about the interior design/architecture. How would you describe it?
We restored the stone farmhouse by keeping as many of the original features as possible. Whatever that could be saved was saved. For the sections of the original architecture that were sadly beyond repair, we restored them by introducing modern architectural elements instead of trying to recreate the old. We think La Maison du Mûrier feels airy, light and spacious whereas a lot of the ancient stone farmhouses tend to feel dark and enclosed. On the other hand, some modern architecture could feel cold and characterless but we believe that together with the original architecture that we were able to restore and retain, we managed to keep the soul of the building intact.
The house is made up of the principal Terrace Villa on the upper ground floor and a separate self-contained open-plan Studio on the lower level. Because the house is built into a hillside, the Terrace Villa and the Studio do not feel like they are on top of each other or right next to each other. They feel very much separate from one other, each with its own outdoor area.
The Terrace Villa has five bedrooms all with their own private bathroom. Four of which are double bedrooms and one is a twin room with two single beds. Two of the bathrooms come with a cast iron bathtub as well as a walk-in shower. There is also an additional guest WC in the lounge area.
The Terrace Villa is extremely spacious with six-metre high windows and double doors opening onto a stone-paved terrace with a 10 x 4 m heated (April to October) swimming pool and a bespoke concrete hot tub. The outdoor area has plenty of space for sunbathing with 8 sun loungers and 5 deck chairs. There is also a large outdoor table that seats 10 people under the ancient oak tree with a summer kitchen with barbecue and wood fire pizza oven. There is also an outdoor fridge to keep your drinks nicely chilled.
In the garden, we also have a pétanque court for a game of boules and in the walnut orchard right next to the terraced area, there is a badminton court.
The small but perfectly formed Studio which is perfect for a couple, also comes with its own barbecue and a beautiful front courtyard with an ancient stone fountain. We stay on the lower level in an entirely separate villa to make sure everything is running smoothly and to be on hand if our guests have any questions or need any help. We are on-site but are discreet and respect your privacy. We understand that during your stay, La Maison du Mûrier is your home, not ours.
All rooms are en-suite with their own private bathrooms with WC
Hairdryer in each bathroom
Washing machine & tumble dryer
Dishwasher
Double oven cooker range and fully equipped kitchen
Heated swimming pool (heated from April to October)
Woodburning stove with logs
Bluetooth speaker
Cinema room with a projector
Work out room with basic fitness essentials such as yoga mats, balance ball, various weights
Boot room for drying ski wear and storing bikes
Outdoor wood-fired oven and barbecue area
Hot tub
Underfloor heating for the winter months
No air conditioning as we are located at 850 metres altitude so the evenings are much cooler. We do have air circulators.
Please note: it is possible to rent the Terrace Villa as a 3 bedroom (max 6 people) villa by closing off the top two floors in the mid season and the low season. Please enquire for more information.
The villa can be rented together with the studio for an extra 2 people.
**Terrace Villa:**
All rooms are en-suite with their own private bathrooms with WC
Hairdryer in each bathroom
Washing machine & tumble dryer
Dishwasher
Double oven cooker range and fully equipped kitchen
Heated swimming pool (heated from April to October)
Woodburning stove with logs
Bluetooth speaker
Cinema room with a projector
Work out room with basic fitness essentials such as yoga mats, balance ball, various weights
Boot room for drying ski wear and storing bikes
Outdoor wood-fired oven and barbecue area
Hot tub
Underfloor heating for the winter months
No air conditioning as we are located at 850 metres altitude so the evenings are much cooler. We do have air circulators.
**Studio:**
Hairdryer
Walk-in shower & WC
Washing machine
Oven, induction hob and fully equipped kitchen
Nespresso coffee machine
Bluetooth speaker
Underfloor heating for the winter months
Own outdoor patio and barbecue
We have a beautiful cellar bar with original stone vaults which works as an honesty bar. Here the guests can wander down to sample some wine or mix up some cocktails. They are welcome to bring their favourite bottle of wine or if they prefer, pick one from our selection. We have a chessboard and a backgammon board for a game in the bar or if they prefer to just sit back and enjoy their drink over some nibbles, they can slice up some charcuterie using our Graef hand slicer.
If the guests prefer to be a bit more active than that, they can always head over to the workout room which is equipped with basic fitness essentials such as yoga mats, a balance ball, various weights and a speed ball. In the summer months, our guests also use this space to store their bikes and in the winter months for storing their skis and drying their boots. In the Terrace Villa, we have a cinema room with a projector and a DVD library.
We also have inflatable kayaks, inflatable paddle boards and electric mountain bikes (2 of each) for our guests' use. There are beautiful lakes around 20 minutes away and many great trails for mountain biking. The electric mountain bikes have especially been a real hit!
We also have a hot tub and a wood-fired pizza oven for the Terrace Villa.
Hautes-Alpes is renowned for its incredible nature and the range of outdoor activities on offer. We have rivers and lakes just 15 to 20 minutes' drive away from La Maison du Mûrier. From hiking, cycling, mountain biking, fishing, paragliding, rafting, canoeing to rock-climbing, we have plenty to offer.
The best the region has to offer is the amazing range of outdoor activities. Although, if you prefer to take it easy, you can simply visit some of the pretty villages in the area like Serres, Laragne-Monteglin, Orpierre or Rosans.
Gorges de la Méouge 40 min drive away (40km), is a beautiful canyon with a turquoise river running through with cascades, naturally formed whirlpools and polished pebble beaches. It looks like a natural aqua park. It is stunning and worth a visit just for the view and a picnic if you’re not tempted to take a dip in its refreshing water!
The Devoluy ski resort is made up of two resorts, La Joue du Loup which is just 35 minutes drive from us (40km) and another called Superdévoluy. The two resorts link onto one another, and together have a total of 100 km of slopes. They have been investing a lot by installing new ski lifts so the resort is very well equipped. It is a hidden gem of a ski resort because it is much less known compared to many of the bigger resorts, meaning you hardly ever need to queue for the lifts and the ski passes are a lot more affordable. In the summer months, the Devoluy turns into a downhill mountain bike park too.
A little further afield but worth mentioning is the Lac de Serre-Ponçon (1 hr 10min, 70km) with its stunning blue water. It is over an hour’s drive away from La Maison du Mûrier but a beautiful drive in itself. The lake is located on the border between the Hautes-Alpes and Haute-Provence and feels more like a sea in the mountains than a lake. It has 80 km of shoreline and offers a wide variety of nautical activities from kayaking, rafting, sailing and of course swimming or just sunbathing along its shore.
La Maison du Mûrier is located in the Southwestern tip of the Hautes-Alpes department near the village La Beaume. We are located in a small rural hamlet which is a real working village as opposed to a village full of holiday homes that lie empty for most of the year. You will get a sense of authentic rural life in the south of France here.
Although we are located in a hamlet, the surrounding mountains and the pine forest make you feel like you are in the middle of nature. In the hamlet itself, we have two churches but no bakery or shops! You will need to drive 10 minutes to our local bakery. We also have a travelling grocer that comes to the hamlet twice a week with fresh bread and things like eggs, cheeses, yogurt, and a greengrocer who delivers beautiful fresh produce every Tuesday.
We fell in love with this area for it’s raw, unspoilt beauty away from hordes of tourists. Originally, we were looking to purchase a chalet in the French Alps but whilst searching online, we happened upon this lesser-known part of France which in our view is a real hidden gem.
It is located in the southern Alps with a great family ski resort just 35 minutes drive away but Provence is on our doorstep too. 35 minutes south and we are in Haute-Provence and the Drôme Provençale is just to our west also. It enjoys the best of both worlds, Alpine fresh air with Provençal sunshine and charm. The area is known for averaging 300 days of sunshine a year.
Each season offers something different and you really notice and see the changes in the seasons here in the surrounding mountains and landscapes. Spring is gorgeous with our plum trees in our field in full bloom and flowers and blossoms everywhere you look. Then there is summer with the deep intense blue sky. June brings poppies, July is of course lavender and August the sunflowers filling the fields with bright yellow.
Autumn is stunning too with the mountains turning a glorious mix of gold and red. Wild mushrooms and various pumpkins start popping up in the market stalls. Then comes winter with the white snow and of course, we can look forward to cosy nights in by the wood burner and cheese fondue after having hit the slopes at our local ski resort.
So, every season has something to offer! But of course, July and August tend to be the busiest time with more things happening in the local villages like outdoor concerts, fêtes and fairs.
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