Just outside the historic town of Sommières, this beautiful house is set in a wonderful garden with its own private swimming pool and a rural outlook towards the surrounding countryside of southern France.
Once a dairy farm, Le Jardin D’Eden is an attractive family home with modern interiors alongside an abundance of charm. It’s hard to believe that the stylish salon and open-plan kitchen-diner used to be the cowshed – nowadays elegant doors open straight out to the picturesque terrace and garden.
There are four double bedrooms upstairs (including two with king-size doubles) as well as a twin room, a single room and a TV/playroom with single beds ideal for kids, allowing Le Jardin D’Eden to sleep up to 12 guests. If additional space is needed, the separate garden studio has a sofa-bed (for extra two guests, on request) and a shower room.
Outside, dine in the characterful surroundings of the summer kitchen with its Weber barbecue, no doubt creating a feast from all the seasonal delights bought from nearby markets (including Sommières’ own Saturday morning market which dates back eight centuries!). The salt-water swimming pool is a delight, with integrated steps and safety cover, set within the spacious and verdant garden.
Set by the edge of the town, the heart of Sommières is less than 2km away, home to a variety of shops, restaurants and bars. Admire the town’s old bridge dating back to the first century and visit Château de Sommières where wooden games are set out in the castle’s courtyard in the summer months.
Watch locals by the town’s river beach in the height of the summer, canoe or kayak along the Vidourle, enjoy riverside walks or hire bikes to follow the voie verte passing vineyards and pretty landscapes as far as Caveirac (and onwards towards Nimes).
Spend days out visiting the Roman sites of Nimes, Le Pont du Gard and Arles, soak up the ambience of the colourful twice-weekly market in Uzès, shop to your heart’s content in Montpellier or you could even venture to the beaches of the Mediterranean with La Grande-Motte and Le Grau-du-Roi just over half an hour away by car.
Le Jardin D’Eden is located just outside the historic town of Sommières in the Gard department of southern France, around 35km from the Mediterranean coastline. Arrive by aeroplane into Nîmes or Montpellier Airports, both around half an hour away by car, or travel on the fast train service (TGV) from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nîmes city.
The house is set in beautiful gardens just off the road leading straight to Sommières. The nearby voie vert is a delight to cycle on. Passing a useful supermarket en route (900m away) you will reach the historic heart of Sommières within a 5-minute drive (around 1.5km), home to a range of restaurants. The Saturday morning market in the main square is over eight centuries old, there are delightful evening markets on a Wednesday in the height of the summer and look out to see when the town’s atmospheric brocante may be taking place.
Take time to admire the town’s historic bridge that dates back to the first century before heading to the wonderful Château de Sommières where large wooden games are set out in the courtyard in the summer. Other historic buildings nearby include Château de Villevieille (1km) in a tiny hilltop village and Château De Pondres (3km), now home to a hotel-restaurant.
There are picturesque walks by the Vidourle River as well as seasonal canoeing and kayaking opportunities. Keen cyclists can follow La Voie Verte de la Vaunage, a former railway line which passes attractive scenery and vineyards as far as Caveirac (and on towards Nîmes). Sommières’ noteworthy vineyards can also be visited during your time in this part of the Languedoc.
Of course, the historic city of Nîmes (27km) is a brilliant day out with its fantastically preserved Roman sites including Maison Carrée and the amphitheatre whilst Le Pont du Gard (53km), a masterpiece of Roman engineering and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, can be reached in less than an hour by car.
The exquisite town of Uzès (43km) hosts an especially beautiful market beneath the plane trees of Place aux Herbes on a Wednesday and Saturday morning whilst history lovers will also appreciate a trip to Aigues-Mortes (33km) with its ramparts dating back to the 12th century.
Even the wild landscapes of the Camargue are just over an hour away, perhaps combined with a trip to Arles (59km) to experience the Provençal town’s art galleries, restaurants and Roman sites. If you prefer to spend the day by the Mediterranean then La Grande-Motte and Le Grau-du-Roi are both just over half an hour away.
House Interiors
Ground Floor
- Open-plan living and dining area with doors opening out to terrace and garden
- Open-plan kitchen, well-equipped including oven, gas hob, coffee machine, dishwasher, toaster, ice-maker and double fridge
- Music room/library with piano, electric guitar, sound system
- Wine cellar
- Guest WC First Floor
- Office, TV lounge with Apple TV, DVD player
- 2 x bedrooms with king-size double beds and en-suite bathrooms with showers and WCs
- 2 x bedrooms with queen-size double beds
- 1 x bedroom with twin bed (can be converted to king-size double bed)
- 1 x bedroom with large single bed
- 1 x children’s bedroom/TV/ playroom with 2 x single beds (can be converted to queen-size double bed)
- Bathroom with bath and shower
- Bathroom with shower and WC
- Guest WC Garden Studio
- Room with queen-size sofa-bed (for two extra guests, on request), shower room and WC
Outside Grounds
- Salt-water swimming pool (10x5m, max. depth: 1.25m) with safety cover and glass barrier pool fence. Open approximately end-May to end-September
- Poolside sun beds and parasols
- Summer kitchen with gas oven, fridge/freezer
- Al-fresco dining table (for 12/14 guests)
- Garden (6500 sqm) with olive grove, hammock, swing
- Boules
- Weber barbecue and Ofyr cooking unit Facilities
- Fibre optic Wi-Fi
- Central heating
- Air-conditioning (ducted with individual temperature control)
- UK Satellite TV
- DVD player
- Bose/sonos sound system
- Table tennis
- Table football
- Boules
- Kid’s bikes and toys
- Tennis rackets
- 5 x adult bikes
- Board games
- Ironing facilities
- Washing machine
- 2 x cot and high chair
