If you are looking for a holiday in rural, authentic Provence where you can enjoy a spot of wild swimming, Les Roches Blanches might well be the taste of paradise you are looking for. Set in five hectares of magnificent grounds and only a few kilometres from the centre of St-Rémy-de-Provence, it nestles at the foot of the region’s white rocks with magnificent views over the small mountains of Les Alpilles.

This is a home with a successful and bewitching combination of the traditional and contemporary where the walls hold many stories from the past. Les Roches Blanches might be a rustic retreat but it has modern facilities and is ideal for the holidaymaker who enjoys a combination of character and comfort. There is a sleek, well equipped, high ceilinged kitchen-diner and a separate lounge designed for relaxation with stone fireplace and wooden ceiling. For that extra bit of space and privacy, the four en suite double bedrooms are fascinatingly accessed by their own terraces, two of which are south facing with the remaining pair enjoying magical sunsets.

Walk into the seemingly never ending gardens and know that you are in Provence as you catch the scent of lavender and thyme on the warm breeze, absorb the colour of the oleanders or enjoy the natural setting of the seating and dining areas amongst the iconic olive and cypress trees. Play a game of pétanque beneath the fragrant pines or wander down the soft grassy path and take a dip in the magical natural bathing area at the foot of Les Alpilles. Pick some produce for dinner from the organic vegetable plot or treat yourselves to the in house catering, one of the additional services on offer here.

St-Rémy-de-Provence has a beautiful historic centre with winding streets, private mansions, chapels, shaded squares with fountains, a famous Wednesday market and plenty of shops, cafés and restaurants to entice you into enjoying the Provençal way of life. Van Gogh stayed here in the Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole, which inspired so many of his famous paintings and the town still has many resident artists. From here there are many opportunities for day trips, starting with the neighbouring historic cities of Arles and Avignon.

Les Alpilles offer many outdoor activities as well as having some exquisite hill villages such as Les Baux or Mausanne. Further afield are the delights of the Camargue with its white horses, black bulls, sea ponds and sandy beaches.