Domaine de Bramafam

Nestled in delightful french countryside, this charming provençal mas is available for rental throughout the year.

Located just outside the quiet village hamlet of Plascassier, in the area known as the golden triangle of the Cote d’Azur, between Grasse, Cannes & Nice, Domaine de Bramafam offers wonderful uninterrupted views to the mountains and nearby Plascassier.

Nestled in tree filled, green rolling countryside and with endless blue sky, the 15000 square metre or 3.7 acre gardens of Domaine de Bramafam offer a superb swimming pool, surrounded by olive and fruit trees and abundant peace and quiet. The Domaine has only one entrance which provides excellent security and privacy. The home is situated on a hilltop covered with pine and olive trees, facing south between a lake and a wood.

The owners have spared no expense in the development of this exquisite property. In the generations of the one family that have owned Domaine de Bramafam, famous chefs like Julia Child practiced their culinary skills in the kitchen here as understudies to the original owner of the property, Simone Beck : all part of the interesting history of the owners family. In fact whilst staying at La Pitcholine for 6 months in 1967, Julie Child penned part of Volume 2 of the famous book Mastering the Art of French Cooking in Domaine de Bramafam.

The property actually comprises two provençal style houses, “La Campanette” and “La Pitcholine” both connected by a common roof, and sharing a lovely shady terrace overlooking the land and the village of Plascassier in the distance. Each comes equipped with a full eat-in kitchen, living room with a fireplace, and it’s own shady outdoor eating area.

La Campanette - offers 150m2 of space, a fully equipped kitchen where Julia Child once learnt to cook, a grand salon with fireplace complete with its own covered terrace, 3 bedrooms, one with ensuite bathroom with bath and shower, 2 other bathrooms, the master bedroom with king size bed. All linen is provided. Parking in the driveway to the rear of the house. There is a washer, dishwasher, cooker, CD player, TV, DVD and Cable television, Video with library of DVDs, books, videos for clients use, clock radio, hairdryer and wi-fi internet access.

La Pitcholine* - offers 100m2 of space, a fully equipped kitchen, salon with fireplace with its own covered terrace, 3 bedrooms, 2 with ensuite bathrooms with bath and shower, 1 toilet. All linen is provided. Parking in the driveway to the rear of the house. There is a washer, dishwasher, cooker, CD player, TV, DVD and Cable television, Video with library of DVDs, books, videos for clients use, clock radio, hairdryer and wi-fi internet access. *A pitcholine is a small olive tree which grows in the Nice area.

Separately, or together, these homes offer the guest the pleasure of a sublime, peaceful stay in the south of France, away from the bustle of the coast, but within easy access of Cannes, Nice, and the best parts of the Cote d’Azur.

For more information, contact owner Christian Beck, by email : chbeck@tele2.fr

Rental information :

The owners offer this wonderful property to mature adults who seek to relax and unwind, perhaps taking in the charming countryside, play a little golf or indulge in the famous french cuisine. Therefore this property is dedicated to the exclusive rental by adults or families with children over the age of 21.

La Campanette (sleeps 6)

• € 1900 per week (May, June, September)
• € 2500 per week (July, August)
• € 1200 per week (rest of the year)

La Pitcholine (sleeps 6)

• € 1400 per week (May, June, September)
• € 1900 per week (July, August)
• € 900 per week (rest of the year)

There is a discount when renting either the two houses, or one for several weeks.

Net price includes all charges for one week, with normal consumption of electricity and fuel oil for heating, in low season.

Departures and arrivals are usually Saturday. Check out time would be 11 a.m Check in time would be at 4 pm.

A maid is available at €13 per hour.

An an english speaking chef is also available to prepare lunch or dinner.

A deposit will be held ( € 800 per week).

Other Information :

Mastering the Art of French Cooking - Julia Child’s two-volume masterwork was written at Domaine de Bramafam. One of the most popular and influential cookbooks ever published–it introduced French cooking to millions of home cooks during the 1960s and ’70s. Among the recipes are Courgettes en Pistouille, Gnocchi Gratinés au Fromage, Pain Lous XV, Provençal Soup au Pistou, Cassoulet, Brussels Sprouts Braised with Chestnuts, Echalotes, Gateau a l’Orange, Paté à Choux, Raspberry Mousse, and Molded Pudding à l’Imperatrice.

Plascassier has several wonderful bakeries selling the most delicious croissant, bagette and other bread and a very large well stocked supermarket.

Fine restaurants abound and guests will have no difficulty finding great food and superb places to enjoy it in the nearby vicinity. Suggestions of where to eat :

• Auberge St Donat, (rte Valbonne (D4), Plascassier - on the roundabout with D104 to Mouans Sartoux) tel: 04 93 60 10 07 (fax: 04 93 60 09 04). Open for lunch every day and dinner M-Sa. Unpretentious / very rustic restaurant that provides a bargain at lunch where you have a 4 course fixed menu meal including wine and coffee for €12.50/person. Either reserve or get there at 12noon.
• Le Mas du Géranium at 06650 - Opio, where you can eat lunch or dinner outside surrounded by trees with a wonderful view to the Gold de la Grande Bastide. Tel : 04 93 77 23 23 Fax : 04 93 77 76 05 coletto@aol.com
  Price : Lunch € 25, Dinner : € 34/40
• Bistrot de Mougins, is a typical french bistrot at Place du Village, tel : 04 93 75 78 34 (fax : 04 93 75 25 52)
  Lunch € 21, Dinner € 34/40
• La Bastide Saint Antoine (48 Avenue Henri Dunant, Grasse - access from end of penetrante. The trick is to start by heading to Pégomas and away from Grasse!), Tel: 04 93 09 16 48 (fax: 04.93.70.94.95 email: info@jacques-chibois.com ) ** Michelin Restaurant (and Hotel) expensive (€100/person minimum) but well worth splurging on and less well known than the other Michelin restaurants in the area. http://www.jacques-chibois.com/uk/sommaire.htm

Nearby Plascassier :

The Alpes Maritimes is a wonderfully diverse region with so much to offer in terms of leisure activities and places of interest. A wonderful beach life in the summer with skiing in the nearby mountains in the Winter and early Spring.

For those seeking the quiet of country life, the surrounds of Plascassier offer a perfect escape. Bike riders will love the twisting winding roads surrounding Domaine de Bramafam. Leisure activities in the region include Golf (there are around 20 golf courses in the region), Sailing and watersports, Tennis, Horse riding, Climbing and Hiking, Canoeing/Kayaking, Skiing (Winter)

• Golf : There are many golf courses such as the Golf Country Club de Saint Donat (270 rte Cannes GRASSE tel: 04 93 09 76 60), the Golf course of Opio/Valbonne is quite near (6 km) and is recognized as one of the nicest of the French Riviera. Or the Golf du Grande Bastide is only 2km away, 761 chem Picholines CHATEAUNEUF tel: 04 93 77 70 08 fax: 04 93 77 72 36) with its old trees it has a very good restaurant !
• The Royal Country Club in Mougins (6 km).
• Tennis : the Tennis Club Plaine Le Vignal (268 chem Picholines CHATEAUNEUF tel: 04 93 60 14 20 fax: 04 93 60 14 35) is accommodating to foreigners and also has a pleasant restaurant (Radish @ The Vignal) with an eclectic and unusual menu and a swimming pool.
• Horse Riding : try the Club Hippique de La Brague (chem Ranch 06740 CHATEAUNEUF tel: 04 93 60 16 10 fax: 04 97 01 06 44) near the Vignal, the Club Hippique Grasse (168 rte Cannes 06130 GRASSE tel: 04 93 70 55 41) between Grasse and Mouans Sartoux, or the Poney Club Ecole Equitation (42 chem Mosquée GRASSE tel: 04 93 36 13 23) on the way to Maganosc

14 kms from Plascassier is Cannes, reknown for its glamourous film festival, beaches and ritzy southern France lifestyle is around a 20-30 minute drive away, depending on traffic. Cannes also has a TGV rail station offering services to all destinations in France and Europe.

31 kms away is Nice, the larger and more brusque city, and famous meca of the Cote d’Azur. Nice also has the closest International Airport. Other places to visit the charming vieux Nice, and the very pretty port of Villefranche just beyond Nice.

For beaches, nearby Theole sur Mer and Cap d’Antibes are perhaps the most exclusive and quiet jewels of the Cote d’Azur and only a short drive away. Antibes - Juan les Pins has a daily market – the old part of Antibes is busy but absolutely charming with the Marina, where the most beautiful yachts and ocean-going boats are moored.

5.7 kilometres from Domaine de Bramafam is the world famous town of Grasse, perfume capital of the world and within a half hour drive are the picturesque villages of St Paul de Vence, Gourdon (7.4km), Biot and Mougins. All have many restaurants, bars and art galleries and/or potteries, the list is endless. In most villages there are colourful weekly markets – offering a variety of provencal delights. Valbonne’s wonderful, bustling market takes place every Friday morning.

St Tropez and its very pretty surrounding villages of Gassin and Ramatuelle are also within a one to two hour drive, depending on traffic.

Monaco and of course Italy is within around one hour’s drive from Domaine de Bramafam, again depending on traffic.

Plascassier :