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BASTIDE DE VERS

If Ismail Merchant and James Ivory were ever inclined to shoot a French version of Enchanted April, they could find no better location than this remarkable bastide in the Gard region of Provence northwest of Avignon. Originally constructed in the 17th century, the structure was enlarged in the 18th and magnificently restored in the 21st century. Its classic architecture, opulently furnished rooms and the utter tranquility of its expansive and well-tended grounds all conjure up thoughts of a time past.

The sense of retreating into another era is made even more magical by the silence. The only sounds come from the village church bells, from soft breezes among the leaves, or from the murmur of fountains placed here and there among the three hectares (6.5 acres) of gardens, tall trees and sweeping lawns that create a park-like setting around the château. The silence is complete even though the lanes and shops of the tidy little village of Vers-Pont du Gard lie just on the other side of the high stone wall that surrounds the property.

Yet the abundant modern comforts at Bastide de Vers, among them the spacious Provençal-style kitchen, elegant bathrooms and the satellite dish that brings in programs from Europe and North America, are reminders that this fine property lives squarely in the 21st century. Everywhere there is a successful intertwining of the old and the new: the 6 m X 17 m (16.5' X 55') heated pool set amidst statues and topiaries, the automatic irrigation system and sophisticated lighting system that illuminates paths and trees at night, and the discreet little key ring, tendered to guests by the caretaker upon their arrival, that remotely controls the heavy iron gates on the stone columns that form the entrance to the property.

From the gates a graceful driveway leads to a fountain and the formal entrance, which is on the middle level of the three-story château. Mounting the stone steps, arriving at the tall double doors and pulling on the iron bell-chain, one might well be standing in the year 1750.

The true grandiosity of the 750 m2 (about 8,100 sq ft.) becomes apparent only when the doors open. A chandelier and brass sconces softly illuminate a marble hall that stretches from the foyer and leads to a series of bedrooms. On one side is a gilded mantle clock, and on the other an ornate marble table. The foyer sets a tone of elegance that extends throughout the bastide.

A curved stone staircase leads down from this middle level to the ground floor, where guests generally find it is more convenient to enter the property. It is here that the main public rooms are situated. The floor is of thick terra cotta tile, and a vaulted stone ceiling arches over the living and dining rooms and adjacent kitchen. Natural light pours into the rooms through tall windows and French doors framed by heavy drapes. Throughout the bastide there are fine wall decorations, such as a collection of engravings in the dining room that illustrate Pont du Gard, the engineering miracle, only five kilometers from Vers, that Caesar's legions created more than 2,000 years ago to bring water from near Uzès to Nîmes.

The dining room, ideal for family meals and formal dinner parties, has a broad chandelier that illuminates an attractive antique table with matching chairs for eight. At one end of the room is a wood cabinet that discreetly conceals a full stereo system with CD player. From the dining room French doors open onto a long wide terrace.

In the living room wide sofas and armchairs are ranged before a stone fireplace, the perfect place to gather in the winter months for after-dinner drinks before a roaring fire. A small alcove with well-filled bookshelves opens off the living room, as does a guest lavatory with a deep copper sink.

Next to the living room is a tastefully decorated study or family room, with a comfortable sofa, fireplace and entertainment system with satellite reception TV (including CNN and BBC). Adding to the cozy feeling of this room is a cherry-wood table with glass decanters. Through the wide windows there are views of the surrounding park.

Family groups visiting Bastide de Vers will invariably spend much of their time in the well-equipped kitchen, where a wrought-iron chandelier and blue-and-white tiles create an especially Provençal ambiance. Guests can gather for breakfast or an informal dinner at a farm table in front of an impressive stone fireplace, next to which is an array of Pichon dishes. Appliances include a four-burner gas stove with electric oven, dishwasher and a two-door refrigerator, all concealed behind cabinet façades. Just off the kitchen is a large terrace shaded by plane trees. In an adjacent utility room are a second refrigerator, icemaker, wine cooler and American-style washing machine and separate dryer.

Returning by the curved staircase to the middle level, one finds four elegantly appointed bedrooms, all with ensuite baths, that open off the long marble hall.

The first bedroom, decorated in the fashion of the ancien régime, might be taken from Stendahl's The Red and the Black. The canopied 140cm (55" across) double bed matches the heavy roped drapes. Ranged around the fireplace is a sitting area with four wide-backed armchairs. A dressing area with deep closets opens onto a spacious marble bathroom with a tub and separate stall shower, all with brass fixtures, and a WC.

Directly across the hall are two other beautifully appointed bedrooms. One has a canopied large single bed (130 cm, 51" across), fireplace and dressing room. In the other bedroom the style is less formal, with a queen-sized four-poster bed and antique chairs, all of polished cherry wood. The deep-blue curtains and walls match the Provençal skies as they appear in the summer or on clear winter days when the mistral has cleansed the skies of clouds. Between these two bedrooms is a bath, decorated with topographical maps of pre-18th-century Europe, with a tub, overhead shower and WC.

At the end of the hall, French doors open onto one of the bastide's most charming rooms - an intimate library with bookshelves that include an excellent collection of classic English and American novels. For one's own writing there is a foldout composition desk and table in front of the fireplace.

The fourth bedroom on this level, called la chambre fleurie because of its distinctly floral motif, is entered through the library. The flowered bedspread on the slightly less than queen-sized bed (150 cm, 59" across) matches the drapes and wallpaper. The bath has a tub with overhead shower and WC.

On the upper floor, reached by a curved staircase, the décor takes on a more rustic motif. Suspended from the thick ceiling beams in the hall are a sheaf of golden wheat and a wrought-iron sundial. The terra cotta floors are brightened by a skylight that admits abundant natural light.

Two delightfully decorated bedrooms, one with a 140 cm double bed and the other with twin beds, form a suite of rooms that is ideal for a couple with two small children. The bedrooms are separated by a dressing room that opens onto a large bathroom with double marble basins, a voluminous old-fashioned clawfoot bathtub with hand-held shower, and a WC. Both bedrooms have colorful throw rugs, blue bedspreads and decorative touches that invoke a country ambiance. As with all the bedrooms at Bastide de Vers, there are bedside tables with good reading lamps.

The third bedroom on this floor, very comfortable but somewhat more simply decorated than the other two, has twin beds (they can be joined to form a king-sized bed) and a lovely view over the park. An expansive bathroom with a marble sink, stall shower and WC opens off the hall just to the right of the bedroom.

Finally, at the far end of the hall, directly above the library on the second level, is a pleasant room with a high-backed sofa where guests may watch TV (also with satellite reception) or videos or listen to music from the stereo system.

Despite all of its interior charms, much of Bastide de Vers' appeal derives from its beautifully kept grounds and opportunities for enjoying the Provençal air and sunshine.

A lovely outside dining area, set among the trees and covered for shaded midday meals, is easily accessible from the kitchen and common rooms. Three fountains, including one that has a pond with goldfish, are set among centuries-old cypress, elm, cedar and plane trees whose leafy branches throw long shadows over the wide lawns. Pear, cherry and peach trees bear fruit into the late summer. For home-cooked meals guests may take freely from the herb garden, where thyme, rosemary, lavender and basil grow in abundance. Eight olive trees are illuminated from below, creating an impressive display in the evening. Throughout the grounds there are statuaries, urns and sculpted shrubs, and paths that lead through the trees to benches and little ponds surrounded by flowers.

One such pathway leads to the magnificent 17 m (55')-long pool, a paradise for swimmers who want to keep up their daily quota of laps even while on vacation. Overlooking the pool is a terrace with plenty of reclining sun chairs and parasols. There is also a Ping Pong table, badminton rackets and a special croquet lawn with a full set of balls and mallets.

Other nearby diversions include ballooning, jet-skiing on the Rhône River, a golf course and tennis courts, all within easy driving or biking distance of the property. For more practical needs, guests can stroll to Vers-Pont du Gard, which is reached by an iron gate on the north side of the property. Vers has a post office, pharmacy, bakery and a presse that offers worldwide publications, including the International Herald Tribune. There is a supermarket at nearby Uzès, a town notable for its fascinating medieval history. Uzès also has a variety of shops and boutiques that offer products of local artisans, as well as its numerous cafés and restaurants.

Daytrips that lie an hour or less from the property include the great vineyards of the Côtes-du-Rhône (among them Gigondas, Châtauneuf-du-Pape and Tavel), the Alpilles town of Saint-Rémy and Les Baux-de-Provence, and the constellation of villages in the Lubéron. Yet with the many comforts and wonders of Bastide de Vers, it is also quite possible to disappear within its gates and not re-emerge until, alas, it comes time to depart.