Maison Santcha, Ardéche
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A stay at Maison Santcha, a Mediterranean-inspired, finca-style gîte (holiday home) in the South of France, feels like a soothing balm for travel-weary minds, somewhere to rest, rejuvenate, and rediscover the pleasure of leisure.
Maison Santcha sits on Amandine and Antoine's property beside their lovely, old stone home, with a shared outdoor space where you might catch a glimpse of resident Golden Retriever, Utah. The couple, originally from the area, gave up metropolitan life to build their dream home, a place for their family to grow up surrounded by nature. The most incredible part of their journey is that they're renovating it themselves, so a stay here is the fruit of their labour in more ways than one. Amandine is as skilled a host as she is with a sanding machine, and she's been documenting the renovation on Instagram, which is where I first discovered the stay and fell in love with it.
The South of France has always been one of my dream destinations, and I've long pictured a little farmstay with a beautiful kitchen and outdoor area, somewhere I could pick up local produce and just be in the moment. From the moment we arrived, we understood that photos just weren’t enough the convey the allure of the space and surroundings.
A Slow Stay in the South of France -
The Arrival -
We haven't spent long in the South of France, but driving through a few towns the landscape starts to feel familiar: rolling hills, the Rhône snaking between them, and the occasional century-old castle casually looming above us.
We make our way there from our previous stop in Avignon by car, a three-hour drive into Saint-Georges-les-Bains. Surrounded by rolling hills and all the good stuff the French countryside has to offer - cheese, bread, fruit and wine, it's the perfect place to settle in for a few days.
We wind up a path near a river, cross a stone bridge, and pull into a clearing surrounded by olive trees and two large stone houses. The one on the left is our destination, and we park comfortably outside before heading in to The Mediterranean Suite. Welcomed by Amandine (and some sloppy kisses from Utah, fresh from the pool), we step into the cool confines insulated by the natural stone - a welcome respite from the ferocious heatwave that's gripped France this season.
The Mediterranean Suite -
The moment you walk into the suite, you can physically feel time slowing down. We take in the cool concrete floors, white linen sofa, stone kitchen sink and the bed draped in the softest linens, simply beckoning you to sit down for a moment, to take a rest that goes beyond sleep.
This studio is more of a self-contained space than a typical hotel room, with a full kitchen (that I put to very good use), a dining table, bed and sofa all under one roof. The bathroom is almost half the size of the suite, with a spacious shower, burnished gold hardware, plush white bathrobes and Aesop toiletries.
The little touches are what make this boutique gîte so special. There's a coffee table Amandine made herself, and an antique wooden door, its texture softened with age. Waxed concrete walls in the kitchen and bathroom add to that Mediterranean character, while bursts of colour, antique jugs, cookbooks, crockery and the Moka pot, bring personality to the space. One side of the suite is made up floor-to-ceiling glass, dressed with light linen curtains that offer just enough privacy while letting natural light flood in, opening out to the greenery and views beyond.
While the courtyard is shared with the hosts, it feels private enough that you can come and go as you please, whether you want to enjoy the outdoors or simply unwind indoors. For the time you're here, this Provençal-style holiday home is entirely yours.
The Experience & The Area -
For me, the joy of making the most of my surroundings often involves cooking with local produce. Luckily, Maison Santcha is well placed for grocery runs, with the Intermarché about a seven-minute drive away, or the local boulangerie and patisserie (very important) and fruit stalls for fresh produce also close by. We stayed at the height of summer, which meant the stone fruit, tomatoes and leafy greens were abundant and Amandine even welcomed us with a basket of local produce and fresh apricots plucked right from her own trees. I was so inspired, I ended up making this Apricot & Ricotta Tart, which went down a treat.
Amandine also sent us a list of her favourite things to do in the area - there's plenty to experience, including natural swimming spots, cafes and restaurants all around a 30-minute drive from the property.
We managed to try one of her recommendations, which I'd highly recommend too: Auberge du Crussol, a Provençal restaurant in the hills with a lovely courtyard and a delicious selection of steaks and vegetarian dishes celebrating the best of the season's produce. Beyond this, the charming town of Valence is a short drive away, offering all the creature comforts you need along with plenty of hiking trails and natural landscapes to explore in and around Saint-Georges-les-Bains.
The Feeling -
I'm conscious that most of our holidays seem to be spent trying to do as much as possible: visit the best restaurants, find the best swimming spots, trek around, shop until you collapse back in the respite of your accommodation. You've done a lot, but have you really rested? The best part of our stay at Maison Santcha was not leaving. Despite there being places to see and things to do, we didn’t feel the need to seize the day, choosing to slow down and enjoy the space instead.
There's such pleasure in waking up without an alarm, brewing a coffee with a book in hand, sunbathing under the vines before heading indoors (thankfully air-conditioned) and settling in for a much-deserved sieste. Maison Santcha is far enough from civilisation that the sound of cicadas is your only soundtrack for the evening, along with the wind rustling through the trees but close enough to not feel isolated. We enjoyed most of our meals on the beautiful terrace, with a table draped under a canopy of grape vines, which was the perfect spot for breakfast and late dinners once the sun set and the cool breeze drifted in.
Our stay was punctuated by a mix of lounging in bed with a book, cooking, dips in the pool, and sipping on endless rosé, just as the slow Provençal life demands. If you're in need of a break, this is where you'll find it.
This post was created in collaboration with Maison Santcha, though all opinions are my own. You can find more details and book your own stay here.
I'm Karina, a Sydney copywriter for lifestyle, hospitality and travel brands. I write restaurant reviews, menu copy, destination guides and website content like this. See more on The Journal or get in touch about your project.
