FRANCE – UN PETIT INSTANTANÉ
Bonjour and welcome to Luxe Houses France – we are excited to introduce the most amazing French properties to our Luxe Houses collection situated in The Côte d'Azur. Often known in English as the French Riviera, this is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco. “Playground of the rich and famous”. This sun-splashed slice of coastline that stretches from Cannes in the west to Menton in the east is a second home to more billionaires, playboys and Hollywood stars than anywhere else on the planet.
When dreaming of holidaying in France we instantly think style, sophistication and romance not to mention epicurean experiences. As we travel throughout France we take in the history, the old majestic buildings and palaces exuding decadence of centuries past.
PARIS – the Eiffel Tower stands tall and proud and can be seen from many vantage points in Paris. If you are thinking romance, many a proposal has happened on or under the Eiffel Tower and why not, Paris is love, the cafes along alleyways look romantic – even when raining Paris is beautiful. It is pure luxury and sophistication.
Paris is beautiful with its stone coloured buildings and tin roofs, wide boulevards and of course the Seine. Paris has always been the capital of fashion – think Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier and The House of Vuitton just to name a few – and don’t the Parisians wear it well.
And at night, Paris sparkles!
MARSEILLE – Second largest city in France and the Portal to Provence on the Mediterranean coast. If you spend some time getting to know this city you may just fall in love with it. The city has heart and some of the most beautiful attractions, including the world-famous Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde. Marseille feels like a melting pot of culture which is certainly reflected in their food from Bouillabaisse, Marseille’s most iconic dish to Pizza and couscous.
Not many cities in the world can offer as many dazzling locations within as short a drive (or train ride) as does Marseille. Forty-five minutes east takes you to the Côte d’Azur and a half-hour north lies Provence, and the picture-perfect cobblestoned towns of Aix, Avignon, Arles and Orange. Alternately head 30km south to the village of Cassis where you can shop, dine, swim, or hike out to the Calanques, the spectacular white-cliff coves that shelter some of the most beautiful beaches on the Mediterranean.
GASTRONOMY – the food of France cannot go ignored – here is a taste…….
Foie gras is a culinary specialty made from fresh farmed goose and duck livers.
In France, cheese is one of the highlights of French cuisine and is part of people’s everyday diet. A major cheese of truly international repute is Roquefort produced solely from whole, raw ewe's milk in the Aveyron in the southwest of the Massif Central Mountains. It is ripened and matured with particular care in Roquefort's famous caves.
The veritable celebrity that is the croissant is famous for being one of the essential components of breakfast à la française.
Oysters come in many varieties and sizes – Normandy, Brittany, Marennes-Oléron, Arcachon… – a panorama of French oysters, all with their own secret flavour.
Duck confit, is very popular in the south-west of France, and demonstrates one of the most ancient and tasty conservation methods: pieces of duck are first cooked in either goose or duck fat, and are then kept in a pot for some time.
THE WINE LIST - With their almost 2,000 years of history and an extraordinary patchwork of landscapes, know-how and local soils and climates, French vineyards contribute to a diverse wine character.
Champagne… No other drink on Earth can capture the romance and euphoria of a single moment of celebration into such a tangible act as when the seal of a bottle of champagne is broken, the cork pops, the bubbles fizz and the wine bursts out of the bottle with the enthusiasm announcing a prestigious start to a great occasion.
Moët & Chandon – perfect for any occasion or perhaps for a grand celebration how about a huge 3 litre Jeroboam of Moët & Chandon’s prestige cuvée, Dom Perignon. Cristal, for many wine lovers, is the most opulent prestige cuvée. And then of course there is Louis Roederer and the very beautiful bottle of Perrier-Jouët and the list goes on….

Wine - France has more than fifteen wine-growing regions. From Bourgogne to Alsace, via the Rhône valley and Champagne, there are a multitude of wines, each with its own aroma, taste and colour. Mouton-Rothschild, Yquem, Latour, Haut-Brion, Angélus… Some of the exciting stars of Bordeaux! The famous classification of 1855, supplemented since then and still in effect, lists all of the grands crus. Exceptional châteaux and mythical wines that reflect a long wine-producing history.
To name just a couple well known wines: Romanée Conti in Burgundy, - Pétrus in Pomerol, Bordeaux –
France, just too many excellent wines, champagnes, food and experiences to mention, but there is a solution – go visit – discover for yourself – allow LUXE HOUSES to introduce you to the wonders of France. Tres Magnifique!!