Le refuge provençal

If you have ever been to Ramatuelle, in Provence, close to St. Tropez and situated directly on the rocky Mediterrannean coast, you will remember many things. The craggy cliffs are home to wild rosemary, fennel and olive trees and their scent is in the air. Brigitte Bardot lives her "vie sauvage" steps away from the sea in a walled enclave I have only seen from the outside. Inside her walls, she shelters orphaned animals of all kinds and lives out her life surrounded by the wild beauty of this incredible area. If you want to live a beach life that is *tres* naturelle, (or if you forgot to pack your swimsuit), this beach is for you!

Pining for Provence as I am today, I was thrilled to find photos of the Ramatuelle retreat of Paris antique dealer Stéphane Olivier.

in the spirit of Provençal design,

a Swedish buffet and a Gustavian clock

coexist with a 19th c. painting by Jules Didier

a dining room inspired by the brocantes, a

Gustavian table is surrounded by Swedish Rococco chairs

next to an Italian buffet, mercury glass and an

18th c. pottery olive oil jar

in the bedroom, a school botanical chart on the wall

over a small 18th c. commode; a mercury glass Virgin Mary and

"found" mirrored picture frames

iron garden chair Napoléon III for listening to the cigales chirping

and the wind in the olive trees, typical provençal countryside

19th c. wooden door with candle, Portugese

a terrace in the heart of nature, blown glass hurricane lamps,

and a salt pot in pottery from Biot; under the iron pergola, the

table is set with antique embroidered linens and surrounded

by Italian chairs

Italian bronze chair, 18th c. in

front of light linen curtains in Caravane fabric

two charming parrots in front of black coral

pottery pitchers from Biot

images Cote Maison

Stéphane Olivier Rive gauche. 3, Rue de L'université, 75006 Paris. tél. : 01 42 96 10 00 la petite maison. 10, rue paul-bert, 93400 saint-ouen. tél. : 01 40 10 56 63 et www.stephaneolivier.fr