Valdemosa ~ Part One {French Country in Southern California}

Last week my family gathered for five days in Montecito for a much anticipated family reunion. We rented a large home and guesthouse called Valdemosa ~ and felt like we had escaped to Provence.

As we entered the gravel drive we were greeted by the sunny doorway 

overhung with roses and mandevilla vines.

The upstairs bedrooms open onto the covered balcony you can just glimpse in the picture on the left.

Around back you can see the upstairs balcony covered in vines looking out over the expansive yard.

French doors in each of the downstairs rooms welcomed the outdoors in and encouraged us to enjoy the beautiful sunny afternoons and cool evenings.

Some of us sipped scotch and smoked cigars, 

some of us played scrabble, croquet or soccer, 

and all of us found a chance to relax.

Behind the main house the yard sloped up to a shady area with a kids' swing set and fort 

and a sitting area with a fountain.

From the fountain garden area you can peek into the farm kitchen through the open windows.

This was a quiet spot ~ perfect for playing hide and seek 

and for entertaining babies who needed a quiet distraction.

At the back of the property was a two-story guest house with a small kitchen and living space downstairs and a bedroom and bathroom upstairs with a generous balcony overlooking the yard.

The kids wandered all around the nooks and crannies finding places to play and hide and explore.

I'll show you some of the interior in another post, but as you can see from these exterior views we found a beautiful retreat, just the right size and sense of place for a memorable time with our family.