Villa for 16 people in Aix-en-Provence: private pool & tennis

Getting 16 people under one roof is often the holiday headache: several gîtes, scattered hotel rooms, everyone eating separately. At Villa La Source, everyone is together in one place: 7 bedrooms each with its own bathroom, large living areas, a private pool and tennis court, in 3.3 hectares of grounds 8 minutes from Aix-en-Provence.

How much does a villa for 16 people cost?

Outside summer, the whole villa rents from €900 a night, which is €56.25 per person per night for a group of 16. In summer, allow from €1,400 a night, or €87.50 per person. The cleaning and linen package is €450 per stay, about €28 per person. The exact price for your dates is shown in the booking calendar, with instant confirmation.

Who sleeps where?

Three bedrooms with queen-size beds overlook the pool: Augustine, Marcel and Manon. Angèle and César each have a queen-size bed, Marius & Fanny two single beds, and Topaze, the dormitory, sleeps the whole tribe with two queen-size beds and two single beds. It is the perfect spot for children or friends.

One large villa rather than several rentals

One booking, one arrival, one contact: your hosts, Mathilde and Erwan. Meals are shared on the big terrace, children play in the enclosed grounds while the grown-ups enjoy the pool, and nobody has to drive off somewhere else to sleep at night.

What kind of stays?

Family reunions, holidays with friends, a hen weekend, a residential seminar or a yoga retreat: the villa adapts to your group. It is for stays only: no weddings, no parties, no outside guests, and 16 people maximum.

For an overview of the house, its services and its reviews, see our villa rental in Aix-en-Provence page.

With 16 people, not everyone wants the same thing. Some dream of hiking, others of markets and rosé on a terrace, and the youngest would not leave the pool for anything. From Puyricard, everything is within easy reach: here are our ideas to fill your days, from the villa itself to the sea.

On site: tennis tournament, pétanque and pool

Some days need no plan at all. The floodlit tennis court is perfect for a doubles tournament running through your stay, with a final at the end of the day when the heat eases. For beginners, a coach can come and give a lesson on request. Under the olive trees, pétanque and Mölkky bring every generation together, while the children spend the afternoon in the pool. In the evening, light the plancha on the terrace, or have a private chef cook for the whole table: nobody is on duty, and everyone dines together under the pines. The next morning, a yoga class in the garden sets everyone right again.

Aix-en-Provence 8 minutes away: markets, Cézanne and café terraces

In the morning, head for the farmers' market on Place Richelme, held every day, or the big market on the Cours Mirabeau on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. With 16 people, the easiest thing is to agree to meet on a café terrace at aperitif time and split up as you please: Cézanne's studio and the Musée Granet for some, the lanes of old Aix and the calisson makers for others. Leave the cars at the Rotonde or Mignet car parks: the centre is best explored on foot. All our tips are in our guide to visiting Aix-en-Provence and on our page about the markets of Aix-en-Provence.

The Sainte-Victoire, from the garden to the summit

The mountain you admire from the terrace can also be climbed. The Venturiers path starts from the Cabassols car park in Vauvenargues and climbs in about two hours to the Sainte-Victoire priory, then to the Croix de Provence: the view takes in the whole of Provence. Set off early, take plenty of water, and come back for a swim in the afternoon. From 1 June to 30 September, access to the hills of the Bouches-du-Rhône is restricted because of the fire risk: the prefecture's map, published every evening for the following day, shows whether the trails are open. For less keen walkers, the Terrain des Peintres, above Aix, offers Cézanne's viewpoint without any effort.

Wine and contemporary art on the wine route

The villa sits at the start of the wine route. Our neighbour, the Cellier des Quatre Tours, offers tastings of Provence wines a few minutes from the house. A little further north, in Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, the Château La Coste estate mixes vines, sculptures and pavilions by leading architects. Allow an hour and a half to two hours for the Art and Architecture walk, in good shoes, before tasting the estate's wines. It is the ideal outing for a group with varied tastes: there is something for everyone.

Cassis, the calanques and Marseille

In under an hour's drive, you are on the shores of the Mediterranean. In Cassis, the little harbour is made for strolling, and boats leave from the quay to visit the calanques: the easiest way to take the whole group, from grandparents to children. Keen walkers can hike to Port-Miou and Port-Pin. On the way back, Marseille awaits with its Vieux-Port and the Mucem. In summer, access to the calanques on foot follows the same rule as the hills: check the day before. Boat trips remain possible.

The Luberon and the lavender fields

To the north, the Luberon unfolds its hilltop villages. Lourmarin, about forty minutes away, makes a lovely morning between château, lanes and café terraces, and the more curious can carry on to Bonnieux or the ochres of Roussillon. From about mid-June to mid-July, the Valensole plateau, an hour's drive away, is covered in flowering lavender: set off early to enjoy the light and avoid the crowds.

Organising a big group's days: our tips

• Getting around: allow three or four cars for 16 people, or ask about our transfers from Marseille-Provence airport and Aix TGV station.
• Restaurants: book ahead, as a table for 16 is rarely available at the last minute, especially in summer.
• Pace: alternate days out with days at the villa. The pool and tennis court are a destination in themselves.
• The details: private chef, massages, yoga or tennis lessons, babysitter: our concierge manager arranges everything before you arrive.

Your villa for 16 people in Aix-en-Provence thus becomes the group's base camp: everyone spends the day at their own pace, and everyone comes together in the evening around the same table, facing the Sainte-Victoire.