Villa Santa Clara

About this property

Only a few steps from a vast sandy beach, the luxurious Villa Santa Clara features a heated swimming pool, cinema room, gym and beautiful balcony with gorgeous views over the palm trees towards the sea.

It’s hard to imagine a more enviable setting for this impressive villa near Sète, a historic fishing port often referred to as the ‘Little Venice of Languedoc’. Simply stroll across the park and promenade and you will reach the sandy shores and one of the town’s oldest beachside restaurants for tapas and seafood overlooking the Mediterranean.  

Back at your villa, gather for al-fresco feasts on the decked terrace, prepared on the Weber barbecue, then soak up the sun in the colourful garden or cool off in the infinity swimming pool. Everything about Villa Santa Clara exudes a ‘wow factor’ from the open-plan lounge and state-of-the-art kitchen-diner opening out to the terrace to the cinema room, gym and sauna for guests’ private use.

Sleeping up to 10 guests (and two additional children), the four main bedrooms are stunning with king-size beds (which can be made up as twins), Smart TVs, dressing rooms and en suite bath or shower rooms. For an extra touch of luxury, two of the bedrooms lead out to the upper balcony for glorious vistas towards the sea, especially atmospheric as you sit out with a glass of Languedoc wine and gaze out to the everchanging evening sky.

A smaller fifth en suite bedroom with Smart TV can be found in the basement, simpler in style so perhaps perfect for accompanying teens who wish to have easy access to the cinema and fitness room! Elsewhere, kids will love the table football and ping pong whilst there is a kayak, paddleboard and beach games (from sand toys to mini football nets) available for guests to use, provided by the professional and thoughtful owners.

Take advantage of the villa’s bikes and cycle along the promenade to the heart of Sète; passing beachside restaurants, ice-cream parlours and the local watersports centre, you can reach the Théâtre de la Mer in just over 3.5km whilst Les Halles de Sète is a little further, a fantastic food market and an ideal spot for lunch.

Food-lovers who wish to venture further afield shouldn’t miss the Saturday morning market in historic Pézenas, around half an hour away by car, or find a waterside restaurant serving freshly harvested oysters by the Étang de Thau. There are of course endless vineyards and characterful wine villages to explore across the Languedoc countryside as well as the vibrant cities of Béziers and Montpellier, both under an hour away.

Closer to home, tour Sète’s charming canals by boat, look out for summer jousting tournaments and visit the town’s many art galleries and museums. Described by the Telegraph as “the perfect break”, Sète’s culture and heritage prove the town is so much more than just glorious Mediterranean beaches.

Villa Santa Clara enjoys an incredible setting just a few steps from a vast Languedoc beach, summer beachside restaurants and a 12km long promenade, close to the characterful seaside town of Sète (4km), known as the ‘Little Venice of Languedoc’.

In a residential district, simply walk out of your gate, across the park and promenade and you will reach the sandy shores and Mediterranean sea – there’s an outdoor shower by your gate so you can wash the sand off your feet when you return from the beach! This beach is one of the largest in Sète so you should always find space and some excellent restaurants can be found here, including Sète’s oldest beachside restaurant for fresh fish, seafood and tapas in a stunning location. It’s usually best to book ahead and check seasonal opening dates/times in advance.

In terms of shopping, there is a Lidl supermarket a short cycle/drive away or head down to La Corniche neighbourhood (2.5km) for a selection of shops including a good boulangerie, grocery store and wine merchant. The fresh food market, Les Halles de Sète (4.5km), is a great way to pick up all sorts of local produce and you should stop off for a coffee, glass of wine or a bite to eat. Even closer is a lovely beachside ice-cream café just over 500m away.

The promenade in front of the villa is wonderful for long walks towards Sète’s Théâtre de la Mer (3.5km) or in the other direction passing glorious beaches. There is also a fitness trail near the house and a watersports centre around 1km away near Le Pont de l'Avenir offering boat rental, jet skis, parachuting and other water-based fun. The most adventurous of guests can venture up the hill to the Forêt des Pierres Blanches (2.5km) for incredible scenery and sea vistas or simply hire bikes and soak up the ambience of the promenade.

The historic fishing port of Sète isn’t just about its Mediterranean beaches, it’s also a town full of culture and heritage with museums, art galleries, festivities as well as the picturesque canals that are best explored by boat. Check out what may be going on at Théâtre de la Mer during your stay including occasional outdoor films in the height of the summer.

Other events that typically take place in Sète includes the ‘Worldwide Music Festival’ in early July with some events taking place at the nearby beachside restaurant and along the beach, a traditional boats exhibition in mid-April and the Saint Louis Festival in mid-August with beachside festivities and jousting tournaments on the canal.

Elsewhere, eat oysters accompanied by chilled white wine by Mèze or elsewhere on the Étang de Thau, drive out to the Languedoc vineyards and charming wine villages of the region, visit the historic town of Pézenas (36km), famed for its Saturday morning market or you could even spend the day in Montpellier (36km) or Béziers (44km) to soak up the vibrant culture of this fascinating part of southern France.

Accommodation

Villa Interiors

Ground Floor
-    Entrance and open-plan hallway (via a few outside steps)
-    Open-plan lounge, dining area and kitchen, fully-equipped including oven, microwave, steam oven, espresso machine, Nespresso machine,
-    Bedroom 1 with king-size double bed (180cm, can be split into twin), Smart TV, dressing area, desk and en suite shower room with WC

First Floor

-    Mezzanine hallway
-    Bedroom 2 with king-size double bed (180cm, can be split into twin), Smart TV, dressing area, desk and en suite bathroom with bath, shower and WC. Doors lead to large balcony with sea view
-    Bedroom 3 with king-size double bed (180cm, can be split into twin), Smart TV, dressing area, desk and en suite bathroom with bath, shower and WC. Doors lead to large balcony with sea view
-    Bedroom 4 with king-size double bed (180cm, can be split into twin), Smart TV, dressing area, desk and en suite shower room with WC

Basement (via narrow open stairs, no handrail)

-    Fitness room, sauna and shower
-    Cinema room
-    Bedroom 5 (smaller, no window) with queen-size double bed (160cm), Smart TV and en suite shower room with WC
-    Laundry room
-    Garage and storage (for bikes, kayaks, table tennis etc)
Outside Grounds

-    Heated infinity swimming pool (9x5m, depth: 0.5-1.8m) with removable safety barrier. Heated and open approximately May to September (outside this time pool heating is on request, subject to a supplement)
-    Al-fresco dining and lounge terrace
-    Weber barbecue
-    Garden
-    Outdoor shower (by gate)
-    Parking and garage

Facilities

-    Wi-Fi
-    Air-conditioning
-    Smart TV with Apple and Netflix (lounge)
-    Smart TVs (in each bedroom)
-    Sonos sound system
-    Cinema room
-    Fitness room
-    Sauna
-    Table football
-    Table tennis
-    Board games
-    Beach toys (pétanque, football goals, sand toys)
-    Kayak, paddle and body-board
-    Bikes
-    Pool games and armbands
-    Children’s mini table and chairs
-    Laundry room