My wife and I recently visited our beautiful Norwegian friend, Maren, who happens to live in the best house on the best street in Antibes. She has spent the past several years tirelessly renovating a spectacular five bedroom home, Casa Mare, in the old town’s Safranier-district.
I was eager to see the results of her hard work so I rang her up and within seconds my irresistible charm succeeded in wrangling a private tour.
Pas mal, n’est pas?
Casa Mare is situated on what must be one of the most charming streets in the south of France, the Rue du Bas Castelet. With brimming flower boxes and eager vines stretching across a narrow walkway, the pedestrian-only avenue could easily double as a movie set.
The house fits perfectly into this idyllic setting.
Each of the bedrooms is decorated, with hand-made furniture no less, in soothing neutral tones evoking a simple, effortless style. Heavy wooden ceiling beams and original rustic floor tiles add a comfortable authenticity to contemporary Casa Mare. All rooms are equipped with WiFi and an Ipod docking station so your favorite tunes are always within reach.
En-suite bathrooms are roomy and modern with quality-crafted fittings and heated floors and mirrors (that’s right, heated).
In the cellar of Casa Mare is the uber-sophisticated Cantina. If there has ever been a party-pad-central, this is it. Thick stone walls, wine cave, chic mood lighting, wet bar, fireplace…. the only thing that could make this room better is me standing in the middle of it wearing pajama pants, a smoking jacket with ascot, a glass of red in my left hand and a tipsy thirty-year-old Brigitte Bardot in my right.
On the top floor The Cucina’s tasteful dining area and professionally outfitted kitchen extend onto an open-air terrace equipped with a wood burning oven/fireplace, gas grill, and yes, heated floor.
The terrace, I decide, is Casa Mare’s piece de resistance.
It is sublime.
The view over the red-tiled rooftops of old Antibes and beyond to the Mediterranean makes it the ideal spot for coffee in the morning and champagne at night.
As if on cue, Maren suddenly appeared with a chilled bottle of Veuve beside a bowl of fresh-picked berries.
I was ready to move in…. forever.
For rental details and more photos check out Casa Mare’s website here.
Le Stuff 
Så lekkert Maren. Og så fin tekst – hyllest til deg . Vel fortjent.
Håper virkelig at jeg får en sjanse til å se din vakre villa en gang!!!
Takk slik mye for din kommentar Siv !
What a beautiful street…I will be in Villefranch later in November with my daughter and we always lunch in Antibes at the terrace restaurant next to Heidi’s Bookstore… Is Rue du bas Castelet near there? would love to stroll down the street ….it looks beautiful!
Good to have another post from you…hope all is well.
Esperons vous voir bientot!
Melissa Taylor
Hi Melissa! Great to hear from you and I hope all is well. If the Terrace Restaurant is anywhere near the covered market in the old town then it’s close to Rue du bas Castelet. I’m just beginning to learn about and appreciate Antibes. It’s a great town!
I love Antibes! I feel quite at home there now. I even got my Daughter and Son-in-law there and now they have a large apartment in Boulevard Foch and new block but they have a very large terrace with sea views. I do prefer the Vieille Ville though! I travel a lot around the back of the Cote D’Azur -so many lovely villages that some visitors never get to see! I hope to go again next February and take my cousin this time as my husband will be working.We’ll go by TGV -the best way and explore new areas and get to see the Cirus Festival in Menton and the Mimosa Fests. also. Its a pity this accommodation is so big as we are looking for a 2 bedroomed place. {my daughters place is too big and anyway booked already!
Thanks for the comment Sue! Antibes is great and I look forward to exploring it more thoroughly. You might want to contact Maren at Casa Mare re: smaller accommodations. She may be able to lead you in the right direction. Good luck!