We had never imagined buying an apartment (rather than a villa) down here until we found Port la Galère - a wonderfully sophisticated "domaine" set between the Corniche d’Or and the sea itself and consisting of a number of differently shaped buildings set in nearly 60 acres of lush tropical gardens. The original design in 1970 was by Jacques Couëlle, a pupil of Gaudi - so there’s hardly a straight line in sight! Pierre Cardin has property on the domaine.

Why were we inspired by it?

Apart from the exciting visual aspect of the architecture and the surroundings, it is very secure (fenced and guarded) so children can wander around freely and meet others. There are tennis courts, a fitness centre, 3 private (rocky) beaches, 2 huge swimming pools (one heated in winter), a marina, elegant bars and two excellent restaurants, all in the atmosphere and style of a private club. In high season there are fantastic special evenings with music and themed dinners by the pool once a week. The club also has a small number of hotel rooms.

There is a drawing showing the layout of Port la Galère on the layouts page in the information section of this site.