Imagine a time when Marseille’s elite sought refuge. They desired an escape from the city’s intensity. That escape was the bastide. And here before you stands Bastide Les Étrembles.
Bastides like Les Étrembles were more than just houses. They represented a Provencal lifestyle. These country residences offered refined living. Wealthy Marseille families enjoyed these homes outside the city walls.
Life at Bastide Les Étrembles would have revolved around leisure. But it also focused on the cultivation of the land. Olive trees and vines likely covered the surrounding area. This blend of relaxation and agricultural pursuits defined bastide living.
Madame de Sévigné arrived in Marseille in 1673. She described the beauty of the scattered bastides. From the heights of Marseille, she saw them dotting the landscape. They framed her view of the sea and the hills. Bastide Les Étrembles would have contributed to that picturesque scene.
The first architectural designs for bastides appeared around 1670. Bastide Les Étrembles embodies this architectural heritage.
Bastides weren’t just pretty. They were also functional. They served as agricultural domains. The elites owned private hotels in town. Bastides like Les Étrembles were their second homes in the countryside.
Think of the families who lived here. They cultivated olive trees and vines. They enjoyed a more relaxed pace of life. Bastide Les Étrembles offered respite from the bustling port city.
Bastide Les Étrembles stands as a reminder of Marseille’s past. It connects us to a time when wealthy families sought refuge. They found it in the refined living and agricultural pursuits of bastide life. The Bastide Les Étrembles stands as a window into that era. It offers a glimpse into the lives of Marseille’s elite.