In Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a former madder workshop and 520-m² country house awaiting complete renovation, with a swimming pool, in grounds of almost 1 hectare. This long, imposing, two-storey, Cyclopean masonry building was erected in the early 19th century on the municipality's outskirts but only 5 minutes by bicycle from the town centre. One of the floors was used as a hay loft and above-ground storage. Under the same roof, it housed both a workshop and a dwelling, as was often the case in the rural world, where it was customary to live nearby or at one's workplace. Today, it is located in a neighbourhood of Saint-Rémy that is one of the most sought-after due to its authenticity. This rural abode has remained in the same family since it was built, a family that drew its wealth from the trade of madder, an herbaceous plant with eye-catching leaves and fleshy fruit. One variety, 'dyer's madder' (Rubia tinctorum), provides a colourant. The colour from which the plant takes its name is a bright red hue, visible from a distance and is a very attractive colour for fabrics. It was widely used for the trousers of military uniforms but it was abruptly abandoned in the 20th century, leaving many producers by the wayside. It was at this specific point in time that the living quarters started to take over the workshop part, without much attention paid to comfort and decoration, as the main priority was to provide housing for the children and then for their descendants. As a result, the interior design of the house was forged, without fuss or manners, by the diversity of its occupants. The exterior has not changed much. The main façade faces south and opens onto a large patio, sheltered by half a dozen perfectly healthy plane trees, planted most likely before the construction of the building. From the entrance to the property, they spread their protective shade but then, in the grounds, they give way to cypresses and other local tree types. The only traces of modernity are a large swimming pool and the landscaped meadow.

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