Welcome

Welcome to our sunny paradise in Valbonne!

We are so glad you’re here! After your journey, it’s finally time to set down your suitcases, take a deep breath, and start enjoying the French sun. We are in love with this place ourselves and hope you feel right at home immediately. To make your stay as relaxing and safe as possible, we have put together this folder. You’ll find everything you need to know inside.

Safety & Comfort
Getting used to a new environment always takes a little time. Because we want you to enjoy your stay without any worries, we ask that you at least read through the safety tips at the front of this folder. This way, you’ll know exactly what to look out for under the South French sun.

Caring for the House Together
We love sharing our home with you. Please feel free to use the tennis rackets and all the items by the pool. We only have one small request: please return everything to its original place before you leave so the next guests can enjoy them immediately. Please pay special attention to the parasols; fold them up whenever you leave.

Useful Tips & Facts
Further you will find practical information to make your holiday a bit easier:
• How the TV works (for cozy evenings in).
• Information on operating the outdoor lighting.
• Contact details for the doctor (just in case).

Our manager, Maria, has likely already shown you around, but don’t hesitate to check the folder if you’re looking for something.

We wish you a fantastic holiday full of swimming, long evenings on the terrace, and unforgettable moments. Enjoy—and perhaps until next time!

Sunny regards,
Gerard Jansen & Janneke Nijenhuis

Hanrathsingel 14
1252 AE Laren
Tel. 31 (0)35 6231419
Mobile: 31- 621700357 or 31-683225878
Email: info@villa-valbonne.nl
www.villa-valbonne.nl
When something is wrong: Please first contact Gerard at +31 6 83225878

Useful Tips A–Z

Airconditioning

A low-noise air conditioner is present in all bedrooms, operated by remote control. Please turn off the air conditioners during the day! If you leave the air conditioners on and, for example, start washing or drying, the power will definitely trip. Moreover, it is very expensive and unnecessary to leave the air conditioners on during the day.

The air conditioning units are placed close together, so it is possible that one air conditioner responds to a different remote control. Never turn all three on at maximum cooling; the electricity in France cannot handle that (set one to 20 degrees one by one and then slowly lower the temperature one by one to a maximum of 18 degrees)!

Alarmnummers

  • Alarmnumber:                                    112
  • Ambulance (S.A.M.U):                       15
  • Police:                                                    17
  • Fire Brigade                                         18

Ambulance de Valbonne
107 Av. De Pierrefeu – Valbonne
Tel: 33 (04) 93 12 20 26

Police Municipale
1 Place de l’Hotel de Ville
Valbonne Village
Tel 33 (0)4 93 12 32 00

Gendarmerie : 04 93 65 22 40

Bakery/supermarket

You will find the nearest (and good) bakery by turning right at the end of the park, going straight across the roundabout, and then immediately on your left.

The supermarket (Carrefour) is located a little further on the right (open Monday to Saturday until 8:00 PM and Sunday until 7:00 PM). You will find a large Carrefour at Antibes near the entrance to the A8.

You will find specialty shops (an Italian delicatessen with fantastic homemade products), an exclusive greengrocer/jeweller with a very large assortment and specialties, a professional butcher (also a delicatessen), and a bakery at the central car park in the centre of Valbonne. These businesses offer fantastic products at a price level to match. These shops are all open on Sunday mornings as well.

In the village itself, there are also nice little shops, such as an Italian specialty shop and a beautiful cheese shop.

Bathrooms

  • Please dry the glass wall with the squeegee after use, and wipe the floor in the large bathroom.
  • You can control which shower tap you want to use on the side of the shower. (pulling the pin out is a hand shower, pressing it in is a rain shower)
  • In the small bathroom, you can turn on the mirror light by running your hand under the mirror.

Bath towels and Hammam towels

You can use these free of charge, but they must be left clean in the same place before departure.

BBQ

The Weber BBQ is at your disposal. Upon departure, please leave the BBQ empty and clean in the outdoor kitchen. Please ensure you do not throw away the bottom rack when emptying the BBQ.

Books

You are welcome to use the books to read during your stay. You can even take them home with you if you leave another book behind in the house.

Central Swimming Pool at Domaine Val d’Azur

This swimming pool is an ideal meeting place for children. It is a large pool located approximately halfway towards the park exit. There are dedicated parking spaces on the right side of the road. There is also a small playground, a table tennis table, a pétanque court, and a volleyball court. These facilities are all free of charge for our guests.

Cleaner

When you enter the property, it will be cleaned. The house will only be cleaned again after your departure.

Departure

On the Saturday before departure, you must vacate the villa by 10:00 AM at the latest, unless otherwise agreed. The cleaners really need the time to get the house in order for the next tenants!

If anything is broken or lost, you must notify the key manager before departure.

Please take the following into account upon departure:

  • Air conditioning switched off; check all bedrooms separately
  • BBQ is clean and located in the outdoor kitchen
  • All waste has been disposed of (you can deposit everything next to the tennis court)
  • Please return all beds and other items you have moved to their original locations. Pillows in the garage
  • If you have rented linen, please remove it from the beds and place it in a pile in the living room
  • Refrigerators are empty, including freezer compartments
  • Fireplace is clean
  • Please leave at least 1 toilet roll per WC for the next tenant
  • Leave the key for the shed, tennis block with keys, pool alarm, and house alarm in the left drawer of the table in the hall

Dishwasher

Load the machine, add washing powder and rinse aid, select a program, and press depart/stop.

Please do not put too much rubbish in it that could block the pump. There have been known cases involving hands, pistachios, etc. In that case, a repair technician will have to come and the costs will be charged to you. Ensure that plates and items placed inside are free of debris, as this can cause it to clog.

Dryer:

Clean the lint drawer from the door after use. This is easiest to do with a vacuum cleaner.

Electricity

The electricity in France is prone to outages. The switches are located in the garage, in the cabinet on the left immediately upon entry. If one is down, you can flip it back up to restore the electricity. Never switch on the dishwasher, washing machine, air conditioning, and dryer simultaneously, as this will cause the fuses to blow immediately.

Garage door

This can be operated electrically with the remote control located in the left drawer in the hallway.

Garbage

You can take out all your garbage immediately after the tennis courts and on your right. Please ensure that all garbage has been taken out on the day of departure.

Garden

You might want to water the planters occasionally and spray the garden if they do not grow by themselves or are insufficient due to the heat. The gardener visits approximately once a week.

Heating

The house is heated by underfloor heating and electric heaters. Heaters: Open the plastic tab at the top right and adjust the temperature with the grey rotary knob. The on/off button is located on the right. The underfloor heating is operated using the special control panels on the wall.

Hairdryer

There is a hairdryer available in the house for you to use.

Lamps

  • The bedside lamps and separate outdoor lights are rechargeable.
  • Lamp above the table – there is also a button on the top to turn on the spotlights.

Markets in Valbonne:

  • Provençal market – every Friday morning
  • Antique market 1st Sunday of every month.

Outdoor lighting

  • Floodlights on the terrace: in the hallway of the bedrooms on the left (don’t forget to turn them off at night!)
  • Terrace lighting: The switch for this is located to the right of the fireplace
  • Pool lighting: To the left of the fireplace (top switch)
  • Garden lighting: To the left of the fireplace (bottom switch)
  • Gate lights: A switch to turn them on is located next to the front door
  • Please turn off all lights and close the gate at night (due to wild boars that are sometimes on the park)

Tennis courts

The tennis courts are free of charge for our guests. Reservations can be made using the black pad located in the drawer of the table in the hall. The black hanger with the two keys provides access to the court itself. The keys are for hanging up the reservation on the black pad. Tennis rackets and balls can be found in the garden shed. Please return everything to the same place after use so that future guests can find it as well.

Washing Machine & Dryer

The washing machine also has a handy turbo program for quickly washing towels, for example.

Wine Cooler

This is locked for our own private use.

Safety Tips

The safety and well-being of you and your children during your stay is our highest priority. Therefore, please read this section of the folder in any case.

Wireless Internet

Wifi: Livebox-82F0 password: VillaValbonne

Troubleshooting: If you experience internet problems, please unplug everything from the wall sockets in the hall, wait about 10 seconds, and plug them back in.

CRITICAL: Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES press the “reset” button. This requires a physical visit from a support technician, and the costs will be charged to you.

Storms: During thunderstorms, please pull the Wi-Fi plugs out of the socket immediately.

Doctor & Pharmacy

Mevrouw Jolanda Weerts,
Adres: Bat D4 Vallis Bona 4, pl Vignasse, 06560 Valbonne
Telefoon:+33 4 93 77 51 17

Or

Bergounioux Stanislas
24 chem Darbousson, 06560 Valbonne
Telefoon: +33 493638456 (Speaks perfect English; located near the Pharmacy at the roundabout)

Important: You must always make an appointment by phone first. Doctors must be paid in cash; card payments are not possible. A pharmacy is located near the roundabout toward Carrefour.

Swimming Pool

  • Alarm: In accordance with French law, a pool alarm is installed. However, responsibility for the pool remains with the parents/renters.
  • Equipment Room: Please do not enter the pool equipment shed. Maintenance is handled by the manager and a weekly pool technician.
  • Glassware: Please do not use glassware near the pool. Plastic glasses are provided in the large cupboard in the living room.

Security & Prevention

Southern France is a wonderful place to relax, but just like at other holiday destinations, it is wise to remain vigilant against unwanted visitors. To optimally protect your property and our home, we ask for your attention to the following:

Locks and the Gate

We advise you to consistently close the entrance gate to the grounds, as well as the windows, doors, and all shutters whenever you leave the property. Even when you are at home but do not have a direct view of certain areas (for example, while enjoying the pool), it is wise to keep everything properly locked.

Nighttime

For a good night’s rest, we recommend closing the shutters. You can then safely leave the windows or doors behind them open or in the tilt position for fresh air, while the house remains well-secured.

Important for Insurance

In France, insurers apply strict rules: in the event of a burglary, damage is often only covered if the shutters were demonstrably closed. If the shutters were open, the insurance unfortunately will not pay out. In the unlikely event that damage occurs due to non-compliance with these safety measures, we will be forced to charge you for the costs not covered by insurance.
Additionally, please keep in mind that our insurance only covers the house’s inventory. Your own personal belongings fall under your own travel insurance; we recommend contacting your insurer directly in case of theft.

House Alarm

Unfortunately, there have been burglaries in the park in recent years and (a long time ago) in our house as well. Therefore, we have decided to install an alarm.

Alarm Operation

When you leave, enter the alarm code in the hall: 1213. You will hear a beeping sound and then have 30 seconds to leave the house.

Upon entry, enter the code 1213 and the alarm will be deactivated again.

At night

You can also set the house alarm at night, excluding the bedrooms and the hallway. You do this using the small remote control.

Stand in the hallway of the bedrooms and press the button next to the i with 1 dot (to the left of the i). After 30 seconds, the alarm will be activated. When you click the i, the buttons on the remote will turn red.

To deactivate it, press the green key on the remote or enter the code 1213 on the keypad in the hall.

Using the two dots to the right of the i sets the entire house (including bedrooms) under alarm—this is useful when you are by the pool and do not have a view of the house.

In the unlikely event that the alarm goes off, it serves solely as a deterrent for unauthorized persons. There is no automatic notification to a central station or emergency services, and you will not be called. The alarm signal stops automatically after 4 minutes.

Important Nighttime Safety Measures

To ensure your safety and that of the property, we ask you to perform the following actions before going to sleep:

  • The Shutters: Ensure all shutters are completely closed and that the iron bars are properly placed everywhere.
  • The Garage: Check that the back door in the garage is locked with the two hooks.
  • The Front Door: Lock the front door and secure it with the two hooks.

Houserules

Furniture and Textiles
We would like to ask you not to sit on the sofas and chairs with wet swimwear or sunscreen. Unfortunately, pool water and oils can leave permanent stains on the upholstery. For the terrace and the pool, the outdoor furniture is, of course, perfectly suited.

Pets and Smoking
Pets are only allowed in and around the house if this has been coordinated with us in advance. Additionally, we would greatly appreciate it if smoking indoors is kept to an absolute minimum, so that the house remains fresh for all guests.

Cushions and Parasols
The weather in the South of France can sometimes change unexpectedly. In case of rain (or when you leave the house for an extended period), would you please bring the cushions and parasols inside?

Garden and Pool Maintenance
To keep the garden and the pool in optimal condition, a caretaker visits weekly:

  • The pool man comes once a week (for approximately 30 minutes).
  • The gardener comes once a week for about one to two hours. You do not need to be/stay home for pool or garden maintenance. They have both worked for us for many years, so they respect your privacy and can be trusted.

Visitors and Peace in the Area
Of course, you are free to receive guests. However, to maintain good relations with our neighbours, large parties and events around the pool are not permitted. We ask you to be mindful of the noise level outside after 10:00 PM.

Pool Safety
Please do not use glassware near the pool. In the large cupboard in the living room, you will find plastic glasses specifically intended for this purpose.

The Fireplace
Would you like to enjoy a cozy fire? You can buy dry wood yourself at the local supermarket or gas station. The existing wood supply is our (dried) private stock and is not included in the rent. We kindly ask you to leave the fireplace clean upon departure.

Use of the Dishwasher
For the proper functioning of the dishwasher, we ask you not to place items with soot deposits or coarse food remains in the machine. In the kitchen cabinet, you will find a starter supply of dishwasher tablets and rinse aid.

Garage Door
This is electrically operated using the remote control located in the left drawer in the hall.