For Marie and her family, Tuscany is where they come to slow down. Based in Bordeaux, the family of five joined the Picholines Signature Collection three years ago, and their Tuscan home has become the place where everyone rests, cooks, reads and gathers with friends. This summer they spent a fortnight there, moving between the pool, the garden and the orchard, with walks and village visits whenever the mood took them. They've also seen a quieter side of the region, spending the week between Christmas and New Year there and watching fireworks rise from the surrounding villages at midnight. In this conversation, Marie shares why the view across the rolling hills is what they love most, how the home's design makes it feel as though a family has lived there for generations, and why "indulgent" is the one word they all agree on for their Tuscan home.
Could you kindly start by introducing yourself and where you and your family are from?
We are a family of five, Emmanuelle and Olivier, the parents, and three children named Hugo, Marie and Chloé. We have been living in the South-West, in Bordeaux, for around thirty years, and our family recently grew with the arrival of Ruby, our golden retriever, who brings joy to the whole family.
We have fairly busy schedules due to our professions, and we place great importance on being able to come together as a family in wonderful places where we can explore, sightsee, play sport, enjoy the outdoors, or simply cook and play together.
Can you please share a bit about the collection you are in? And why did you choose this collection compared to the other collections in August?
We joined the Picholines collection, which is part of the Signature Collection. Initially, our preference had been for a mountain property, as we all love skiing, a sport the whole family enjoys and we love the mountains even in summer. The prospect of also having access to other destinations, such as Tuscany, Mallorca and Valbonne, felt wonderfully complementary and appealed to us enormously.
How long have you been enjoying your collection and homes?
We have been enjoying our homes for three years now, having visited all four locations at different times of the year.
Do you have a favourite home or location in your collection?
It's a question that comes up very often in our family discussions: which house is our favourite? And I can tell you, the debates are lively, because each home truly has its own character, and it's very hard to rank them. We recently agreed that we could give each house its own defining adjective.
In Valbonne, we all agreed the word would be "functional" because the house is comfortable enough for everyone to move around freely. Each person can find their own spot to chat, read, rest or take a dip in the pool, and then come together around the barbecue. There are plenty of outdoor activities nearby, including a golf course just a short distance from the house, as well as all the villages, museums and everything the Côte d'Azur has to offer.
In Megève, the word that keeps coming up is "gentle." In the sense that everything is comfortable and cosy, the furniture invites you to sink into the sofas, enjoy long restful nights, or sit out on the balcony watching the mountain and the sunset. Especially after a long day of skiing or hiking, when you're basking in endorphins, it's simply wonderful.
In Tuscany, the house is designed in such a way that the word we always come back to is "Indulgent." Because wherever your eyes rest, everything is simply beautiful. You can lose yourself gazing at the medieval villages, immerse yourself in a book by the pool, cook up a dish for the whole family, or simply soak in all that the house has to offer. Everything invites you to slow down, to savour, to let yourself be carried along. It's a truly indulgent feeling, very much in the spirit of Chianti.
Finally, Mallorca is, for us, the "prettiest" house. It stands out for its exceptionally refined décor, generous spaces and living areas that invite you to wander from room to room, even though the house itself is located in a completely secluded village. Everything has been thought through with great care, in a harmony that makes it a true sanctuary. If we had to sum it up in one word, it would undoubtedly be: beauty.
But at no point could we rank them or give one first place, second or third. Each house has its own identity, its own atmosphere and its own character, and that is precisely why we love them all.
