Who we are and where we are
We are Jozien Obèr and Wouter Rombach, the hosts of Gîtes & Chambre d’Hôtes ‘Le Baou.’ Our accommodations include two detached cottages (gîtes) and an apartment (chambre d’hôtes) located in a private section of our home.
‘Le Baou’ is nestled in a valley between the villages of Bargemon and Claviers, situated in the lush heart of the Var department, slightly northeast of Draguignan. You could also say we’re right in the middle between the coast (Côte d’Azur) and the world-famous canyon of the Gorges du Verdon; both within an hour’s drive.
How did we end up in France?
Wouter first got to know Provence during childhood vacations with his parents. The desire to one day live in this region was always there. That dream moved closer to reality when, in 2000, we bought our current home, initially as a vacation property. Shortly after, Wouter was offered the chance to leave his office job as a legal advisor in Dutch public broadcasting and become a freelancer, which opened the door to living permanently under the French sun.
For Jozien, the Provençal adventure started much later. During a visit to the Netherlands, Wouter met her when both were coming out of previous relationships. Two weeks later, Jozien accepted an invitation to visit Bargemon, and to put it simply, she never left.
Once settled in France, the focus shifted from previous careers to welcoming guests in our gîtes and chambre d’hôtes.
Three guest accommodations
Our home was built in the 1980s by its original owner, a French artist from the Lille region. As a visual artist, he designed a relatively simple house with a playful shape and layout. He also constructed a spacious two-level studio in the garden. Wouter later renovated and transformed this studio into a charming, comfortable gîte.
The opportunity to create a second gîte came when we acquired the neighboring house next to our property. The elderly French owners had hardly used their vacation home in recent years. After a thorough renovation, this charming cottage offers living space, comfort, and amenities comparable to our first gîte, though it has a different character and layout.
Our home also lent itself well to creating a separate apartment on the ground floor, which we offer as a chambre d’hôtes. You could also call it a bed & breakfast, although not all guests choose to have breakfast since the apartment, like the gîtes, comes with its own kitchen.
In short: spread out across our property, with the swimming pool and surrounding garden at the center, we have three accommodations that can host four, four, and two guests respectively. Given the affordable pricing, the cottages are most often rented by couples.
To distinguish the accommodations, we named each after French artists famous for their depictions of beautiful, summery nudes: painters Courbet and Renoir, and sculptor Maillol.
Naturism
These names are of course a nod to naturism. Our guests - like us - are typically “clothed only in sunshine,” as one guest once poetically put it.
‘Le Baou’ attracts guests who have been naturist vacationers for years and have visited many naturist spots in France and beyond. But we also often welcome first-timers. The small scale of our place makes it easier to overcome any understandable hesitation. We’re always happy, and a bit proud, to see how quickly guests feel at home and comfortable. Since we are small scaled, we don’t have rigid rules about where or when to be nude or clothed. Everyone is free to do what they enjoy, as long as they respect others. This has never caused any problems or conflicts.
Swimming pool
Naturist vacations mostly happen in the warm season, and having a large swimming pool is a real plus. In the height of summer, the pool offers refreshment on hot, lazy days. In the shoulder seasons, the heating system ensures a pleasant swim as well.
Thanks to the spread-out locations of the three accommodations and the various seating and lounge areas around the pool, everyone has plenty of space, peace, and privacy. But the pool area is also a natural social spot, where friendly chats often happen, sometimes accompanied by a drink, between guests and with us.
Most of our guests come from the Netherlands and Flemish Belgium, but we’ve also welcomed quite a few French, Italians, Germans, Brits, and Danes.
The surrounding area
Of course, you don’t want to spend every day lounging by the pool. The beautiful Provençal countryside offers a wide range of options for short or longer excursions. There are lovely routes close by for hiking or cycling, and the authentic villages dotting the hillsides are all well worth visiting, places like Bargemon, Callas, Claviers, Seillans, Fayence, and a bit further afield Tourtour and Lorgues. Visiting local markets is always a treat. Don’t forget to check out the Gorges du Verdon! And that’s not even to mention the beautiful (nude) beaches along the Côte d’Azur, or famous spots like St-Tropez, Grasse, and Cannes.
We’re happy to offer our guests personalized tips on hikes, restaurants, beaches, and more. We always welcome our guests warmly and informally. While we depend on income from this work for our livelihood, we truly see it as a passionate hobby in the hospitality industry.
Wouter and Jozien, your friendly sun king and queen, look forward to making your stay fun and wonderfully relaxing!
More information about Gîtes & Chambre d’Hôtes ‘Le Baou’