The Setting

The Académie occupies the southern part of Villecroze, a picturesque village in the Haut-Var, not far from the Gorges du Verdon and the Cistercian Abbaye du Thoronet.

Set against the foothills of the Provence Alps and protected from the Mistral by the rocky slopes, pine trees and holm oaks that surround it, the village has retained much of its medieval character. It is celebrated particularly for its public gardens and its cliff face riddled with centuries-old cave-dwellings. In summer, the maze of narrow, arcaded streets around the ruins of its château is filled with flowers and the refreshing murmur of the village's many water fountains.

The Académie is housed in a former magnanerie and a number of the surrounding buildings. These have been restored both inside and out in keeping with local tradition, using dressed stone, terracotta tiles in shades of brown and ochre, old wooden beams and vaulted ceilings. Some of the interiors, notably the music centre, the library and some studio apartments, have been refurbished throughout in a markedly more contemporary style. With their skilful combinations of geometric forms, pure lines, traditional materials and plays of light, these offer functional and enjoyable spaces for both work and leisure activities.

The main building looks out over the gardens of the Pré-aux-Pauvres, with its grass amphitheatre in classical style and its cypress maze.

Concerts take place in the Romanesque chapel of Saint-Victor, dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Standing on a small hill outside the village, this is a listed historic monument.