The house that is Downton Abbey (a.k.a. Highclere Castle in Hampshire) might be one of the biggest draws for lovers of the TV show and 2019 film—but for the 2022 sequel, creator Julian Fellowes has moved the action to the French Riviera. The plot pivots around a villa in the South of France, which the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) has inherited from a mysterious man she knew years earlier.
The property in question is Villa Rocabella, a Belle Epoque mansion in Le Pradet, about an hour west of St. Tropez—and you can stay here. Set in three hectares of meticulous grounds, this thoroughly Mediterranean house was actually designed by a Danish architect, Hans-Georg Tersling, in the late 19th century. At first a literary salon for avant-garde artistes on the continent, after World War II it became a holiday home for children until 2000, when architect Patrice Nourissat began renovating the palatial home.
Imelda Staunton stars as Lady Bagshaw, Tuppence Middleton as Lucy Branson, Allen Leech as Tom Branson, Hugh Bonneville as Robert Grantham, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Grantham, Harry Hadden-Paton as Bertie Pelham, Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith, Nathalie Baye as Mme. Montmirail, and Jonathan Zaccäi as M Montmirail in Downton Abbey.Ben Blackall / © 2022 Focus Features LLC
These days there is space for 42 people to take over the entire villa, spreading across the three distinct houses flecked across the grounds. There are opulent reception rooms, a swimming pool, a pétanque court, and a gym—and the house comes with a chef, a butler, a barman, and a housekeeper, so you can really live out your Downton Abbey dreams as a person of leisure.
If you can’t think of 41 other people you’d like to hole up in an estate with, you can also take over a single guest room in the house for a more low-key getaway, or hire out the cottage (for up to 10 people) or Bastide (for up to 15) for a smaller group gathering. Plus, all stays are all inclusive–including a very French aperitif hour between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Guest rooms at Villa Rocabella start from about $509 per night.
This post originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveler.
