The Mas a Short History of the French House Plan Style ......

For no less than 2000 years the French, and the Gauls before them, have farmed the lands of Provence and Languedoc. Over this period a distinctive residence evolved for the peasant farmer, a home rectangular or u-shaped in plan with walls of natural stone or stucco and roofs of clay tile. The homes were nearly always two storied.  Farmer and barnyard animals alike shared the 1st floor, while the 2nd floor was filed with bedrooms, food storage and often silkworm nurseries.  

Although original Mas French House Plans are seldom available, the Mas design was a marvel of natural adaption.  The main entrance faced South to protect from the northern winds of the Mistral.  For that reason there were normally no windows on the North elevation.  What windows there were on the South facade, were small and narrow to protect from the heat of the Provincial sun. The farms were largely self-sufficient producing fruit, vegetables, grain and meat, as well as, silk for income.  The storing of food and animals inside was necessary in a rural and vandal-ridden countryside. The barnyards were often surrounded in secure, stonewalls, creating what the French call a ¡¡ãclo¡¡À.

   In the later part of the 19th century when many were leaving the farms and the industrial movement was beginning, an artistic and literary style commenced in Europe, which would romanticize the bucolic life of the farmer and his environment.  Influenced by the Romantic movement and seeking a less hectic life, young aristocrats and the ¡¡ãnew rich¡¡À from England turned to the fields of Provence.   They began to acquire the French farms as summer homes and estates and, as such, the redefinition of the ¡¡ãFrench Mas¡¡À began.  Throughout the 20th century the Mas continued its appeal and admirers from many nations now consider a Mas in Provincial France the idyllic summer home. 

The ¡¡ãtypical¡¡À modern Mas has been transformed with the addition of large French doors, shuttered windows, flowered balconies and swimming pools into a form of manor house.  A distinctive element of all Mas are its tall wood shutters on every opening.  The shutters, being the only source of color on the buildings, are always a faded green or light blue color.  The ancient walls are often covered in vines with very little stone or stucco left exposed.  Roofs are always of red barrel tile supported by old wooden soffit beams at the eaves.   Here and there one finds an element of classicalism such as a Greek pediment over a door or a stone quoin on a corner but for the most part the Mas is without architectural ornamentation.  

The interior surfaces of a Mas are usually quite rustic.  Floors are tiled with unpolished French clay, sometimes accented with small blue and white porcelain tiles.  The walls are rough stucco and the ceilings framed in rough-hewn beams and exposed wood planking.  Kitchens are rather randomly laid out as if they had been built over many centuries.  Storage spaces for closets and kitchens are mostly made up of wooden placards placed over stuccoed openings for an organic built-in look.  

Although many new  versions of French House Plans are available, they rarely have much in common with the original Mas de Provence. We have attempted to capture the essence of a French Country Villa without losing that original charm.   AS in the original our u-shaped Mas creates a central courtyard (or Clo) that becomes the primary living space for the home.   Provincial French living revolves around outdoor living and a shaded corner of the courtyard usually creates the home¡¯s main dining area.  The living room and kitchen face directly on the courtyard, reinforcing the indoor-outdoor space theme.   A fountain or pool in the courtyard is a common element.                       

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