Mrs. Laurent: Hello, Villa Les Oliviers, Sophie Laurent speaking.
Mr. Bennett: Good morning, Mrs. Laurent. My name is David Bennett. I saw your house online and I'm interested in renting it next July. I have quite a lot of questions. I hope that's okay.
Mrs. Laurent: Of course! Please ask me anything.
Mr. Bennett: Thank you. First, is the house exactly?
Mrs. Laurent: It's about 280 on two . There are five bedrooms, and each one has its own . It sleeps ten people. There's also a in the office if you need it.

Mr. Bennett: And are the beds? My back is sensitive.
Mrs. Laurent: Four bedrooms have king-size beds, 180 by 200 centimetres. The fifth bedroom has two . We changed all the last year. They're quite firm, good quality.
Mr. Bennett: Good. What is the house ? an old house?
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, it's an old stone farmhouse from the 18th century, but we renovated it completely in 2021. The walls are local stone, about 60 centimetres , so the house stays cool naturally. The floors are old terracotta downstairs and oak wood upstairs. The kitchen are marble.

Mr. Bennett: Very nice. But thick walls are not always enough in July. air conditioning?
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, all the bedrooms and the living room have air conditioning. It's a quiet, modern system with a in each room. The kitchen only has .
Mr. Bennett: And in winter? Just in case we come back at Christmas.
Mrs. Laurent: There's downstairs and upstairs. There's also a large in the living room, and we provide the wood.

Mr. Bennett: Perfect. Now, the pool. How big is it, and ?
Mrs. Laurent: It's 12 metres by 5, and between 1.2 and 2 metres . It's heated from May to October with a , usually to about 28 degrees. It's a salt-water pool, not chlorine, so it's gentle on your eyes and skin.
Mr. Bennett: We'll have two small children with us. safe?
Mrs. Laurent: Yes. By French law it must be protected. There's a with a gate that locks, and an alarm. We also have , parasols, and pool towels for everyone.

Mr. Bennett: Okay. Now, something important: . In the south of France they can be terrible.
Mrs. Laurent: You're right, especially in the evening. All the bedroom windows have . We also put electric plug-in repellents in every room, and there's a near the terrace. Honestly, it's not a big problem at our house because we're on a hill, away from the river.

Mr. Bennett: That's good to hear. Now, the neighbours? Is it quiet?
Mrs. Laurent: Very quiet. The nearest house is about 200 metres away, behind the olive trees, so nobody can see into the garden or the pool. The neighbours are a retired couple. They're very kind. The only noise is the cicadas in summer!
Mr. Bennett: Ha! I can live with cicadas. are the shops?
Mrs. Laurent: The village is two kilometres away. There's a , a small supermarket, a pharmacy, and two good restaurants. There's a big supermarket 15 minutes by car. And there's a lovely market every Saturday morning.

Mr. Bennett: And the nearest airport and hospital?
Mrs. Laurent: Marseille airport is 50 minutes away, and the train station in Aix-en-Provence is 30 minutes. The nearest hospital is also in Aix, about 25 minutes by car. There's a doctor in the village too.
Mr. Bennett: Now let's talk about . We'll have two cars.
Mrs. Laurent: No problem. There's a private parking area inside the property, behind an . There's space for four cars. Two spaces are , so your car stays cool in the shade.

Mr. Bennett: One of our cars is electric. charge it?
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, we have a 7 kW next to the covered parking. It uses a standard Type 2 . It takes about seven or eight hours for a full charge, so overnight is perfect.
Mr. Bennett: Is the electricity for the car in the price?
Mrs. Laurent: Normal electricity is included, but for the car charger we ask a small extra fee. We read the when you arrive and when you leave. It's 25 cents per kilowatt-hour.
Mr. Bennett: That's fair. the internet? I sometimes need to work, even on holiday.
Mrs. Laurent: We have fibre internet, about 500 megabits per second, and Wi-Fi covers the whole house and the pool area.

Mr. Bennett: Excellent. Is the kitchen ? My wife loves cooking.
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, it's a professional kitchen. There's a large gas with six , two ovens, a , a big American fridge with an ice machine, a coffee machine, and a wine fridge. Outside there's a gas barbecue and a pizza oven.
Mr. Bennett: Wonderful. a washing machine?
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, a washing machine and a in the laundry room, and an .
Mr. Bennett: bed sheets and towels included?
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, everything is included. Sheets and towels are cotton, and we change them once a week. Final cleaning is included in the price too. If you want, our housekeeper can come every day for an extra charge.

Mr. Bennett: Now, the ?
Mrs. Laurent: In July and August the minimum is seven nights, from Saturday to Saturday. The rest of the year it's three nights.
Mr. Bennett: are check-in and check-out?
Mrs. Laurent: Check-in is from 4 p.m., and check-out is before 10 a.m. If the house is free, we can be flexible. I'll meet you personally and show you everything.
Mr. Bennett: for a deposit?
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, a of 2,000 euros. We take it by bank card, but we don't charge it. We release it within a week after you leave if there's no damage.
Mr. Bennett: And if we have to cancel?
Mrs. Laurent: You get a full if you cancel more than 10 days before arrival. After that, we keep 50% of the price.

Mr. Bennett: Understood. bring our dog? He's small and very calm.
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, one small dog is accepted, with an extra of 80 euros. But he can't go in the pool or sleep on the beds, please.
Mr. Bennett: Of course. Is the house safe? alarms?
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, there's an alarm system, a in the master bedroom, in every room, and a in the kitchen. There's also a first-aid kit.
Mr. Bennett: Is the house suitable for elderly people? My mother might come, and she has difficulty with stairs.
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, there's one bedroom on the with a . There are no steps between the terrace and the living room. She'll be comfortable.

Mr. Bennett: One last thing: a tourist tax?
Mrs. Laurent: Yes, it's 2.30 euros per adult per night. Children under 18 don't pay. We add it to the final .
Mr. Bennett: Mrs. Laurent, thank you. You've answered all my questions very clearly.
Mrs. Laurent: My pleasure, Mr. Bennett. I'll send you an email today with photos, the price, and the rental contract. If you have more questions, just call me.
Mr. Bennett: Oh, I'm sure I'll think of more!
Mrs. Laurent: (laughs) I'm sure too. Have a nice day!