Only Provence was founded by John & Lydia Dean, an American and Canadian couple who moved to Provence in 2001 and transformed a neglected farmhouse into one of the region’s first successful large villa rentals. At the time, the vacation rental market had only just begun to develop globally and there was no road-map or system to follow. The Deans carefully learned the ins and outs of renting their home to visitors, managing everything themselves— from marketing and booking, to check-ins and cleaning. Over the years the couple turned their attention to building an agency that offered similar high standards across a much broader collection of properties.

In 2007, Only Provence was incorporated in the US and would later become the region’s market leader in luxury villas and chateaux rentals with a portfolio of 200 hand-selected properties. In 2018, the Deans returned to the region to launch Provence Life  offering property owners renovation, decoration and sales services to further optimize their property investments.

From the beginning, a small, family business has grown into a trusted regional leader, deeply rooted in the values held dear from the beginning— a devotion to fairness, quality and authenticity.  

Meet the Team

Only Provence is based in the US and is supported by a dedicated team located in UK and Italy.  Our on the ground services are offered through our network of local consultants based in Provence.