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.
Helene O’Connor
Strategic Operations
helene@onlyprovence.com
Phone: +44 (0) 7598 167945
“I lead the Only Provence Team and set the strategic direction for the company.”
Stan Smith
Vice President
stanley@onlyprovence.com
Phone: +1 (404) 806-2278
“I manage all contracts and payments and ensure clients have the information they need prior to arriving in Provence.”
Caroline Core
Head of Owner Success
caroline@onlyprovence.com
Phone: +33 (0)6 99 09 34 88
“I work with owners to help ensure that their properties are optimised for rental success.”
Sylvie Allan
Villa Rental Specialist Manager:
UK, Europe & Asia-Pacific
sylvie@onlyprovence.com
Phone: +44 (0) 7822 002874
“I lead the team of Villa Rental Specialists as well as support inquiries from the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific”
Kelly Bateman
Villa Rental Specialist:
Americas
kelly@onlyprovence.com
Phone: +1 (484) 516 0818
“I support all inquiries from the United States, Canada, as well as South and Central America.”
Sarah Pernet
Villa Rental Specialist:
UK, Europe
sarah@onlyprovence.com
Phone: +44 (0) 7394 496582
“I support all inquiries from the UK and Europe.”
Learn more about the Villa Rental Specialist Team.
Florence Ferri
Portfolio Development
florence@onlyprovence.com
Phone: +33 (0)6 17 14 34 39
“I meet with owners who are interested in listing their property with Only Provence and assess potential partnership opportunities.”
Christine Cligny
Operations Support
christine@onlyprovence.com
“I perform activities that optimise our team’s ability to serve our owners and clients.”
Carol LaFarge
Concierge
carol@onlyprovence.com
Phone: +33 (0)6 50 13 03 22
“I arrange special requirements and/or requests before and during a client’s stay and am the point of contact in the Alpilles should there be any questions or concerns.”
Marcelle Debande
Luberon Ground Support
marcelle@onlyprovence.com
Phone: +33 (0)6 58 34 61 36
“I am the point of contact in the Luberon should clients have any questions or concerns.”
Louise Combarieu
Chefs and Tours
louise.lgservices@gmail.com
Phone: +33 (0)6 23 11 30 99
“I arrange chef services as well as tours in advance of a client’s stay.”
Lori Howard
Tailored Itinerary Planning
lori33howard@gmail.com
“I arrange fully customised itineraries in advance of a client’s stay based on their specific requirements and interests.”
