Every summer of my childhood, we left Paris for the Atlantic coast, to a house by the ocean, lost in the dunes of Saint-Girons beach. It wasn’t luxurious. But it had everything: space, waves, silence, scent of pines, the endless horizon. Days barefoot, salt on our skin, beds full of sand. This is where I learned to surf, to slow down, to feel truly alive. That house shaped me.

‍

With Velvet House, I wanted to create places where people could feel what I once felt: freedom, connection, time stretching wide.

‍

Velvet is a growing collection of houses to rent, hidden in nature. Each one designed as a home you’d dream of owning. No neighbours, no noise. Just space to live, rest, cook, laugh, create. All less than two hours from the city, yet they feel a world away.

‍

These are houses filled with soul. With vintage furniture chosen one piece at a time, warm interiors, big wooden tables, old books, crackling fires, a few surprises. You’ll find a sauna in the woods. A pontoon by the lake. A cookery book where past guests leave their favourite recipe. A story by Jean Giono waiting on your pillow.

‍

Velvet homes are for everyone: couples, families, groups of friends, remote workers, creatives. You can arrive with nothing and feel instantly at home. Stay quietly. Or add a chef, a massage, a babysitter, a bike ride across the river. Each place has its own rhythm. But they all share the same promise: nature all around, and space to make memories.

‍

My hope is that your first stay won’t be the last.

‍

That you’ll come once for the escape — and come back to feel at home.

‍

Gaspard Konrad

Founder of Velvet House