Our Story
In 2001, Lydia and John Dean moved to Provence with their young family. A year later, they purchased a farmhouse outside of Aix-en-Provence, and with limited knowledge or local resources, began the arduous process of renovating their home. When the house was completed, they began renting it to foreigners visiting in the summer weeks.
After returning to the US six years later, John and Lydia established Only Provence in 2007, now a luxury villa rental leader, representing over 200 distinguished properties in Provence. During John’s years building the villa business, he previewed hundreds of properties, advising property owners concerning restoring and maintaining their homes and developing a keen sense for what foreigners seek in luxury properties.
Over the years, demand for property in the region has expanded, yet it was still rare to find the full range of services needed for foreigners to renovate, decorate, and prepare a home for villa rental. In 2018, the Deans returned to the region to launch Provence Life, a boutique company offering a suite of services related to home renovation. While the Deans oversee projects for foreign clients, they are currently focused primarily on buying and renovating luxury homes for resale. See our projects.
John and Lydia share a deep love for French culture and a passion for building businesses. They are also committed to making the world a more equitable place. While growing Only Provence, Lydia co-founded GoPhilanthropic, a nonprofit supporting grassroots education, health, and human rights initiatives in eight developing countries.
In 2015, Lydia published Jumping the Picket Fence, an inspirational mixture of renovating and raising a family in Provence, soul searching, and non-profit building. She later published a second book, Light Through the Cracks, a continuation of their love affair with Provence and philanthropy. Read more: www.lydiadean.com
